My husband and our 2 little children just love these gentle giants. We live in the country, and love the fact that the only time these guys bark is if something is REALLY there. They were originally bred for stealth and quietness. The bark was bred out of them, so they could sneak up on an intruder. They still bark, just not at everything. They are a mastiff, and are LARGE and can be quite lazy, but at the flip of a switch there doing there guard duty and being just as playful as any puppy out there. They do well in apartments, or small yards. If walked, they do not need large spaces. They are a "snub nose" breed so they need cooler climates, or are inside during hot seasons.