Lee, I loved your story about the "junkyard dog." Chows are really scary looking animals. My Charlie Chan is a pussycat really, but he looks like a mean animal. He's usually good-natured, till you try to groom him, clean his eyes, or otherwise get into his personal space. Then, it's muzzle time. I haven't seen a red Dobe in years. They are really beautiful. When I was a kid I had a miniature pinscher which was the same color as a red Dobe, but they called it "chocolate." Nasty little dog, bit everybody. Chows can really "tear someone a new one"....in fact I can think of a couple of perfect choices for that procedure, but I wouldn't want to dirty the dogs mouth, LOL!!!!! (.....I have a couple of yucky people in my life.) When my three sons were little my eldest boy became frightened of dogs so we went out and bought two Great Danes. Cured his problem real fast. Gretl was a fawn and Ilse was a black one. I loved them dearly, but they didn't live long and died of th! e bloat. I can never have another one...too many memories I don't want to re-kindle. I just love dogs, like em better than most people I know. Mamie