Fewer babies are being born in many wealthy countries, while more households are adding a dog. That overlap has helped popularize the idea of “fur children,” and it raises a blunt question: Are dogs taking the place of kids? Researchers at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest tackled that question by reviewing studies across psychology, sociology, behavior, canine science, and evolutionary biology. The work, led by the Department of Ethology and published in European Psychologist, argues that dogs usually do not replace children. Instead, dogs can sometimes satisfy a nurturing urge that feels a lot like parenting, while asking less of you than raising a child. The review’s senior author, Eniko Kubinyi, heads the MTA-ELTE ‘Momentum’ Companion Animals Research Group. Laura Gillet, a PhD student in the department, also helped lead the analysis. Together, they frame dog parenting as a flexible social role, shaped by personal circumstances and by local norms. Researchers argue that dogs usually do not replace children. Instead, dogs can sometimes satisfy a nurturing urge that feels a lot like parenting. (CREDIT: …