Dateless (and dogless) in Somerville
Every person is a potential dog person. The online dating service, match.com missed an opportunity by targeting its recent social mixer Singles and Pets Mingle--at Somerville's own Pet Spa--to singles who already have pets. How many dateless people out there are also dogless? Why not give people a chance to end their datelessness as well as their doglessness at the same time?
And, really, new relationships are fragile enough as it is without a young couple's having to deal with cultivating a relationship between their two dogs as well. Did match.com hand out educational materials about introducing pets when combining households?
Another online dating service, Animal Attraction, caters specifically to "pet lovers." According to their website, they are "proud to team up with The Humane Society of the United States [HSUS]--exclusive provider of the most reliable and up-to-date pet care tips." But I couldn't find any information for couples about introducing their pets to one another on either the Animal Attraction site or on the HSUS site.
In her book, Successful Dog Adoption (Indianapolis: Wiley [Howell], 2003), Sue Sternberg devotes a chapter to "Adding Another Dog." While her tips are not irrelevant to dog owners who move in together, nonetheless, the situation of a family that owns a dog or dogs and is considering adopting another dog is very different from that of two dog owners who move in together. The family that Sternberg advises always has the option not to add another dog. Dog owners whose dogs are not compatible have two very different options: break-up or get rid of one (or both) of the dogs.
The website, "Doggie Door to Canine Behavior," offers tips for Introducing Two Dogs, but, ultimately, concedes that "some dogs are used to being the only dog and do not wish to 'visit' or 'meet' anyone else for any length of time." Here, too, the final word is that the responsible dog owner must be prepared to "reconsider your plans to add a new dog to the family."
Which brings me back to the beautiful potential that there is a dog person within each of us. If you are dateless and dogless, go out to the local dog park and meet the dogs. Dogs are great icebreakers. Just remember, the rules of engagement are sitll the same: it's the person, not the dog, with whom you wish to cultivate a relationship. Be friendly toward and respectful of the human first, he or she will help you to be friendly to and respectful of the dog.
Comments
Canis Major, what is the difference between going to a dog park to meet people and their pets than going to a locally sponsored event provided by match.com? You stated that an opportunity was missed by match.com, what opportunity was that? You include some quotes supporting the difficultly of interacting pets but then suggest that people meet at dog parks. You have left me utterly confused as to what the point is of this article.
Posted by: strongin | August 16, 2004 3:09 PM
Hi Steve! Thanks for your comment!
I meant to suggest three things:
1) that, in my opinion, a better marketing strategy would be to organize mixers where people who do not own dogs can meet people do own dogs
2) that as long as match.com is going to target mixers to dog owners, the company should offer support to couples whose dogs have problems living with another
3) that people who do not have dogs might go to dog parks to meet people who do have dogs.
Posted by: Canis Major | September 8, 2004 11:26 AM