Having a Dog Makes You Hotter

In case you had any doubts, having a dog in your life will definitely increase your chances of meeting the new love of your life. Or, you know, just getting laid.

Dr. Helen Fisher, a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute and a chief adviser to Match.com, tells the New York Times that men who have dogs signal to women that they are “nurturing and capable of caregiving.” It’s a “powerful mating signal” to women who are looking for someone who can really commit to a relationship. Just a few years ago a Tinder for dog lovers popped up.

Justin Garcia, an associate professor at the Kinsey Institute, also added that because young people are putting off marriage and kids they might see pets as one of the more stable relationships in their life. And this falls in line with how much more people are spending on their pets and essentially treating them like human members of their own family. While pet ownership has remained stable, the amount people are spending alone on their dogs and cats has gone up, on costumes, clothes, treats, etc.

According to a survey Dr. Fisher and her colleagues conducted in 2015 with 1,200 Match.com pet-owning members, more than half said they would find someone more attractive if they knew he/she had adopted a pet and most people think that their date’s choice in pets say a lot about their personality. So cat owners can relax, though maybe you should try taking your furry indoor friend for a walk sometime to flirt with strangers.