I agree with everything that you said, OP.
In particular: You're dead on about no reactions whatsoever from the pets to all that frippery that they're forced to wear. Plus, the missing dog interactions were so disappointing. Playing tug with a dog is such a staple interaction. I miss it. And what dog doesn't have a bone?
EA is probably too afraid to show an animated dog with a bone because (gasp) someone might choose to give a dog a real bone IRL. :'( Or, heaven forbid, they leave the animated dog outside all night in that make believe dog house. I suppose that tugging was left out because it could cause aggressive dogs? ::smh::
There's too much policing of behavior and walking on eggshells in TS4. It is what it is, I guess.
