We had a German Shepherd that we named Nelson. He was BIG. Gentle as a lamb but everyone was afraid of him. Strangers would not get out of their car.
He was a great pet as well as a watch dog.
Hey, remember that wrestling move called “the full Nelson”? I bet your Nelson was big enough to do that move. That’s how our dogs are, big but actually very sweet. We’ve found the doberman to be very affectionate. We also like german shepherds. They are great dogs. We had a shepherd and St.Bernard mix when I was a kid and she was an awesome doggie.