Reply #4: Standard poodles and labradors are better choices than any "guard" dog.

[pnwmom]

Any large dog will scare people away. But too many guard dogs have bitten innocent people.

I personally know a brought-up-with-children, carefully trained, "gentle" female malamute that surprised everyone one day by biting a 5 year old girl in the face (who was doing nothing but laughing within a group of children). Dogs that are bred to be "guard dogs" can have a vicious streak that can emerge without any warning. Any dog can -- but guard dogs that are bred to be aggressive are the most likely.