Some points I believe the author is wrong about:
If given a choice, Dogs prefer the exact lifestyle the author is deriding. If you've ever had an outdoor dog on a lot of land, that's free to roam, they run briefly occasionally, then return to the home/den to sleep most of of the day. And if the owner is around depending on the dogs personality they'll typically spend it around the owner.
This is what dogs prefer.
The author is using the human version of Maslow's hierarchy to claim that dogs need fulfilling work and meaning to exist.
Dogs don't need to be 'working' to live happy fulfilling lives. Feral dogs aren't wandering around herding or retrieving things.
Dogs are animals and as long as they have food, excercise, some other dogs to socialize with and the pack alpha is happy with them that is the peak of their Maslow hierarchy of needs.
Only humans need filling work to do to be happy. Every other animal in nature is happy to just survive day to day and have companionship and the ability to explore their environment.
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This is the only thing I think the author is correct about:
Dogs are a lot of work. They require a lot of excercise. Dogs that are left in apartments all day with a 15 minute walk is borderline abuse.
No one tells dog owners this though.
Dogs need a lot of socializing.
I take mine to the Dog park for an hour at least socializing daily.
Alot of cities have bar/dog parks so the humans and the dogs can both socialize.
Doggy daycare is a great option as well when you're not going to be home and have to leave the dog alone.
Dogs are extremely simple: If you can spend time with them and get them both excercise(mental and physical) and playtime with other dogs...that's the peak of what they need. Theyre not living an unfulfilling existence because they can't start that cappuccino stand they've always dreamed of.
However a lot of dog owners are not aware of this and treat their dog like furniture or clothing accessory and this is where the problems the author was talking about coming to play.