I vote for Siberian Huskys. They religiously announce any thing and anyone that steps on the property. However, they will not attack.
You want attack dogs you know where to go and buy more insurance.
They can live outside in NW weather without a problem. In summer
they shed. They play with the grandkids, 3 to 11, with gusto.
Placing themselves twixt a potential threat and the kids or other 'pack'
members is commonplace. Akela one of the males kicks a Bull Mastiff's
butt regularly.
So I am opinionated, I like wolves and coyotes too.

Catahoulas (the Other American Breed), especially female blue eyed blue roans. Great with kids (herders), short coats, good sizes (males 60 - 80 pounds, females 50 - 60 pounds), very trainable, etc.

I would go with the Lab, they are great with kids and I disagree with the other poster that said "Barking doesn't stop anything". If the dog is in the house and is barking, then there is a high probability that they are not going to break into the house (Now your car, boat is another question). Just like having a big mean german shepard or pit bull will do no good to protect your house if it is in the garage.

Here's what happens in the canine world, when you "reach across the aisle"...

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24494226

Hope they find a good home.

To the OP, a Lab is a good choice for the purpose you describe. Some Labs will greet and lick burglars to near death, and some Labs will take an arm off one. A friend's chocolate Lab, Zeke, was one of the latter. No way I could get in the truck or house unless Joe was there first. Otherwise I risked losing an arm, and the dog knew me.

I'm always impressed by recommendations for mixed breed dogs to obtain some combination of desired traits. These folks apparently know more about dog breeding than the thousands of serious dog breeders who collectively have spent the last few hundred years developing dog breeds to be the "best" at just about any number of jobs a dog can possibly do. Mixed breeds shouldn't exist outside of "accidents" IMO.

Sg

I was owned by one of these characters for about 16 years.
The toughest retriever traits combined with a German Shepard attitude.
Protective of family.....not friendly toward strangers.

When I first laid eyes on him, I thought wow, that's a huntin' dog.




Edit:
In James Michener's "Chesapeake" read "The Watermen" for a wonderful story about a Labrador, a Chesapeake and their owner.

DD,

When I first saw this thread I thought about a Chesie. I met a guy in a campground who had a pair. He could go away and leave his truck and 5th wheel wide open. Nobody could get in without first taking out the dogs. Super protective of their "pack" or family. And as good a hunter as any. And Chesapeake was a very good read.

Sg

Nice pic of the Chesapeake. I was raised with Chesapeakes. First one was Shagack in Adak, Alaska. Then Maude, then Cass. All incredible animals. Other than one little dog (for Mom) those Chesies were around until a few years after High School, the oldest living to be 16+. I had my "dog wrestling" clothes that I had to wear if I was going to play with them when I was little. They were great kid-friendly dogs. One learned to nip me under my upper arm when she got tired of me harassing her.....bitch! She never broke the skin, but could raise a blood blister in that tender spot.
Mom loved hunting ducks with them. Don't overlook them as a possibility.

Not quite.....that was Mowgli.