Why a dog walk makes a great date
A walk with your dogs takes the pressure off a first meeting.
There's always something to talk about, the dogs break the ice, and walking side by side feels more natural than sitting across a table. You'll also learn a lot about someone from how they treat animals.
Dog-friendly date ideas
- A walk in a country park or along a river. Choose somewhere with clear paths and other people around.
- A dog-friendly pub or café. Many country pubs welcome dogs. Ring ahead to check.
- A beach walk. Check whether dogs are allowed at that time of year.
- A dog show or country fair. Plenty to see, and lots for the dogs to enjoy too.
Will your dogs get on?
Talk about your dogs before you meet.
- Share the basics. Size, age, energy level, and how they are with other dogs.
- Meet on neutral ground. Somewhere new to both dogs works better than one dog's home patch.
- Keep leads on at first. Let the dogs say hello calmly and watch how they react.
- Don't worry if they're not best friends. Lots of dogs take time to warm up. What matters is that you two get on.
Put your dog on your profile
A photo of you with your dog is a great conversation starter. Just make sure there are clear photos of you as well, and think twice about photos that show your house or exactly where you walk. Our profile tips for country lovers have more ideas.