Proud former owner of the best damn dog in the world speaking (a German Shepherd Dog may he rest in peace). My few cents: 1) train little dogs, too, dammit! I cannot tell you how many obnoxious little yippy rat-looking animals I see. Just cause they are little and shiver and pee constantly, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t come when called, heel and sit. Only dog that ever bit me was a little shivering nervous terrier. Gah! I am a big fan of Cesar Milan. Read his books or watch the shows and train your dog. 2) don’t treat a dog like a child. yes, they are motivated by a lot of the same things, but kids have different rights than dogs and they eventually grow up, go to college and leave you in peace. Dogs are dogs. We love them (I cried my eyes out when my last one passed away) but they are just dogs. 3) I find most large breeds to be lovable and awesome. Some breeds have higher energy levels than others. Don’t expect a high energy dog to be easy to train unless you wear its ass out first. Ditto: Owners are the problem, not the dogs.