my family has used and raised them for about 40 years now. it depends on the particular dog, or line of dogs, and your situation. do you have cats, chickens, etc.? do you have close neighbors that have pets, cats, chickens, etc., or small children? I have three small kids, and have never worried about them around dogs that were raised with them, but always watch them when anyone else is around, including other kids. as a general rule, they can be very protective of their family and territory, however, they can still be great family pets. i would stay away from the more timid ones because they seem to have a larger "bubble" and may be more aggressive towards anyone invading their space. also stay away from any with a lot of white, especially white heads, they are sometimes deaf.