It’s a dog-eat-dog dating world out there as the majority of dog owners say a potential new partner has to win over their furry friend before they fall for them, according to research.
A new study examining the dating behaviors of 2,000 dog owners uncovered as many as 63 percent say their pup plays a huge role in their romantic relationships and defining how things go.
In fact, half of the respondents surveyed wouldn’t even consider being in a relationship with someone who didn’t like their dog and fifty-seven percent say they can’t fall for someone unless their dog loves them.
Expressing jealousy over the attention dog owners give their dogs was the number one red flag when it came to dating — with half of those surveyed revealing that jealousy towards their pup is not something they would put up with.
Other doggy-dating red flags included being too rough with the dog (50 percent), not showing any interest in the dog (45 percent), and ignoring the dog (43 percent).
It turns out that seven in 10 dog owners think that their furry companion is an excellent judge of character.
Dog owners rely on their dog’s reaction when it comes to a potential love interest — with 77 percent revealing that they place a lot of importance on how their four-legged companion reacts to a potential partner.
And if a pup doesn’t like a potential suitor after the first impression, that pup’s owner will only give a date three chances to hit it off with their beloved four-legged pal before calling it quits.
But, when a dog owner finally sees their little furry creature getting along with someone they are interested in, the romance intensifies and the relationship gets stronger.
It turns out that over half (53 percent) of dog owners physically become more attracted to someone when they get along with their four-legged companions.
Another 49 percent reveal that once the person they are dating gets along with their dog, they become more open with them while another 38 percent simply fall in love faster.
Although 45 percent of the dog owners surveyed admitted to dating someone who did not get along with their dog, 23 percent said they would never make that mistake ever again. While another 33 percent had never even been in a relationship with anyone who didn’t get along with their furry friend and had no plans of breaking that streak either.
“At Wag! we’re crazy about dogs and the people who love them so it’s no surprise to us that so many dog parents look to their pets for help when it comes to judging the character of a potential mate,” says Hilary Schneider, Wag! CEO.
“A dog’s intuition is like no other and I would trust both of my dogs’ implicitly when it came to their first impression of someone.”