DATING;GOING TO THE DOGS!

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The first picture I saw of my husband, before I even met him, was of him crouched down with his cocker spaniel. Sure, he was nicely dressed and extremely good looking, but what attracted me most was the obvious connection between him and his dog.

 Crazy? Not according to Wendy Diamond, author of "How To Understand Men Through Their Dogs". Diamond has studied breeds and their owners and has come up with a list of characteristics for men based on the breed of dog they own. Looking for good husband material? He should have a Collie or Beagle. If he has a Bichon Frise, he’ll be great with kids. The Akita man will be overprotective of those they love while a Pomeranian owner will be extremely affectionate. My personal advice, find a man who has a Cocker Spaniel, Lab, Pembroke Welch Corgi, or a good old fashioned mutt. I can tell you from personal experience, they’re the most loyal, protective, amazing, husbands of all!

You can also kind of reverse this process. Trust your own pet to “sniff out” your dates. Sheryl Matthys, founder of Leashes and Lovers. (Matthys, is a certified dog trainer, animal behaviorist and expert on dog-human relationships, also has a psychology degree.)

"Even though dogs have 220 million smell receptors to our 5 million, I’m not talking literally sniff(ing) you a good date, but trust your dog’s instincts," she said. "Look for the receptiveness of your dog being comfortable around your potential date."

I’d like to say that cats can do the same. After my husband and I had dated for a few weeks, he invited me to his apartment for dinner. I sat on the couch while he made the one dish he knew how to cook, SOS. While I waited, his cat, Piper came strutting in to the room. Piper came right up to me and we became the best of friends immediately. My husband just stood, spatula in hand, staring with a puzzled look on his face. Years later he told me that every other girl he dated failed the “Piper test”. Piper would hiss, spit and even bite each of the girls he brought for inspection. I’ll always be grateful to our cat Piper for choosing me!

So, I guess when it comes to love, let the pet be your guide!