Reply #7: What the hell was he thinking?

[moggie]

A family pet should be part of the family, but his behaviour suggests that he viewed that dog as a thing, just a piece of ambulatory property. That's a disturbing attribute in anyone, let alone someone in his position. The very best thing one could say about it is that it happened many years ago, and perhaps he's changed; but the fact that he volunteered the story as a positive example suggests that there's something not quite right in his head.