Dog = Future?

So, last time in class - tuesday - we talked about singleness and the "games" that are played and deciding which ones were constructive and which ones were destructive. Well, didn't really think about this, but one person talked about how one of the games is when one person gets the other person a dog. She also talked about how this can be a test in how each person will handle and treat future childre. I kind of laughed at the idea - I mean, how does getting the other person an animal shift committment or test the other person about their future together? Well, one of my good friend's boyfriend got her a dog recently. They have been dating for a long time, and so I talked to her about how this changed her perspective on the relationship. I was actually blown away because my friend said she'd thought a lot about being a mother. How she gets so frustrated with the dog, sometimes just ignores the little guy and tells it to shut up. She is a good "parent" to the dog, but those little instances make her scared to be a parent! I never would have thought that. I would say most of the time it would be a constructive intimacy game, depending on the couple and the motive behind the action. If the animal is simply a gift and the intention is not out of insecurity or testing and proving love, it can be constructive. What do you guys think?