What dogs won't get lonely if their owners are gone?

I want a small dog but my sister wants a big dog because we can keep it outside while were gone that way it won't get as lonely. We can't keep a small dog outside all the time without supervision because of hawks and stuff. So is there any small dog that won't get lonely cooped up inside all day? Or does anyone have a plan of what we can do with a dog while were gone or traveling?