Date a Dog Lover

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Hello and Happy Spring time to my DK friends! I know it's been a while since I've been around. I have been a busy bee between work and volunteering, and well, the doodles.  I was volunteering with a dog rescue and it seemed to consume all my time.  I am now on a 'break' from the organization so thought I should take a little time to drop in and say 'hello'.  I just thought I'd share a blog post I had written a while back about dating and dogs.  I wrote it when I was creating a little initiative called "Must Love Paws - Speed Dating for Animal Lovers". The event flopped, but the blog lived on (well, sort of). I hope you like it.

Date a Dog Lover.

Dog Lovers Make Great Life Companions. Here’s Why.

There are a couple of wonderful articles going around on the Huffington Post called Don’t Date a Girl Who Travels and a brilliant reply by a NYC blogger called Why You Absolutely Should Date a Girl Who Travels.  So I thought, why not jump on the bandwagon and post my own version for dog lovers.  After all, the qualities that make up a true dog lover are the same qualities that we seek in potential partners and spouses. But then, I’m a dog lover, so I guess I’m biased.

Date a dog lover. She’s the one with the dirt under her fingernails, a muddy paw print on the back of her jeans, and a loose roll of bags poking out of her coat pocket.  She smells like fresh air and her wistful smile tells you she’s got someone else on her mind. And she does. If you even hint that he’s not welcome you will watch her walk away, head high, with him by her side. She understands what loyalty is. She learned it from her dog.

Date a dog lover. He’s the guy who’s truck is filthy with spots of dried drool marking the interior and strands of fur embedded in the fabric of the passenger seat. There’s a blanket strewn across the back seat and it’s not for you. He shares his bed nightly with someone else, but she will make space for you too because she knows it will make him happy.  In fact, it will probably make her happy too.  Late one night she will gently nudge you awake from a bad dream, replacing your tears with soft kisses, and you will know you’ve made a friend for life.

Date a dog lover.  She will never be available for a date after a full day at work (unless it involves a park and a tennis ball).  Nor will she pack up at a moments notice to grab a flight to Vegas.  She has a few invites on Friday night but she’s at home. Her heart rests peacefully beside her on the couch, always pressed against her.  She knows what it is to love, and be loved, unconditionally, and will accept nothing less for herself, and for you too.

Date a dog lover.   His instincts are for nurture, even if he pretends otherwise.   He might be tired and distracted on date night.  He spent the previous night nursing his aging dog, cleaning up the mess she made by accident, his brow wrinkled with worry.  He pets her lovingly with his calloused hands while soothing her with his words.  Those same hands may one day cradle your children, his voice the only sound that can lull them to sleep.

Date a dog lover.  Your weekends will always involve nature.   Even a short walk in a natural setting can relieve stress and improve your mood.  And let’s face it, you could probably use the exercise.  There is no substitute for the emotional intimacy built while chatting together over long walks along a river bank.

Date a dog lover and you will be forced to embrace winter. This may seem awful to you but just wait.  One day while your dog lover is out of town you will find yourself walking alone in the woods, staring over a valley of snow capped trees, soft snowflakes gently drifting all around you.  Germans have a word for this transcendent moment: Waldeinsamkeit.  The only thing better than Waldeinsamkeit is Waldeinsmkeit plus dog.

Date a dog lover because your arguments will rarely last long.  Dogs are masters at conflict resolution.  They know just the right moment to come bounding in with a squeaky dinosaur and half a roll of shredded toilet paper dragging behind them.

Date a dog lover.  Or better yet, date someone who rescues them.  They’ve seen glimpses of a hell you think only exists in horror movies, yet their optimism and perseverance are enduring.  Their sense of justice is fierce and they will not relent in pursuit of it.   They know how to handle an emergency.  They’ve thrown themselves between a set of snarling gnashing teeth and someone they love, more than once.  They’re the ones who courageously hold the old dogs, the ones neglected  beyond repair and left in shelters, abandoned by cowards, as they humanely drift away.  A true dog lover would never do that.  They know true love is enduring, even when times get tough. Especially when times get tough.

On second thought, forget about dating a dog lover and just go ahead and be one.  There’s no evidence for this but I’m pretty sure dog owners have more fun. Dogs are great at getting a conversation started between strangers, they bring people together, and yet are great company when you are otherwise alone. They keep you active, give you a sense of purpose and have an infinite capacity to keep you laughing.  Rescue a dog who needs a second chance and you will soon discover what you actually have is not just a dog, but one of the deepest and most rewarding relationships you will ever have.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Very sweet and no doubt true.

[Stella]

Love it, love it!! As a single person with two dogs, this rings so true!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I just love this Sherri! 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This is so awesome, Sherri!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Love this Sherri!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Thanks guys, I'm so glad you like it. 

Laurie - I miss you too!

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

this blog made my heart swell and eyes tear up.  So very well written Sherri, thanks for sharing this :)

[Rhonda]

Amen.  Well written.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I love it!

[Robin and Libby Louise]

Love it!