Dog owners luckier in love and owners of royal favourites Beagles and Corgis top the poll
- Dog owners more likely to be married or in a relationship and more positive about finding ‘the one’ – with owners of Corgis, favourite of the Queen, feeling the most upbeat.
- 22 percent of dog owners asked on a date or found love whilst out with their dog, with Beagle owners – such as Meghan Markle - topping the poll
- 30 percent of people wouldn’t date somebody who didn’t like dogs
- 22 percent of people don’t get any human hugs in an average week; petting a dog can boost vital levels of ‘feel good’ hormone, oxytocin, and increase social circle
- Doggie heaven: Pop up cuddle corner at unique Discover Dogs event gives Londoners the chance to boost oxytocin levels and find their potentially perfect canine companion (as only 64 percent think they have the perfect dog match)
It seems that Meghan Markle’s ownership of a Beagle was a good indicator of her future luckiness in love, as new research has revealed that dog owners are more likely to be successful on the dating scene - and the breeds that are most likely to indicate romantic success include royal family favourites, Beagles and Corgis.
The research, carried out by the Kennel Club ahead of its Discover Dogs event at ExCeL London on 20-21 October, shows that more than one fifth (22 percent) of dog owners have been asked on a date whilst out and about with their dog, or as a result of somebody else’s dog and a further 15 percent have found true love this way.
Beagle owners were most likely to have been either asked on a date or found love, with 58 percent saying this has happened to them. The other breeds that make the top five are the owners of Springer Spaniels, German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers and Corgis. Those least likely to be approached in this way are the owners of Border Collies (20 percent), Jack Russells (22 percent) and Chihuahuas (31 percent).
The varying degree to which dog owners are approached when out and about on their dog walk could be related to preconceptions about the owners’ personality traits, according to the breed that they own. The top words used to describe Beagles are ‘friendly, loyal and fun’ compared to ‘hard to handle, kooky and fun’, for Chihuahua owners. Corgi owners are described as ‘loyal, reserved and friendly’ compared to ‘strong willed, hard to handle and friendly’ for the owners of Jack Russells.
The research also shows that dog owners are luckier in love than non-dog owners, with more than one in five dog owners (21 percent) feeling positive about finding the right match, compared to 9 percent of non-dog owners. The owners of Corgis, favourite of the Queen, and Beagles are the most positive (33 percent), followed by German Shepherds (32 percent).
Furthermore, 75 percent of dog owners are married or in a long term relationship, compared to 65 percent of non-dog owners - and Beagle owners are the most likely to describe their relationship status in this way (87). Poodle owners are the least likely to be in a relationship (74 percent).
It is hardly surprising that London dog owners are faring better in love, given that being a dog lover is amongst people’s essential criteria when looking for a partner – with 29 percent of people saying they wouldn’t date somebody who didn’t like dogs.
However, with 16 percent of people saying that they are disillusioned with the dating game and 17 percent saying they would rather have a dog than be in a relationship – owning a dog has many benefits beyond possibly helping you to find ‘the one’.
Not only do dog owners in London find that dog ownership helps them to make new friends – with more than half (51 percent) saying this has happened whilst out with their dog – there are also important benefits to be found in stroking and petting a dog. The research showed that more than one in five people (22 percent) of don’t get any human cuddles in an average week - despite psychologists recommending that a hug a day is good for boosting oxytocin levels, the ‘feel good’ hormone. Dog owners fare much better than their non-dog owning counterparts, with only 14 percent failing to get at least one cuddle a week from a human, compared to 29 percent of non-dog owners, and 95 percent of dog owners go on to have hugs with their four legged friend as well.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Each October we put on our Discover Dogs event to help people find their perfect canine match, but it seems that dogs are also helping their owners to find love. This is unsurprising when you consider that dogs are a great ice breaker, when strangers may otherwise not look twice at each other, and that we tend to have very positive associations about people who love dogs.
“Of course, whilst the benefits of dog ownership are profound – from the potential for an increased social circle, to how dogs help us to unwind through a daily walk and a hug – it isn’t and shouldn’t be for everybody. But our research shows that people are leading increasingly busy and disconnected lives, where it is possible to go for weeks on end without so much as a hug, so our pop up cuddle corner at Discover Dogs, gives people the chance to take time to unwind, and meet and pet a four legged friend. It’s a real slice of doggy heaven.
“Experts at the event can help people decide if dog ownership is for them – and if so which breed would be best – and from that perfect match, may just come the perfect human match as well.”
With the research sadly revealing that only 64 percent of dog owners say that they are definitely sure they’ve found the perfect canine companion, the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event enables people to meet around 200 dog breeds of dog under one roof – from the most popular to those rarely seen or heard about. It enables people to talk to experts about which dog is the right fit for their lifestyle, as well as enjoying a fun day out surrounded by hundreds of dogs.
For tickets to Discover Dogs and more information visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk