We're looking for a dog and were wanting a German Shepherd but haven't been too impressed with the local pups we've seen. We happened across a Dutch Shepherd breeder in west TN and the dogs seem great. friendly, playful but alert and wary of strangers until introduced.
We have a rescued Border collie now but she's extremely timid and not much protection for my wife. Our las shelter lab-mix developed severe hip displasia and had to be put down so we're going with a pup from a local breeder this time.
Anybody have any experience with the Dutch Shepherds? Good family dog or psycho kid/cat chomper?

No experience, but: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/dutchshepherd.htm

A word of warning about any dog that you get for 'protection' they require fairly intense obedience training and need to be worked on an almost daily basis. If you don't keep them in their place (below you) they'll abuse the relationship.

My thought is that the dutch shepherd is likely to be a pretty expensive, tho good dog. Probably healthier than the usual GSD, and it may not be as inbred as German Shephards tend to be.

Well, we spent most of a day with the breeders and got to know the dogs and this puppy picked us. From what the breeder was telling us, the short haired Dutch Shepherds are more known for the protection and police work and these long haired versions are mostly family dogs. He has been raised with cats, horses, a neighbor Shih Tzu and people so he's pretty well socialized and very easy going. I think the breed is not significantly different from Belgians or German Shepherds but I really just like this breeder and they way they raise their dogs. Of course it doesn't hurt that he's a beautiful pup either.
When I said better protection for my wife when I'm gone, basically I just meant a little bigger and more confident than our super-timid Border collie with the lame leg. Meet 6 month old Arno: