Canine Compatibility: The Importance of Dogs in Dating

‌‌One of the first things I ask a girl when I match with her on Tinder is "do you like dogs", I ask because I genuinely see no point in continuing the conversation if they answer is no, or they answer in a way that makes me think they don't like dogs. I sometimes even ask follow up questions to see if they are being genuine or not, because its just not worth dating someone who doesn't like dogs.

In general, I do not trust people who do not like dogs, but I do trust my dog when she doesn't like a specific person, I literally hear the song in my head sometimes.

🎶 My doggy don't like you and she likes everyone. 🎶

One of my own friends insists that she loves dogs, but doesnt show any affection for my dog, instead she pushes her away. Why do people do this? Pretend they like dogs when they really don't? Those of us who love dogs can see straight through people like that, the mismatch between their behavior and their actions is almost always obvious to me as a dog lover, and it makes me wonder why.

So I looked into the subject and it is because, according to a research study by pet welness brand Ollie, the vast majority of people will simply not date another person if they discover that they do not like dogs. People who do not like dogs seem to understand that their dislike of dogs makes them highly unnatractive.

In the same way, people instinctively know not to date, or even trust, people who do not like dogs, but they would struggle to tell you why so I will posit a theory of my own. It is because of the historical relationship humans have with their dogs, an ancient relationship we have depended upon for our survival as a species, and during the course of that relationship being friendly to dogs slowly became a universally recognized benchmark of human decency and civilization. I will expand on this theory a little later in the article, let's dig into the study first!

Are You A Dog Person?

The study unearthed that a staggering 96% of respondents firmly stated they would never consider dating someone who didn't share their fondness for dogs. Furthermore, 85% of individuals admitted that even if their potential partner adored dogs, if their dog didnt like them the relationship wouldn't really last, highlighting the importance we place on our pets and their role in our lives.

The survey also unveiled an interesting trend, 34% of participants confessed to using their dogs as icebreakers to meet new people which makes sense, seeing people playing with their dogs in a park is always a fun time. Most contestants believed that people who love dogs are likely to be decent people in general.

The study revealed that 61% of respondents found it appealing when individuals showcased their pets in dating app profile pictures, which is exactly why there is an awesome picture of me and my dog on Tinder, girls will often tell me "I swiped right on the dog". A third of contestants said they found people with cats less attractive, pouring gas on the burning "cat people" vs "dog people" debate.

Surprisingly, 42% of individuals in relationships confessed to loving their dogs more than their partners, with the figure slightly lower among married couples at 32%. The participants cited their dogs' unwavering affection as the reason for this preference, believing that their dogs showed their love more than their partners.

Does Your Dog Watch You Have Sex?

In a rather controversial revelation, but one that will not at all be surprising to dog owning couples, the study discovered that a significant portion of respondents did not mind engaging in intimate activities with their dog present, with 55% stating that their dogs presence did not affect their comfort during sex, with 49% even allowing their dogs to share their beds during sexual encounters.

Ultimately, the remarkable bond between humans and dogs can be attributed to the unwavering loyalty and unconditional love they offer. While our partners may occasionally falter or cause us pain, our dogs remain steadfast companions, and this unwavering loyalty explains why so many of us value our dogs so highly.

Back To My Ancestral Survival Theory

Think about it. You are a caveman living in a cave, you hunt huge beasts with a spear made from a chipped rock, and you live in a place full of big predators who will kill you and your family for food. Somehow you make friends with a wolf, it doesn't kill your family but instead protects them, warns you about other predators, and helps you hunt effectively so you can bring home the bacon.

Over time these early wolf dogs became critical to the prosperity of our tribes, they directly contributed to the security and survival of our species, they walked with us to protect us as we slowly walked with them towards human civilization, which in turn slowly took us out of the bush and into real buildings.

In this context, you can completely understand humans having issues with people who do not like dogs. What kind of civilized humans are they? We all knew that civilized hunter gatherers all had dogs and relied on them for survival. If someone doesn't like the dog you rely on for protection it was a big red flag.

Maybe this person wanted to hurt your family and resented your dog's protection, maybe they are from a backwards tribe who had not yet domesticated dogs.

Who knows, but it was probably wise not to date such people unless you wanted to become dinner for some sort of savage primal predator. Times may have changed since then, but our attitude towards dog friendliness has not.