I've always been partial to the herding breeds. For me, that's the only part of the dog show I watch.
When I bought my first house a couple of years ago, I felt like I needed a companion and protection dog. I was seriously considering a GSD, but I found the perfect dog in my Malinois/GSD mix. I know we all say it, but he's the best!
In choosing a companion for him, I picked a pretty female malinois. (He's quite popular with the females!) Between the two of them, I'll feel safe anywhere and we'll have plenty to do between hikes and agility, or whatever we decide to do.