I'm biased towards German Shepards, being the type of extreme animal lover that likes almost every breed of dog, I have had two Shepards in a row. The reason is intelligence and loyalty, combined w/ unique personality of herding breeds that makes them bond very exclusively w/ pet owner or family, yet my dogs are very well-socialised. I never read about German Shepards mauling babies, but plenty of these stories w/ other "guard dog" breeds.
I cannot stress enough the importance of buying the dog from some type of breeder, it is very preferable to see the parents, IMO. You must know what you are looking for, it is intelligence and disposition. WHen you arrive to look at the puppies, the parents (dogs) will bark at you as an intruder/stranger, but should quickly mellow out and be friendly once you are accepted into the home by the people who live there. Think about it, there is nothing worse to mess with than an intelligent tough guy, right?
My dog is very protective while inside of the house or car, but nice to most everyone when out in public space. And he is absolutely flawless in his behavior around children, this is an essential, non-negotiable requirement in a dog for me. He takes an instant dislike to people who act shady in any way. He would probably bite most politicians.
How smart is he? Let's put it this way, he wonders what the hell is so interesting on this computer screen:
