Anyone have any experience with them?  Interested in the breed, but haven't personally been around them.

I've got one.  Also have a standard and a mini.  The giant is no different from the others other than its size.  Very cool dogs.

Had a gal in my basic and sub novice obedience class with a BRT. It was a large dog, easily trained, smart, and easy to please. Cool dog,

I see you're in Oklahoma.  How do they handle the heat?  I've read that they mature slowly, so you basically have a huge puppy for 2-3 years..  Any truth to that?  Lastly, is there a breeder in OK that you recommend?

Thanks!

Great dogs! The puppy time can be trying as they need plenty of exercise. Also, not for a first time dog owner as they are independent and headstrong. Naturally protective of their pack members. My wife could not believe as we were walking and encountered other people, my giant would always place herself between us and what she perceived as a potential threat. Also, while can be a little too much for little kids, mine was very gentle with small kids.

This was one of the deciding factors on a Schnauzer.  We've got a German Shepherd, and although I would love another, we just..cannot..keep up with the shedding.  Dear God..  The shedding is unreal.  Doesn't help that the wife and I are semi-neat freaks..!

Love Giants. Definitely my favorite breed. They are stubborn and way too smart for their own good but love to interact and please. In my experience and as stated above they have a puppy-like mentality forever. Meaning they are very energetic and playful.
They are protective of their family but ours loved everyone. He would be very intimidating to anyone coming up to the fence or the door.
Unlike the minis which we have a couple now and have had others they do shed some. Nowhere near like the piles of hair that come off a german shedder but they will shed a little.
They seem to do fine in the OK heat. As well as can be expected anyway.
Grooming can get spendy. I bought some decent clippers and did my own grooming other than a short period where I let someone talk me into letting them groom him for a short time. It isn't that difficult.
People love to throw around the term velcro dog but ours was truly a velcro dog who needed to be right up my ass all the time. He also tended to shove his whole mop face off into the water bowl and then proceed to trail water all thru the house and eventually right into someones lap.
They seem to love water and ours swam like a manatee and would stay in the pool until you made him get out.
Ours was a big boy. 125-130lbs though I understand thats a little above average they are still pretty big strong dogs.
He loved to play and was good with kids though he was so strong when he was younger he could/would accidentally knock toddlers over in his excitement. Our daughter got plowed under a couple times but he was never aggressive with any of us.
I will have another one some day.