I don't think it looks ugly at all. Could you just repair and beef up the sturdiness?

One of my favourite gates:

Northport Drive Dallas TX · More Info

Do you have brick on your home? Replacing the posts with brick and using wrought iron would look classy with your stucco:

Marine South · More Info

Browsing through Houzz, it seems most builders pair hip-roofed stucco homes with wrought iron. I love the look, myself.

@binakay I am considering a wrought iron gate. What kind of maintenance do they require--I thought they were relatively low maintenance?

What is the style of the rest of your house? Gate design should be consistent with the overall look of your home. Congratulations on your new dog.

I would not recommend iron gate. Rust is a big problem. And redoing the finish is difficult and costly. If you want some iron, do new wood fencing slats on the side areas and do the gate in the wood slats but have a section down the middle of the gate done in an iron decorative panel. That would minimize maintenance and look attractive and doggie could peek out without it looking weird. If you look on line or go to a "staircase" company, they stock or can get these panels for you, the build your new gate around it.

staircase · More Info

While this gate mirrors construction elsewhere in the yard, it doesn't seem right for its location. Its shortness is exacerbated by its location between the house and garage. Extend the side panels upward to the gate arch. Make them solid and make a solid door with a grill or window in it if you need to see through.

Painted Wood Garden Gate with Brick Wall · More Info

Small Frontyard · More Info