Proof Of Why You Need To Fall In Puppy Love This Valentine’s Day

Rachel Leavy
by Rachel Leavy
Nothing says love like a colorful infographic about the affection we have for our four-legged friends


The hallmark holiday of the year is this weekend, and we can’t forget our furry four-legged companions. They’re ones who are faithfully wagging and waiting for us to come home every day. The ones who are happy to see us no matter how much money we make, what mood we are in or how crazy our hair looks in the morning. Our dogs love us unconditionally, and great news – we don’t have to buy them roses. As for chocolate – we can’t give them that.

Who loves their dogs the most? We’ve got proof, via a survey of pet parents from across the U.S. According to the Doggy Love Index survey (brought to you by a combined force of Milk-Bones, Milo’s Kitchen, Pup-Peroni , and Canine Carry Outs) the state of California wins the award. My home state of New York comes in second, and I couldn’t be a more proud dog mama. The survey continues on to describe what behaviors people find attractive in other dog lovers. Here’s some breaking news – 66 percent of women find that dog owners are more attractive. Umm, well of course! Dogs are awesome. Duh!


The survey also found that dogs make us better people – it found that 65 percent of people are more loving because of their dog. So the moral of the story is, don’t just treat the human love of your life… do something special for your favorite furball. My plans for Maria this Saturday include an extra-long walk, and a Kong with an extra helping of peanut butter. Yep – that’s all it takes to let Maria know she’s special.


I don’t think we give our dogs enough credit. There should be a Valentine’s Day that’s just for our pets… but one could argue there’s pretty much every day! Still, our faithful Fidos are the ones who lick the empty Ben and Jerry’s container when our human relationships don’t work out. They don’t judge us.


If you meet someone at the dog park, give them a chance. That’s my advice to you. I’ve turned down multiple dates because someone didn’t like my dog – or worse, she didn’t like them. There’s a reason why 71 percent of people surveyed said that their dogs teach them to feel more joy in life. Now, why wouldn’t you want to be with someone like that?

Rachel Leavy
Rachel Leavy

Rachel Leavy lives in Rochester, New York with her dog, Maria, and her gecko, Nigel. She has loved animals all her life, and has owned her own dog training and walking company for five years. When she's not playing with puppies, she can usually be found writing short stories, riding horses or out at a play.

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