A Fetching Find: The Complete Single's Guide to Being a Dog Owner

If you’re single, introducing your best furry friend to a potential new mate can be a big deal. What if Fido doesn’t like Fred? Or vice versa? What if you and your date are getting romantic and, um, Fido can’t help but stare? Author Betsy Rosenfeld helps answer these questions and shares her stories in her first book, The Complete Single's Guide to Being a Dog Owner. Inspired by her love and passion for rescuing dogs, Rosenfeld provides the kind of guidebook she wishes she had when she first got a dog and was making "incredibly expensive and silly mistakes, and living these crazy experiences.” She answered our burning questions:

What are some things singles should think about before getting a dog?
Number one is: Why are you getting a dog? Is it because someone else thinks you should? Or is it because you're lonely? You really have to take a good hard look at your life and see if you're ready. Are you able to work it into your budget? With a single, there's one budget coming in. It's a budget of time, and it's a budget of money. Are you able to, literally, afford it, because dogs aren't just a bag of food a month. Are you going to commit when the dog barks and your neighbor hates them and is mean to you? You need to be on your dog's side.

What are some good breeds for singles?
It depends on your life's personality. Mutts are always great because they're the healthiest. A fantastic dog for a single is a greyhound. They love to go out and take a sprint, but they also just want to sit on their butts.

Also, a great dog for singles is a rescue dog that's been fostered. When a dog is fostered, it's been in a home, and you can find out all the quirks. Let somebody else find out the things that you can't deal with. Then you're going to be most aware and can make the most informed decision.

Do you recommend using your dog to meet a potential boyfriend or girlfriend?
I do, except one of the caveats is dating at the dog park. A little dicey. Because if it doesn't work out, it's a lot easier to find someone else to date than find another dog park.

What do you do if your dog responds badly to your new potential boyfriend or girlfriend? Is it a sign?
I do sometimes think a dog has a good sense about people. I actually dated someone who was the greatest guy ever, and everyone just loved him. But (my dog) Bella just hated him. It turned out he was a complete sociopath, and she was the only one who knew.

Sometimes it's real, and your dog doesn't like your date, and you have to desensitize them. But you also have to be respectful of the other person. Have them feed the dog, or walk the dog. Have them bring dog treats. Straight bribery!

What do you do when you're with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and things start to "heat up"?
Give your dog a treat, and let them enjoy themselves,while you go elsewhere and enjoy yourself. Really, just something to keep them entertained, and something so you don't also hear the [crunching] noise.

The Complete Single's Guide to Being a Dog Owner hits bookstores on May 18.

Karen J. Quan