WGSD: intelligent, stubborn, loyal, protective, typical herder dog instincts.

The first one I owned was in the late 60's. He weighed about 90lbs, large for a sheperd dog. The dog swam the rapids in the large creek below our house every morning, which endeared him to my mother, as did the time he brought home the drowned calf. We "inherited" that dog from the family of my father's elderly friend who died, as my father was the only one who could approach the dog and get him to let the coroner get to the old man's body for removal.

We got the second one when my son was two, when I started back to graduate school at night. She was about 4lbs of very dirty puppy, and we made the mistake of letting John name her. "Security Guard Dog Pup" was her full name. Security her family name, and did you ever feel stupid when you called her in public, but the name was apt. We slept soundly with her in the house.

If you like big dogs, I recommend the breed.

Damn, my post has gone to the dogs. Who'd of thunk.

Lap dogs, too. Mine were the same.