I subscribe to the point of view that one can feel 'blessed' without having received a literal blessing from anyone or anything, however, the way you describe the reaction of the woman with the sweet dog would seem to indicate an underlying assumption in the use of the word.

It’s just a word...and like a lot of words and expressions is used by some semi-automatically and without real thought or intent behind it...much in the same way as people say ‘have a good day”. I think before we watched The Handmaid’s Tale we’d have given ‘blessed” a lot less significance!

I have, for a few years, been wondering what the true meaning of ' bless ' IS. My latest conclusion :-
" A blessing is a wishful thinking of magnanimity that requires no effort or follow up on the part of the donor except its utterance"

Maybe it is really part of common courtesy and ' well-wishing ' ,but as in many other cases religionists think they have special dispensation to wish well in this way.

No need to seek conflict, and spoil two peoples day. Plenty of needed conflict will find you soon enough. Well done restraint.

The capacity for using metaphor is one of the few significant features that distinguishes humans from all other animals.

Never sink to their level!!!

Just grin and walk away!!!

It is never worth it to deal down to their faulty levels of life!!!

Bless your little heart.
Not every turn of phase is part of a war.
Relax.
There's a lady from India working at our convenience store, she always says namaste to me and I respond in kind. I don't get sullen and say "namastay away from me."

There is a lot of usage for bless or blessed by so called "religious " people. This is in large part, a lot of the teachings that a person should appreciate or be thankful in all things and not take them for granted.

Because many heathens have been known for taking things for granted or they are not into appreciation for things, the general use of blessings is not in the general pessimistic thoughts or lexicon of heathen and those "religious" sorts of people tend to use the word more and use it for being appreciating or thankful, not just taking things for granted.

Bless can simply mean being appreciating or thankful.
express or feel gratitude to; thank.
"she silently blessed the premonition which had made her pack her best dress"
Similar:
give thanks for
express gratitude for
be grateful for
thank
appreciate
celebrate

As long as she doesn't mind breaking the 7th commandment, she can say BLESSED.