Ann Arbor is great. I don't know what you would pay for what you want in Ann Arbor, but my guess is it would be a little pricey given the University and a seemingly endless supply of students whose parents aren't on a budget.

A great alternative is Pittsfield Township which is adjacent to Ann Arbor and close to I-94. There are dog friendly apartments and at least one dog park. I'm guessing you could rent a house too. A comparable property in Pittsfield Twp. will always bee less expensive than Ann Arbor because property taxes are significantly higher in AA. You don't have to pay property taxes if you rent but your landlord does which means you pay more.

I live about two miles from I-94 and it takes me about 25 minutes to get to the employee parking lot. Traffic is never a problem.