Half of Americans would be more likely to date someone if they had a dog

New YouGov research finds dog owners have an advantage in getting dates – but do other pets help their owners in the in the dating pool?

After asking Americans if they would be more or less willing to date someone if they had one of twelve different animals as pets, dogs came out on top.

Half (50%) of Americans would be more willing to date someone if they had a dog, while only 9% would be less willing to do so. Women are more likely to be interested in a partner with a dog (54%), compared to 46% of men.

Americans are split when it comes to cats. While 35% of Americans would be more willing to date someone with a cat as a pet, 30% would be less willing to do so.

While 32% of men would be more willing to date someone with a cat, 19% would be less willing. In contrast, 37% of women are more attracted to a potential partner with a cat, compared to 11% who would be less willing to date someone with a feline friend.

Horses also perform well for those looking for romance. One third (33%) of Americans say they would be more willing to date someone who owned a horse, compared to 16% who would be less willing to do so.

If you are single and looking for a romantic partner, there are some pets you should steer away from. Three in five (59%) Americans say they are less willing to date someone if they own a snake, while the same number say they would not want to date someone with a tarantula at home.

Women in particular are likely to be hesitant about dating a tarantula or snake owner. Seven in 10 (68%) women say they are less willing to date a snake or tarantula owner.

Surprisingly, 39% of Americans would be turned off by their partner owning a miniature pig, compared to 15% who say they would be more interested in dating someone if they had one at home. Perhaps they are put off by the potential for the miniature pig to turn out in the fullness of time to have just been a baby pig. In 2017 The Guardian reported the story of an unwitting buyer who had done just that, with their ‘miniature’ pig having since become a 650lb sow.

Image: Getty