What is wrong with this woman concerning her dog?

A friend of mine is dating the son (aged 28) of a woman who has a small yappy dog. A couple of times my friend and her BF went to visit the mother, bringing her toddler with her. This dog was always growling at the baby when they came to visit. The mother just laughed and says,“Oh, he’s harmless! Isn’t he cute?”
Well, on the second visit the dog actually bit the baby on the face. It was completely unprovoked. My friend freaked out, of course and the mother just down played it, said the doggie didn’t really hurt the baby, who was standing there, crying, with blood running down her face. When my friend became angry and said she was going to report the dog the mother gently tapped the dog on the nose and said, “You should be ashamed,Toto!”

Well, needless to say my friend has never been back. However today her BF told her his mother’s sister came to visit and brought her dog, who is quite a bit bigger than Toto. Toto challenged that dog (my friend said Toto is just a little asshole!) and they got into it. Toto lost. The mother was just freaking out! Well, it turns out the dog just had a small puncture wound on his ear. It only bleed for a moment, but the mother freaked out for an hour, crying and sobbing like she lost her best friend, then rushed the stupid dog to the vet.

My friend also said the mother has pictures of her dog, and another dog who is now dead, hanging on the wall…but no pictures of her kids or grandkids.

Do any of you have any explanation for the woman’s bizarre priorities?