Maybe I missed it, but never saw any sort of budget, age or mileage requirements. I have a fully loaded 3/4 ton Suburban (2004) which I picked up for just a little over half the price the 1st gen Sequoia's are selling for around here with even more mileage. 2nd gen Sequoia's are much more expensive, obviously.
A truck with a topper could be a good option if it fits the rest of your needs and the dog stays in the back, but I'm glad to be back into an SUV after a few trucks (2010 Tundra long bed being one of them). If you go that route, I got better fuel economy from both my 6.7 Ford and 6.7 Ram diesels than my 5.7 Tundra... Only time I hated my diesels was winter (-40) but being in texas you won't have that problem!
I say go crew cab diesel if you decide on a truck for sure, and I won't buy another without a long box. As for SUV it depends on your priorities but a Suburban will have more room than a Sequoia and more seating and climate controlled interior space than a truck. Not sure when they stopped making them, but a 2500 Suburban gets my nod.
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