These stories are not extremely common in the sense that every household has such a specific situation. However, in literature and real - life anecdotes, we do come across them. The idea of a dog filling the emotional gap for a lonely wife taps into our understanding of the special bond between humans and dogs. It's also a reflection of how pets can have a significant impact on our emotional well - being.
Well, it depends on how you define 'common'. If you consider the large number of dog - owning households around the world, and the fact that loneliness can be an issue for many people, including wives, then it's likely that there are quite a few instances of this. But it's not something that is talked about all the time. Often, these stories are shared in small, personal circles or in the context of heartwarming animal - human relationship stories.