Max is an 18-month-old German Shepherd. Orchardists Dom and Vanessa Scali say Max is the protector of their family, despite his naughty tendencies. The family has 37ha at Shepparton East and 25ha at Orrvale where they grow apples and pears. They refer to Max as a social butterfly. While he is employed as the Scali family guard dog, Max tends to run amok on the orchard and has quickly nestled into the hearts of the Scali family. Their daughters — Stella, 7, Eva, 7, and Khloe, 5 — have him eating out of the palms of their hands, literally.