Rover.com, a network of five-star pet sitters ad dog walkers, recently released its Anatomy of Dog Love report.

The report dove into the science behind why dogs and humans love each other and presents new data on how pets impact our romantic relationships. The Anatomy of Dog Love report is based on a survey of 1,500 U.S dog owners conducted by Rover in January 2020 via Pollfish.

According to the report:

• Nearly half of all dog owners agree that they would only be in a relationship with a dog person.
• One in five pet parents say they have stayed in a relationship longer because of their partner’s dog.
• 72% of pet parents are likely to click on someone’s dating profile if there is a dog in the picture.
• Most (61%) dog people believe that being a pet parent impacts the health of their romantic relationship.
• Half of pet parents in relationships agree that they spend more time as a couple now that they have a dog.
• 71% of pet parents in relationships say they are more attracted to their partner after seeing how they care for their dog.

The report also found that the vast majority (95%) of pet parents believe their dogs love them.

According to Phil Tedeschi, clinical professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, Institute for Human-Animal Connection and member of Rover’s Dog People Panel, humans and dogs both have neuro-biological needs for interpersonal connections, within their own species and with other animals. Through thousands of years of interaction, humans and dogs have co-evolved strategies for connection. This has cemented our bond and, as in any loving relationship, we seek to understand each other. For dogs, that means observing our physical presence and emotional changes, to be able to connect with and understand humans.

“The more I study and learn about dogs the more I have realized their capacity for deep and loving attachment and the importance of us, as a people, reciprocating that responsiveness and love in return,” says Tedeschi. “Our dogs can teach us how to have healthy relationships, deeper connections, be more attentive to one another and become trustworthy companions. They can teach us to love.”

More Anatomy of Dog Love Survey Findings:

Pet Parenting

• 86% of dog people in a relationship agree that having a dog makes them feel more like a family.
• Two in three dog owners say they have more confidence in their parenting skills since owning a dog; most pet parents (67%) are also more confident in their partner’s parenting skills after owning a dog.

About Rover.com
Rover connects dog and cat owners with pet care whenever they need it. Millions of services have been booked on Rover, including pet sitting, dog walking, in-home boarding, drop-in visits, doggy day care, and grooming in select markets.

To learn more about Rover, please visit http://www.rover.com.

Source: rover.com

Photo credit: