Noonan was a pound dog adopted at 8 weeks by a young family who after a year realized they couldn't keep him due to his high energy and their need to leave him alone while they worked. Found him on Craigslist, almost two years ago. He is a true athlete, has become a member of the family, and a joy to have as my companion. He needs and gets lots of exercise, which means I do too! The chickens are fenced, or he would probably play with them to their demise. While not a guard dog, he is certainly an alert dog, and would no doubt be a formidable protector if a "bad guy" showed up with evil intentions. He's a lover, but has shown through play that he knows where the jugular is located. He arrived with some bad habits, but has responded well to a firm hand. I really couldn't have done better! He's now about 3 and through genetic testing we know he's mostly unidentified mix, but with boxer definitely present. Maybe he really is nothing but a hound dog!