Rick & Cyndi wrote:

> Indeed we are! She is such a special creature. Very loving and friendly
> yet protective when she feels the need.
>

I have seen two very protective but loving, gentle dogs. The first was a
friend's St.Bernard. She didn't like the son of one of their friends and would
not let him in the house. She simply stood across the stairs and blocked his
way, moving back and forth slowly and deliberately as he tried to go around
her. The other was my Bouvier. She seldom even opened her eyes when people
came to the house if I was home alone with her. If my wife answered the door she
stood between her and the door and watched the visitors very carefully. Her
presence was enough to scare most people. From what we heard from friends and
relatives who came to the house when we were out she was a monster. One friend
who had been living with us for a few weeks came back to get something and used
his key to open the door but she would not let him in the house.