Pet-Friendly Dating Sites Match Up People, Pooches
On these dating sites, a passion for pets will help you find more than just puppy love.
Sites like PetsDating.com and YouMustLoveDogsDating.com have found a new niche as singles flock to computers and smartphones to find relationships, connecting dog owners to potential mates who enjoy long walks in the dog park and slobbery canine kisses as much as they do. Many of the sites encourage users to bring their dogs on first dates to break the ice or size up canine chemistry.
Many dating sites cater to religious, cultural, and political preferences, but won’t focus as heavily on interests like pets, music, or travel, said Karen North, a professor of social media at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism.
“If you find somebody with the same lifestyle passion, you don’t have to start out at square one,” North said.
When Joanie Pelzer signed up with a dog-friendly online dating service a few years ago, she was honest about her Chihuahua — he likes people more than other dogs, craves attention, steals food, and can’t stand to ride in the backseat of a car.
Even a man who loved animals as much as she did couldn’t keep up with her dog’s quirks. On their first date, her Chihuahua, Hubbell, stole the man’s breakfast as they drove from New York City to Long Island. They only had one more date.
However, despite setbacks, having a common interest such as pets can help in the search for love.
“Having a theme that is … about one’s passion makes it feel like you are looking for a needle in a smaller and far more relevant and appealing haystack,” said Michal Ann Strahilevitz, a professor of marketing at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
The founder of one of the dog-focused dating services, YouMustLoveDogsDating.com, agreed.
“Dogs on first dates are amazing icebreakers,” said Kris Rotonda, who started up the site last year that now has 2 million members. “You find out right off the bat how everyone in a relationship will fit in.”
But other veterans of the dating-service industry say focusing on a canine connection only adds an extra hurdle to finding love.
“When you consider how challenging it already is to find someone who offers what you are seeking in a romantic partner, and who seeks what you are offering, and where there is also mutual chemistry and the timing is right … you have to wonder who in their right mind would want to make it even more challenging by insisting on canine chemistry,” said Trish McDermott, who spent 10 years as the dating expert and spokeswoman for Match.com.
McDermott points out that new love is hard enough to foster, without any added issues.
“To squeeze doggie behavior under the first date microscope and to analyze every little wag, nip, or bark as further commentary on compatibility is just another way to uncover the fatal flaw of an otherwise potential romance,” added McDermott.
Vocabulary:
niche – a special, specific area or group that is suitable for a particular product, service, or interest, “The little shop found a great niche selling clothes only for very tall people.”
flock – to move or gather together in large numbers, “Families flock to the beach whenever the weather gets hot.”
slobbery – full of wet saliva or drool, “The happy puppy gave her a big, slobbery kiss on the cheek.”
canine – relating to or resembling a dog, “The police department uses specialized canine teams to find lost items.”
break the ice – (idiom) to say or do something to make people feel comfortable when they first meet, “Telling a funny joke is a great way to break the ice on your first day of school.”
size up – (phrasal verb) to look at or evaluate someone or something carefully to form an opinion, “The two boxers stared at each other to size up their competition.”
cater to – (phrasal verb) to provide exactly what a specific group of people wants or needs, “This restaurant has a special menu to cater to people who do not eat meat.”
preferences – things that a person likes or chooses more than other choices, “The hotel asked the guests about their preferences for breakfast foods.”
at square one – (idiom) right at the very beginning of a process, especially after a failure, “The computer crashed and deleted my essay, so now I am back at square one.”
craves – wants or desires something very strongly, “After a long walk in the sun, the young child craves a cold glass of water.”
quirks – unusual, strange, or funny habits and behaviors that a person or animal has, “One of her funny quirks is that she always counts her steps when she walks.”
setbacks – problems or difficulties that slow down progress or cause temporary failure, “Despite a few setbacks with the rain, they finished building the house on time.”
needle in a haystack – (idiom) something that is extremely difficult or almost impossible to find because it is hidden in a huge space or pile, “Finding my lost car key in the deep sand was like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
relevant – directly connected, useful, or important to the current topic or situation, “Please only share information that is relevant to our science project.”
appealing – attractive, interesting, or pleasing, “The cozy cabin with the fireplace looked very appealing on a freezing night.”
icebreakers – activities, games, or topics used to help people feel relaxed when they first meet, “Playing a quick trivia game is one of the best icebreakers for a new group.”
right off the bat – (idiom) immediately or from the very beginning, “Right off the bat, the new boss told us that she values hard work.”
veterans – people who have a lot of long experience in a specific job, field, or activity, “The old pilots are veterans who know how to fly safely in bad weather.”
hurdle – a problem, difficulty, or obstacle that you must overcome to reach a goal, “Passing the final exam is the biggest hurdle to getting my license.”
mutual – shared equally by two or more people, “The two business partners have a mutual respect for each other’s ideas.”
in their right mind – (idiom) thinking clearly, sanely, or logically, “No one in their right mind would go swimming in a frozen lake.”
insisting on – (phrasal verb) demanding or stating firmly that something must happen or be done, “My parents are insisting on driving me all the way to the airport.”
foster – to encourage, support, or help something grow and develop over time, “Reading books together can help foster a child’s love for language.”
microscope – a tool used to look closely at tiny details; here used as an idiom meaning paying extreme, intense attention to small actions, “The strict manager put every employee’s daily schedule under a microscope.”
compatibility – the ability of two people or things to live, work, or exist together happily without problems, “The couple dated for three years to check their compatibility before getting married.”
fatal flaw – a major fault, weakness, or mistake that completely destroys the success or quality of something, “The new smartphone had a fatal flaw that caused the screen to break easily.”