Living the dog-loving, dog-led lifestyle may be the only way to go for many of us. We hardly think about the extra measures we have to take to accomodate our best friends. Whether it’s scoping out a restaurant that lets little Lola sit at the table, finding a job where pet hair-covered attire isn’t just for casual Friday, or buying the car that fits all our pooch’s latest dog travel safety gizmos, it seems we are always willing to put Fido first.
There is a sphere of life, however, where putting a dog’s wants before one’s own can be more than an inconvenience — it can be downright painful for both of you! The dating scene is one area where dog lovers may have struggled with making a heartbreaking choice between a certain human and a certain pooch. Turning to the internet to find a person with similar dog-driven interests is a first step for many, but it can be hard to tell when you’ve found a quality (well trained? well behaved?) human online!
Fortunately for love-seeking dog owners there is an amazing website called Leashes and Lovers that brings dog owners together through social media, singles mixers, no-pressure outdoor doggy events, play dates (for the dogs…), and other great dog and person meet-n-greet ideas. Of course you can still use traditional dating site tools like messages and forums to interact, but you’ll be off on the right paw knowing you’ve already got something very important in common with your new online friends.
Users can browse humans by their photos, or look for owners of similar dogs. Whether you simply want a companion whose furrier companion is a sporting dog or a city dog like yours, or if you need an exact match — if only Goldendoodle owners will do! — you can find your date by the breed they bond with. The dog and person events work well for meeting similar personality types too. You and your dog can go to a book signing at a posh hotel, crash a mixer at a local pub, or take an 8 mile wilderness hike, all sponsored by Leashes and Lovers. You are bound to meet some very different sorts of people (and dogs!) based on the events you choose to attend. Even if an outing doesn’t land you a date, you’ve expanded your network of dog loving friends and shown your first love (the fuzzy one) a great time.
Sheryl Matthys, founder of Leashes and Lovers, just published a book by the same title on “What your dog can teach you about Life, Love and Happiness.” Sheryl shows us how relationships with four-legged friends can lead to better relationships with everyone in our lives. The book launch party and book sigining are being held March 30 in New York City.
We are frequent visitors to the site too! So if you stop by Leashes and Lovers just to take a look, or to find a leash-toting lover, be sure and stop to say “Hi” to us on there.
