I agree with Rob and would go with the Schnauzer Brian if you are looking for something to be around your family. My Dad had one when we were kids. It was both loyal and protective. They were also pretty much a one person dog (which IMO all good dogs are). On a second note, they are not apt to go for the head area if they do decide to bite.

I've heard some boys around here using dogos for hog hunting. Again, IMO, those dogs are nothing more than glorified pits. The pic you posted is a perfect example, that animal was not bred to be intelligent or loyal. It was bred to hold an animal 5-10 times its size in place. When an animal like that grabs something smaller, they tend to rip their throats, ears, and faces off. Call me what you want, but no way would I have that dog around a child.

Dogos are becoming pretty common, they are sort of the new pitbull for all the drug and gang crowd. Giant schnauzers are rare and expensive. Both breeds are probably a bad choice to have around small kids, like you have. If the main purpose is to protect your truck yard I would just get 2 large mutts.

If you want a purebred, get a kangal type, Anatolians shepherd. They get much larger, a decent sized adult male will weigh close to 220 and be 6' 6" on it's back legs. They have much stronger bites than all other breeds, but are unlikely to bite. Their size and bark will keep almost anyone from wanting to enter your truck yard.




The kangals can protect your livestock too

Keith

Don't you have poultry? Even if it doesn't go nuts on them, just the sight of a dog across the yard can stress all types of poultry. Just something to think about.