My dog, who died last year at 17, was always treated like a child. When she was young - about 4 - I tended the next door neighbor's 6 month old baby while she ran an errand. Of course, I think I walked around holding the baby the whole time and talking to her. My dog was right there under my feet the whole time, whining. When the neighbor picked up the baby, I sat down on the couch. My dog leaped up on the couch and started licking my face in a total panic. For three days, I couldn't mvoe without her rubbing against my legs. If I sat down on the couch, she was in my lap, licking my face. I kept telling her that she wasn't being replaced. Finally she calmed down.

She was never mean to kids. I think she just considered them competition for my affection because they were little.

She also had an uncanny sense about adults. There were several times over the years that we had people in our home, and she would have absolutely nothing to do with them. Ultimately, she was always right about them!