Wag! Survey: Dogs Are the Deciding Factor in Owners’ Dating Lives

New York, NY — May 15, 2018 — Forget your parents or friend’s opinion of your potential significant other, a whopping 80 percent of pet parents say their dog’s reaction to a new love interest influences their feelings towards them, according to a “Dating with Dogs” survey sponsored by Wag!, the #1 on-demand dog walking app.

"It comes as no surprise to us at Wag! that dog parents place a premium on their dogs' opinions of other humans and that this plays a deciding factor in their love lives," said Wag! CEO Hilary Schneider. “We make it our mission to keep pet families happy and healthy, and we love hearing stories about the important roles our dogs play in the romantic lives of their owners.

The survey, commissioned by OnePoll, included 3,500 responses from dog owners across America. In addition to cementing the crucial role that dogs play in romantic relationships, the responses revealed trends in dating practices such as: post-breakup custody of a pet, the right time to introduce your dog to your date, and the benefits of featuring Fido in your dating profile. The survey revealed some fetching facts:

• Taking your pooch out could help you find your fur-ever love—with 68 percent of singles saying they’ve been flirted with while walking their dog.
  
• 3 out of 10 dog parents have used their dog to attract a potential partner and they were successful 84 percent of the time.
  
• Over 73 percent of dog parents are more likely to ‘swipe right’ on a person’s profile pic that includes their pup.
  
• Your pup can help seal the deal, 78 percent of dog parents reported that they were more likely to go home with a potential partner if they have a dog versus someone who is pooch-less.
  
• More than 16 percent of married dog owners said they would choose to celebrate their pup’s birthday over their spouse’s
  
• San Francisco residents win the title of Dog’s Best Friend: 1 in 5 dog owners have let their dog eat off their plate during a date.
  
• The Northeast is full of party animals: 1 out of 4 people said they met a love interest at a party thrown for a dog.
  

Methodology: This survey was conducted by OnePoll for Wag! with a sample of 3,500 respondents who are dog owners from March 21, 2018-April 16, 2018, commissioned by Wag! for SWNSMediaGroup.