if you think what im looking for is also what your looking for look into some of the spanish mastif types, even the wolfhound and from what ive read the borzoi (though im sure romy could correct me on that it im wrong)
It's pretty hit or miss with borzoi honestly, whether they'd stand up to a threat or not. There are too many out there with really fearful, skittish temperaments. The standard says "aloof" and too many people interpret that to mean, "afraid of strangers". They are NOT the same thing.
They do have a strong intimidation factor because of the size. They have a gigantic bark, a lot like a dane actually.
Strider has a very excellent temperament. While he's never been in a situation where he needed to stop an attacker, we did have a few close calls where I feel like he prevented someone from acting on bad intentions.
Once was a transient camped in a field, who saw me (lone young female) walking down the path. He didn't see Strider because of the tall bushes, and started coming toward me through the brush. As soon he came out onto the path and saw the size of the dog I was walking his eyes got huge and he made an "ohcrap!" face before running away.
Not that he had bad intentions, but once at the doctor's office the doc lifted the back of my shirt to listen with his stethoscope. Strider did NOT like that. He didn't growl or anything. He did jump to his feet with the stiff upright tail and gave the doc the whale eye. He stopped when I told him it was okay. I think if I had screamed or fought the doctor Strider probably would have bitten him.
Shortly before we got Strider his breeder had several drug smugglers try to break into their house. One of their old borzoi females was lying on the porch, and they heard her barking and growling. Next they heard gunshots and more dog noises, and a car driving away. The dog had been shot and stabbed several times, but she wouldn't let them in. She did survive thank goodness.
That kind of nerve is correct in the breed, I just wish it was more common. As far as I'm concerned a good one is worth their weight in gold.