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[quote=Anonymous]I have a friend who adopted a dog during the pandemic. This is a person who lives alone but used to go out all the time and travelled a lot.

And now they won't (can't?) go anywhere without their dog. They won't go grocery shopping because they can't take their dog. They only do restaurants where you can eat outside with their dog.

They never leave the dog alone. It either has to be with them (mostly) or they get a dog sitter. When I asked why, they say the dog is anxious.

This year they sent a Christmas card from them and their dog. And  are always using "we" to talk about them and their dog, like the dog is their spouse. (As in, what time should we come over? We are going on vacation. And the we is always them and the dog.)

Part of me thinks, if it makes them happy, so be it. It is obviously filling a need and I suspect the isolation of the pandemic played a role. But another part of me is wondering if this has veered into mental illness -- the attachment to the dog seems to be taking the place of life activities and being with people -- and if I should say something. And what I should say?

(Let me add: I am a dog owner and dog lover, but I also am content to leave my dog at home and would never let the dog take the place of my family.)
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