When Dogs Replace Children: The Roots of “Dog Parenting” in the West

An article published in *European Psychologist* explores a growing phenomenon: the trend in Western societies to view dogs as full-fledged members of the family, and sometimes even as true substitutes for children. This new form of interspecies parenting, dubbed “dog parenting,” raises social, psychological, and ethical questions.  

Dogs That Resemble Children

One of the study’s central points revolves around the concept of pedomorphism—that is, the retention of juvenile morphological traits in adults (large, round eyes, a short muzzle, and a flat head). These characteristics, which developed over the course of canine domestication, are known to trigger instinctive caregiving and protective responses in humans. In other words, dogs “resemble” infants emotionally and visually, which fosters the formation of an emotional bond similar to that between parents and children. The dog’s behavior further reinforces this impression: dependence on care provided by humans, a constant search for attention, plaintive or expressive vocalizations… All these behaviors contribute to the construction of a childlike role that the dog unconsciously embodies, but which humans actively reinforce.  

Childless Families: The Dog as a Stable Emotional Bond

In many Western societies marked by an aging population, falling birth rates, economic insecurity, or alternative forms of marital relationships, the dog has taken on a special emotional and symbolic role. The study highlights that for an increasing number of people, while a dog does not replace a biological child, it fulfills a relational and emotional need while being perceived as less of a burden. The animal offers what researchers call “the ethics of care”—that is, the opportunity to care for and feel responsible for a vulnerable being, without the economic, legal, or professional obligations that come with raising a human child. Many dog owners report an emotional bond that is as intense—if not more enduring—than certain human relationships, at a time when social isolation is becoming a widespread phenomenon.  

An Evolving and Contextual Form of Parenting

The study also shows that this “childlike” role of the dog is not always fixed. In some childless couples, the dog serves as a “pre-child,” a true emotional rehearsal before starting a family. In other situations, the dog becomes an “only child” or even a “sibling companion” after the birth of human children. The assignment of a family role to the dog is therefore flexible, context-dependent, often emotionally beneficial, but also shaped by new social norms. Through social media and niche products (strollers, clothing, dog birthday parties), the concept of the “pet child” is taking hold as an alternative cultural model of the family.  

Between Emotional Humanization and Ethical Limits

The authors do not idealize this phenomenon, highlighting the potential pitfalls of excessive anthropomorphism: anxious overprotection of the dog, a misunderstanding of the dog’s actual needs (need for space, autonomy, and social interaction with other dogs), and, above all, genetic selection that favors certain hypertype physical traits (such as brachycephalic dogs prone to respiratory problems). The emotional parallel with a child can lead some animal owners to project their own insecurities onto their pet, creating a cycle of hypervigilance or mutual emotional dependence. The authors emphasize the need for balance: one should love one’s dog as a loved one but without stripping it of its identity as an animal.  

A Trend Reflecting Societal Changes

This emotional shift toward viewing pets as children is not merely a contemporary fad. It is part of a series of structural changes (increasing loneliness, changing family structures, skepticism toward traditional parenting models, disillusionment with reproductive medicine, etc.). The rise of “dog parenting ” thus appears to be a pragmatic social response to unmet modern emotional needs. It is transforming the definition of family, care, and even parenthood far beyond the veterinary or domestic realm.  

An invitation to rethink the family… across species?

By drawing on cognitive psychology, ethology, the sociology of the family, and moral philosophy, the study sparks a cross-disciplinary reflection on what it means to “care” in post-industrial societies. Dogs, having become full-fledged members of the family, are blurring the boundaries between species, relational statuses, and types of attachment. At a time when human relationships are becoming increasingly complex, the human-dog bond is emerging as a stable, accessible, and rewarding emotional relationship—but one that also demands a great deal of responsibility. Far from being a substitute, “dog parenting” is revealing our new forms of attachment and our universal need for connection—a reality that isn’t necessarily encouraging!