We had one named Venus from when I was in second grade until my senior year in high school. My two brothers, and I, rode her like a horse when we were little. She was the sweetest thing around the majority of people we brought home. My brother had some friends in high school that were very wild. She didn't like two of them. She was a great judge of character, and could tell something about their natures.

My mom says when we were in high school, if we weren't home by midnight, she used to come wake her up. We also had a cat that knew she could get into fights with other cats, and jump over the fence where Venus would protect her. She did it all the time.

My aunt had one that had to be put down after he bit a few people. I was one of the people he bit, but I kind of feel like it wasn't his fault. When I asked where he was, my aunt told me he was in a bedroom sleeping, and suggested I go wake him up. I went in, and called his name, but he didn't wake up. I put my hand on his neck, and he snapped and bit me.

This was a Great Aunt, who's kids were grown, and had left home. He wasn't used to being around kids. They lived in the country, and had him to be around the house while my aunt, and her sister, were there by themselves. He was more guard dog than pet. To this day, I can't believe my aunt told me to go wake him up. The other people he bit were strangers outside the house.

If yours is around kids as a puppy, I don't think you'll have those kind of problems with it.

ETA:

I forgot to tell you my aunt's Doberman was named Satan. Can't expect to give one a name like that, and have him turn out well. My uncle wanted people to fear him. I knew he could be mean, but wasn't afraid of him because I was used to being around ours

This post was edited on 7/24/19 at 12:38 am