Noticing after the Fallout 4 reveal vid, the German Shepard. Got me thinking, in almost all games and films I can thing of that has a lone hero with a dog companion it is almost always a German Shephard (almost becoming a trope in itself). I know they are great dogs, loyal to their core and brilliant guard dogs and my all time favourite breed. But there are plenty of other dogs that make great companions, like a Staffy, St Bernad or Rottweiler .

Fallout 4, Call of Duty, I am Legend to name a few.

i misread that as dog companies actually

There's a reason you don't see a lot of St. Bernard police/military dogs, or Rottweilers, or whatnot. It's really not a conspiracy of breeders; they're pretty much the perfect mix of availability, size, obedience, strength, and aggression.

Plus, for Fallout, it makes extra sense since it's sort of canon for Dogmeat to be a Shepherd. But, yeah, I'd like to see, say, an Akita-inu or something.

Call of Duty I can understand as they are standard for military use. Fallout and I am Legend it was just convenient that the 'hero' stumble across the perfect dog.

I have a Bull Greyhound (1/4 Staffy 3/4 Racing Greyhound) and she is a great companion, loyal, protective and faster than my car. Although only really good for catching small prey.

Would be nice in games to have a selections of breeds with different qualities, could add a whole new dynamic.

Not in Torchlight 2 and FATE.

Also not in The Dog Island.
Although that might be stretching the term companions a bit.

Pretty sure dogmeat was never a german shepheard

he looks kinda sorta like a german shepherd
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Dogmeat_%28Fallout%29

and its implied in the game that he was max's dog from mad max 2

Phil confirms the point above when he describes Dogmeat's former owner in the original Fallout: "Oh, the guy was tall, dark-haired with a little graying around the edges. He was dressed all in black leather, like that's a good idea in the desert, and carried a shotgun."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Max_2

fallout 3 dogmeat looks like a german shepherd though
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Dogmeat_%28Fallout_3%29

Yeah, Fallout 3 had some other kind of dog, didn't it? And Skyrim too.
In fact, aside from Call of Duty, this is the first German Shepherd dog companion I've seen in a game.

One of those is intended to be a wolf though. Sure, a canine, but not strictly a dog.

I like dogs, but I've only tried one kind. Do different breeds taste any different?

Torchlight is an exemple.

Also, Max's companion is not a german shepherd. I think.

GTA V has Chop chop

edit: and of course, I have my Golden Retriever who is my best friend

which wasnt a german shepard.