Leslie,

The "look" that a German Shepherd gives, that serene
intelligent, all's well with the world look, is just what
makes them so neat ! They really can act the 'goofus'
at home. They are not trying to act intimidating, but
they are just interested in everything and everyone
around them and they have a very "direct" look that
they give to everyone.
I agree it's not how large the dog is, but it's behavior
that I use to size up a dog. On my walks with Buddy,
it's only the small breeds that want to challenge us.
Go figure ...Liz.