“Puppies are special. They are fully fledged members of human families.”
Okay, as long as you do not end up treating a dog like a human, and a lot of people do. I heard something interesting the other day Where someone explained how “Love” as expressed by dogs and cats is not the same as human love. Rather, it is a survival instinct. You (the owner) are the dominant one in the relationship and the animal is merely sucking up to you so that you will feed and/or not kill it outright.
When you try to explain everything by "evolved" you end up with a mell of a hess. Your wife only loves you because she evolved to want sex. Your mother only loves you because she evolved to pass on her genes. Etc.
Anyhow, this is not true of my cats. Their food and water is replenished whether they show up and cuddle or not. But they do.