6 reasons why owning a dog is great for your love life
Owning a dog could help you find love. Our pet insurance team has done the research and it’s true: dogs are great for relationships, whether you’re looking for love or already coupled up. We take a closer look at why…
Owning a dog could help you find love. Our pet insurance team has done the research and it’s true: dogs are great for relationships, whether you’re looking for love or already coupled up. We take a closer look at why…
1. Dog owners are seen as more attractive
Singles looking for love say that ‘a dog makes a great accomplice’. Our research shows that 1 in 5 dog owners have found romance after chatting to a fellow owner while out walking.
Compare the Market also found that:
- 3 in 5 dog owners have formed new friendships thanks to owning a furry friend.
- Over 55s are 5 times more likely to develop a long-term relationship/friendship
A survey by Dogs Trust discovered:
- 60% of respondents said that owning a dog makes someone ‘more attractive’.
- 85% of respondents said they thought a hound at your heels made you ‘more approachable’.
A survey by dating site Match.com and PetSmart charities found that:
- 59% of singles agree that finding out your date had adopted rather than bought their pet would make them seem more attractive.
- 27% of women find photos of pets in an online dating profile a turn-on.
- 35% of single women have been more attracted to someone because of their pet.
- More than half said they would not date someone who did not like pets.
2. Dogs are a great ice breaker
- A pet can be an easy talking point between two strangers – Even if they’ve never seen or spoken to each other before, they already know they’ve something in common. Dog owners are also more likely to know people in their neighbourhood, a study found.
- People with dogs understand the joys and trials of pet ownership – They share training tips, nutritional info, even vet and insurance advice.
- It’s easy to ask subtle questions about the owner – in a bar or coffee shop this might feel too direct.
3. Dogs allow for regular interaction
Not only is an initial contact easier in the presence of a four-legged friend, but the chances of meeting again within a short space of time are higher.
Dogs need daily walks, so it’s easier to build relationships quickly, especially if you end up on the same walking trail.
4. Dogs can help your current relationship
It’s not just single people who benefit from canine ownership. Once you’ve found love, owning a pet may help you keep it.
Our figures show that pet owners are 52% more likely to be ‘very satisfied’ with their love life. Of those ‘very satisfied’ individuals – 63% were women and 37% were men.
Young adults who have a strong relationship with their pets are also likely to have stronger social relationships. A study from Tufts University found "high levels of attachment to an animal in late adolescence and young adulthood were positively associated with feeling connected with other people, having empathy and feeling confident". Having empathy with your partner can help you understand one another better.
5. Dogs can help reduce stress
Why is it that, once coupled up, pet owners tend to remain more content? One theory is that pets help to relieve stress and can have a calming effect on people.
A study by The State University of New York found that patients had a better chance of reducing high blood pressure during times of mental stress than those who didn’t.
6. Dogs put a spring in your step
Research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology has shown that pet owners display stronger self-esteem than non-owners.
They’re often more outgoing and less fearful. One reason for this may be that pets don’t judge and don’t care if you’ve combed your hair or brushed your teeth.
Such ‘unconditional love’ helps people to feel more at ease with themselves.
This increased self-confidence is likely to present itself in other areas of their lives including, it seems, their love life.
“Pets can help break down those social barriers and anxiety that some people suffer from. They’re a great way to push us out of our comfort zone, expand our social circles and generally make us feel happier.”
James Martin, Content Writer
Compare the Market
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