In my opinion there is no better breed than a well bred, well reared, well trained German Shepherd Dog.
I really think you should try to go to Discover Dogs, there are over 180 breeds on show with people who are happy to tell you all about their favourite breed - the good, the bad and the downright ugly!
If I were you I would write down a list of priorities and requirements, such as size, coat - are you prepared to groom, (or pay to have groomed/clipped), or would you prefer a short coated breed, feeding requirements, exercise needs and then do a crosscheck with breeds you like the look of.
You have to take into account things like trainability (most hound breeds are notoriously difficult to train and won't come back if you let them off). Gundogs often have thick coats and as you have found out like their food! Terriers are usually a bit feisty although some are less so. The pastoral breeds (collies, herding breeds) need to have something to occupy them. Working breeds are usually very biddable and easily trained if you know what you are doing, but can be a nightmare in the wrong hands. Utility breeds cover a multitude of sins, they range from lap dogs to large guarding breeds like the Akita.
Toy breeds - well I don't think they meet your requirement for a large dog (only in their heads!).
What about a Smooth Collie - the same as a 'Lassie' (Rough Collie) but without the thick luxurious coat. They are clean and easy to train, and come in three attractive colours - sable and white, tricolour (black, tan and white) and blue merle (silver blue splashed and marbled with black).
The Pointers (although gundogs) are fairly easy to manage, the short coated English Pointer, or the German Shorthaired or Wirehaired variety.
I could go on about the different breeds, but only you know what you like the look of. There is even a smaller, short coated version of the