Ditto! I was owned by two basset hounds and even established a basset hound rescue in my community.
My daughter, who grew up with dogs and cats, was devastated when the last basset died. She replaced him soon afterwards, with a Great Dane! I have no problem with a dog sharing our home but I recoil when she refers to him as her baby and me as his grandmother. We have had multiple discussions on the preciousness of human life and God's gift of animals in service to humans. Given what is happening in society today, is it any wonder she demonstrates confusion as to the role of the dog in our lives.
“She refers to him as her baby and me as his grandmother”.
I do think dogs act as a replacement for those not yet having children and those choosing not to have children. One of my SIL’s actually had a “baby shower” when they adopted a puppy. Not only that... she sent out actual birth announcements. (yes, she is as nutty as a squirrel turd). Christmas cards included the humans and dogs in santa hats. That did change when they actually had a human child. I have heard it referred as the “dry womb syndrome”... no children or future thought of a child; thus, the dog becomes a replacement. Just a thought