I've had many dogs thru my lifetime ... collie, (1) AKC pomeranian, (1) AKC poodle, mutts, (5) AKC Great Danes, (3) mix Labs, (1) AKC pug. They were all my favorite when we were together. I miss them all. Not one was perfect ... well, danes are close. Just as our three generations of Labs of the moment are completely different and have their own personalities so are the different breeds. As someone mentioned, investigate different breeds to see which one might match your personality. Danes are the gentle giant, but they are big along with St. Bernards, mastiffs, etc. Would a small dog trip you easily? Would a GD knock you down? Pros and cons for all breeds. Research.