system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5:Do puppies and other pets really regard us as their family/parents?
gpt
Dogs and humans have coexisted and co-evolved over the past 10-15,000 years. Research has shown that dogs can read human emotions by interpreting facial expressions and body language. Their interactions with us are very similar to their interactions with other dogs with whom they have established relationships. We are almost certainly considered "family" to the extent that a dog can understand the concept. 

Some cats, similarly, frequently interact with humans the way kittens interact with their mothers. The 'mewl' or 'meow' we hear is very rarely expressed between adult cats but is often heard from a kitten greeting its mother. 

Source: years in the veterinary medical field with related reading and coninuing education.