I want to have a beast like the one in you avatar!!
That's an Italian Mastiff...a.k.a a Cane Corso. I had one (Teddy) when I was a kid, it was very similar to this one maybe a tad bulkier (it would pull me and my friends bikes). He was a terrific companion for a curious boy. They get a bad wrap because they look like larger PBs and have been targeted for cross breeding for fighting dogs. Like most loyal working breeds they will do what is asked of them, and in the wrong hands it has equated to horrific results. They aren't for inexperienced dog owners, and of course like any working breed they should be obtained from proven reputable breeders.
Three years ago my wife put the dogs on this raw meat diet (aka "the wolf diet" lol), I balked but agreed to try it. We mix in kibble and sliced garlic and other items that need to be used before they go bad. My wife has a habit of not transferring items she opens to a sealable container, thus freezer burn occurs - hence frozen shrimp, peas and corn last night. We buy wholesale/bulk so everything is actually pretty cheap.
I will say this about the diet. They don't go to the vet near as much as most dogs, their coat and teeth are great. The black boy is actually 9yrs. and the red girl is 7yrs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />