Are People More Attractive When They're with a Pet?

“How does he get along with Jordon?” your mother asked you as you described your new romantic interest.

Jordon is not your son or daughter or your ex. Jordon is your dog. Yet the answer to this fundamental question may determine the success or failure of your new relationship.

What is even more interesting is that Jordan may play a role in determining how attractive and approachable you are perceived, how often you are approached by other people with Jordon in tow, and if you start dating someone new, whether your new relationship ever gets off the ground.

How Four-Legged Family Members Impact Romance

Pets have long been viewed and treated as family members. It turns out they may also play a significant role in determining who is added to the mix. When it comes to dating and courtship, pets matter—including the way they are viewed by both dating partners.

Peter B. Gray et al. (2015) examined the role of pets in dating and courtship.ⁱ Given the reality that dogs and cats are increasingly considered part of the family, they sought to determine the impact of pets on mate appraisal and partner selection.

Regarding the role of pets in the lives of single Americans, they reviewed data from Match.com users who had listed pet information in their dating profiles. Reviewing a sample of 1,210 participants (61 percent women), they found that women were more discriminating regarding the association of a potential partner with pets than men.

They also found dogs to be more common “social barometers” on the dating scene than cats.

But there is more. Pets may actually make their owners more attractive and approachable.

The Attraction of a Stranger With a Pet

As a career prosecutor, I must begin with the caveat that a pet does not make a dangerous person safe; it might only make them look safe. And appearances can be deceiving. But in most cases, walking an adorable, friendly dog wagging its tail makes safe, friendly strangers appear even more attractive and approachable.

Canine choice matters as well. Gray et al. noted that prior research (Wells, 2004) found that a single woman standing in public with a puppy or adult Golden retriever prompted more approaches and conversations than the same woman when standing with an adult Rottweiler, stuffed teddy bear, or potted plant.

Regarding who approached, other women and individuals were out solo. They cited another study finding that a man was more likely to score the number of a female stranger during a meeting in a public place when he had a dog (Gueguen & Ciccotti, 2008). Other research demonstrated that women found men depicted in vignettes as more attractive when they were even described as dog owners (Tifferet et al., 2013).

Regarding relational dynamics, just like when observing interaction with parents or children, Gray et al. found that women are more likely to pay attention to how a date interacts with their pet than men.

The bottom line appears to be that pets have the potential to make their owners more attractive, serve as both conversation starters and tools for relational maintenance, and still maintain their rightful status as owner’s best friend.

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