Man’s best friend wins hearts

Guys, if you’ve tried – and failed – with chocolates, roses or champagne, a Golden Retriever or Labrador may be just the thing you need.

According to the results of a recent online survey for the Petcare Information and Advisory Service, 81% of women said that they found a man who owns a dog more appealing than a man who does not. A further 38% of women selected a Golden Retriever or Labrador as the most appealing dog for a man to own.

82% of women who responded to the survey agreed that the type of dog a man owns reflects his personality. According to the results of the survey, it appears that Labradors and Retrievers are associated with being a responsible family man.

And it seems that whatever women might say about liking sensitive men, it doesn’t necessarily hold true. When asked to nominate the type of dog that it would be least appealing for a man to own, Pugs, Shih Tzus and Poodles received the highest score - 51% of the votes. These dogs were also nominated by 62% of women as likely to be owned by sensitive men.

The survey also showed that having a dog with you helps in getting the conversation going, with 82% of respondents agreeing that it would be more likely for a conversation to occur if the man had a dog with him.

“These results are a lighthearted look at the relationship between man and his four legged best friend but they are supported by a wide range of academic research, including recent research conducted at the University of Western Australia,” said Ms Susie Willis from the Petcare Information and Advisory Service.

“Research by Dr Lisa Wood at that University’s School of Population Health showed that pets encourage social contact, the exchange of favours and increased perceptions of the friendliness of a suburb and sense of community,” said Ms Willis.