I’ve actually liked many small dogs. Including my sisters, who has mostly been owned by her son (RIP). Some of course have been scary, others just annoying.
Don’t conflate “alpha” with vicious or unreliable. My bestest dog ever, my first pedigree GS, was very much dominant, but docile and joyous. She was bold and would assert herself, but only once did she ever even look vicious (she’s had multiple opportunities both people and dogs) - when my sisters young GS tried to mount her in our yard. Oh, she turned on him so fast and drove him clear across the yard for daring. Snarling and teeth everywhere. He got the message and she stopped.
She was a very stable, solid dog who was fully trustworthy and could handle herself excellently. I was proud of her. Proud. (How many people say that about their dog?)
Anyway, dominant does not mean aggressive. Assertive, definitely, but not aggressive.
Gotcha. This GS was not vicious. He was in a pen, under excercised. Champion German bloodline. The dominant male in the litter. Beautiful, magnificent animal.
I thought training and socialization would make him manageable. Boy, was I ever wrong. He would embarass me at the group lessons and I would have to restrain him with a choke collar. He was likely to chase a bicyclist. One time someone stopped a car to speak to him, and he acted like he was going to attack. When he got out of the pen he would scare me half to death thinking what might happen.
At the vets, it took three of us to try to get the second nostril for the kennel cough medicine. We could not man handle him to get him to take the medicine. At no time in that situation was I afraid he would bite one of us, although that was quite a physical struggle.
I was able to place him with a family in the country who needed protection and had a 4 acre fenced yard. Win/win situation. I think I sold him for $100. 1 year old. Could have sold him for $200 to someone in the city; not a good situation. One amazing thing is a man who loved GSs offered to take him if I could not place him, out of kindness. This guy had built a washing facility for his GSs, but already had a full kennel.
I can remember taking him out into the woods and watching him enjoy checking out the area. Very athletic dog, just amazing. Extremely energetic. He would literally run circles around me.