WE have an 85 lb Labrador Retriever.She loves people and is friendly with other dogs. Most Labs are like that. She is a great traveler,sleeps most of the time when on the road.German Shepards can be great dogs if raised right and trained right. I would suggest getting a puppy and take it to obedience school where it can socialize with other dogs and people. Make sure you socialize it with little kids too.As far as scratching the floor,we have never had a problem with that. Keep their nails trimmed and you can always put a runner down in the walking area.Dogs are great companions. I like most dogs better than most people!