if you get the right dog, it could look after you :) "Oy Bodger! come to the bathroom, and bring a bog roll with you!"
We miss having a dog. Our last one (Brian) was a big bugger, 11 stone, and no one would take him as he was so big. RSPCA had us put taller fence panels in, but he could still look over them. Then at 5 years he got bone cancer and went downhill quickly. Having him put to sleep was one of the most heartbreaking days of our life, and Anita vowed never to have another dog.
So she got a cat. Who's lovely, but a bit of a cul-de-sac. No way would she tolerate another animal coming into the house. So we're a cat family for probably the rest of our lives (cat will probably see me out.)