Loving to Distraction

August 30, 2003

They've been out of the doghouse and into the bedroom for decades now, ensconced as bona fide members of the family.

But increasingly, dogs are becoming even more than that - surrogates for family and friends. They're spouses - even therapists - and living, breathing security blankets.

Sociologists, psychiatrists, animal and human behaviorists, dog trainers and journalists who simply observe the world around them are all beginning to recognize this phenomenon. And they question whether thrusting man's best friend into the role of partner, child, father confessor, or emotional caregiver is really the best thing for either party in the relationship.

This week's special feature is a single article, from the September edition of Best Friends magazine, that asks several experts whether we are, indeed, Loving Our Dogs to Distraction.

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