I don't like this comment. Some small dogs can be very yappy and annoying yes, but my dog is more affectionate than any dog or cat I've ever had and she's a small dog. She may bark, but she served well when someone tried to break into our car, they were caught because of her bark.
Black carpeting looks very nice with white walls I think, but you'd have to have lighter colored furniture otherwise the room would look very dark. :]