Does your dog help you pick up the ladies?

If you’re looking to meet cute girls and are awkward at talking to new people you might like to date, pets can be great for breaking the ice. Sometimes, they can also make things a little complicated. Here are a few of my favourite do’s and don’ts for incorporating your pets on dates and helping your pets to help you make an excellent first impression with that hot girl you’ve been crushing on!

 Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts For Dating With Pets

1. Don’t let your dog try to make introductions for you, no matter how cute the girl is and how much you want to run up to her. Don’t let your dog off the leash and them run over to girls you like!

2. Do be sure to scoop the litter box before bringing a girl home for the first time. Nothing worse than walking into someone’s house and having the first introduction be the smell of kitty poop.

3. Do invest in classes and training for your dog(s). Not only are misbehaved dogs likely to be a massive turnoff for lots of women, but training is a great way to spend quality time with your dog to make sure they don’t feel left out.

4. Don’t bring your dogs places that will stress them out. Some dogs shine in crowded events like festivals, while others are much happier in low-key settings. Know your dog’s limits, and don’t put them in situations where they will be uncomfortable, even if your adorable pup is a total girl magnet.

5. Don’t date anyone who doesn’t like your pets — no! I’m a big believer in being honest and transparent about how important your pets are to you.

6. Do respect your date’s boundaries. Some incredible people with pets might have some limits/boundaries, like sharing the bed with your cat or having your dog in the room while you’re making out or having sex. Try to communicate about needs/boundaries and find compromises that make you both (and your pets) happy.

7.  Do make an effort to connect with your crush’s pets. For me, there are few things more endearing than when someone makes an effort to communicate with my dogs and cats. I suggest giving extra attention to the pets of someone you’re crushing on.

8.  Do groom your pets before the big date where they will be meeting your new sweetie. First impressions are essential!

9. Don’t make disparaging remarks about your crush’s pets even if their dog isn’t well trained or their cat is a jerk… I’m not suggesting you lie.

10. Do be sure to pay attention to your pets even when on the prowl for a girlfriend. 

I’ve always made it a personal practise never to date anyone who doesn’t love animals as much as I do. Even people who love animals but, for example, have significant allergies are probably fundamentally incompatible with me for anything more than a one night stand. I think it’s essential to be transparent from the beginning about how important your pets are to you and the role they play in your life.

My partner and I are about to celebrate our twelfth anniversary next month, and thankfully, we’re both ridiculously obsessed with our pets. We made that clear to each other from the beginning of our relationship. I’ll never forget the night we first met (at a drag show at Pride, because we’re gay); I called home (I lived alone with my pets) to leave a voice mail message (back in the day when everyone had a landline with an answering machine) to talk to my dogs on the answering device to let them know that I had met someone and was going to be home late. My now partner thankfully found this ridiculous obsessive dog-person gesture adorable. I realise now that it could have scared someone away! Then again, anyone who didn’t understand my commitment to my dogs would not have been partner material for me.

What about you? Do your dogs help you snag dates with cute girls? How do you help them prepare to meet your new date?