Puppy love: owning a pet – especially a dog – can make you more attractive

Handsome blue-eyed man hugging his pet dog

Our new survey of 680 Aussie singles has revealed that over half (57%) think owning a pet can make someone more attractive¹ – and that owning a dog makes you the most attractive of all. Not only that, the way someone treats their pets might just indicate how caring they will be as a partner…

Animal attraction: Aussies think having a pet is sexy

Love life a bit lacking? It might be time to get a dog: our latest user survey has revealed Aussie singles think that dog owners are extra attractive.

While the survey showed that 63% of Australians think that owning any pet at all makes someone more attractive, dogs were crowned the best of the best. In fact, 71% of those attracted to pet owners admit that they’re most likely to go dotty for someone who has a dog. What’s more, 85% of self-described dog lovers say they’re more attracted to someone who owns a pooch.

But what happens if you don’t have a friendly canine to play Cupid? If you’ve got a cat, you might still be in luck – 11% of singles who like pet owners (and 52% of self-described cat lovers) think that owning a moggy boosts someone’s attraction factor.

pets and dating

Must love dogs: mention your pets in your dating profile

The survey also found that a great place to make the most of this attraction boost is online: 71% of singles say it’s extra attractive when a person’s dating profile photo includes a pet.

Furthermore, 74% like the idea of writing about one’s pets in a dating profile: nearly a quarter of singles (22%) say that it’s ‘’very important’’ that an online match mention a love for animals in their profile, while 51% describe it as a ‘’nice bonus.’’ Just 6% take a negative view of people that mention their pets online, while 20% think that it doesn’t matter one way or the other.

Should you let your furry friends play third wheel?

However, although Aussies are besotted with pet owners, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they want them to bring their furry friends along to their dates. In fact, 62% think it would be ‘’a distraction’’ if someone was to bring a pet along on a first date. (That said, the other 38% would find it ‘’charming’’ so it does perhaps depend on who you are dating!)

Even if the pet isn’t invited to the first date, those who start a romance with an animal lover should know that that they’ll have to share at least some of their paramour’s affections. This is especially true if a pet is poorly – 50% of Australian pet owners would cancel a date to spend time with their sick animal.

What is it, boy? Singles trust their pets’ judgement

What’s more, if you date an Aussie pet owner, you should know that there’s a good chance the pet might just get a say in how the relationship progresses. 66% of singles think that the way a pet responds to a new partner is an indication of how the relationship will go.

It is dog lovers who are the most likely to prioritize their furry pals though: almost a third of dog lovers (31%) would end a relationship if their dog did not like the new beau – while only 25% of cat people would call time on a romance if their cat wasn’t happy.

Can the way you treat your pet indicate how caring you’ll be as a partner?

So why are Australian singles so attracted to people with pets? It could be because someone’s attitude towards their animals is seen by many as a good indicator of whether or not they are relationship material. In fact, 79% think that the way someone treats their pets can predict how caring they will be in a relationship.

EliteSingles’ psychologist Salama Marine says that singles might think this way because it’s “extremely hard for a selfish person to raise a pet properly.’’ Raising animals – particularly active animals like dogs – requires a lot of commitment and dedication, so singles with pets are often perceived to be kind, friendly… and ready to commit to a long term relationship.

1. All survey results based on an EliteSingles’ ‘Pets and Dating’ study, September 2017. Sample size: 680 Aussie singles.

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