Labra, my reason for wanting a large guard dog is security. Right now I'm caught between moving to Mexico with my parents and getting a place by myself in the US, and I don't feel entirely secure in either place. Truth be told, I feel safer walking at night with a big dog by my side than I do with a gun in my purse. Most criminals will steer clear of someone with a dog, much less a dog that could eat them.
The only thing at this point that steers me away from Filas (and LGDs to a lesser extent, my main concern with them is dog aggression) is the fact that getting vet treatment for them probably costs an arm and a leg because it's such a royal pain in the ass for the vet and techs to manage the dog, not to mention it's probably highly stressful for the dog. I don't want to have to give a dog xanax just to get its temperature taken. In that respect, I'd much rather have a dog that's more accepting of handling from benign strangers, yet still protective when need be. Not everyone needs a dog that's always working in defensive drive.