My next dog will be a small one. I have had German Shepherds my entire life, either imported from Europe or purchased there and taken back to the US with me.
There's a lot of health problems in the breed. Interestingly, since the registries in Europe won't accept a dog for full breeding license if it has bad hip x-rays, Gryphon does not have hip dysplasia.
At 7 he has a touch of arthritis in one hip, but he injured that in a fall over a training obstacle as a young dog (partial dislocation).
We had a huge scare two years ago when he became very weak in his back end. There's a disease called degenrative myelopathy (DSM) that GSDs are prone to, and it kills usually in under a year.
It's not that; Gryphon has severe spinal arthritis, to the point that you can see and feel the enlarged joints in his lumbar spine. It's another thing that goes with the breed, especially those who were working dogs (Gryphon did competitive obedience and tracking for several years).
He's much stronger in back now but his gait is still abnormal and he has trouble getting into and out of my vehicle.
Add in intestinal problems and the like, and they are a rough breed to own. There's temperament issues to be watched for, too--everything from seperation anxiety to excessive aggression.
The dogs have to be consistently trained and kept busy.
I haven't decided on the next dog. I will probably adopt one from either a shelter or a breed rescue (if I decide on a specific breed and like what research shows me)
Plus, I have to have a dog that I can pick up and carry and Gryphon weighs nearly 90 lbs.