Not to drift too much, but one vision I have had of "retirement" is to have a place where I can keep horses, dogs, and other animals. I love working with animals, but with this kind of setup that is what I'll be doing all the time (don't know if you have worked horses or not, but its a lot of work). Since my wife is not into animals much, just the dog(s?) is a good compromise. At least that's what I think. If I had my druthers, I'd have 5 or 6 dogs AND a couple of horses, chickens.... but you can't do everything and you have to choose. Either way, good luck with your decision. If you need help naming your new pup, let me know Maybe get a dog that will fit into a side car. They have seat belts for dogs now.