Oh, I thought it was the size issue. I do like dogs, but am really repulsed by the aforementioned yippy snappy shaky breeds. They'll bite your face off if so inclined.
Yet Ava, when she was about 3, walked over to Jack (the golden) and plopped down on him as he was sleeping on the floor, and he woke and looked at her for a second, and they both went to sleep.
Same dog ran off a wildish dog that came near my dad when dad had taken Jack to his land for swimming. Dad couldn't believe it: this gentle dog? Jack just calmly herded the other dog off like "yeah, I don't think so buddy." He was protecting my father.
Now THAT's a dog.
