Big Dogs vs. Small Dogs

My dad and my brother have always preferred big dogs over small dogs, and I don't quite understand why. We had a German Sheppard for a short time period - she started hopping over fences and chewing our neighbour's tomatoes... then later we got a Doberman Pinscher (as a result of my brother's whining) - he caused even more trouble. First off, he was an untrained puppy so he pissed and shitted everywhere, and for some reason I got stuck doing most of the cleaning. I don't ever recall seeing my brother picking up shit and cleaning the carpets, even though it was HIS dog. It still bothers me! As he grew bigger he started to pisse off all our neighbours and eventually my dad gave him to a friend in the country.

I personally think it's stupid to have large dogs like German Sheppards and Dobermans in urban areas... and really, why would you need them? Our doors have locks and we can buy burglar alarms if we really don't feel safe at home... no need for messy guard dogs. I also don't see the need for a "smart" dog, unless it will be used for hunting or retrieving. I almost feel bad to see smart hound dogs sit at home getting fat all day rather than chasing animals.

So if I was to ever get a pet dog, it would be a mutt - ideally one that is small, slightly dumb, and not too hyper. It would do nothing more than what it's good for... sitting around, eat, sleep and entertain humans.