I agree with you about the Boston dynamics robot but that doesn’t mean all robots in the future would be under the same restrictions. Though, we do use robots to conduct bomb detection and disposal meaning robots don’t have to be on (or maybe reduced power requirements) until they are needed. This robot, however, is (nearly) useless to the military.

Another thing to consider is training. We can train animals to do lots of pretty cool things but a robot would be easier to train and be more accurate in commands.

Sorta. Dogs, and donkeys, need water, food, and shelter pretty frequently. A robot will need maintenance but the depth and frequency will not be frequent (or at least can be designed to not be frequent). Also, if your dog breaks their leg there is a considerable amount of time for the dog to heal. A robots leg could be made to be replaceable in a matter of minutes.

The upfront cost of a dog (or donkey) is considerably low compared to a robot but at a point in the not-too-distant future, the accumulated cost for a robot would be less.