Looking for Special Someone

Today, everything is about niche markets. Television has learned that lesson: We have a hundred cable channels and each aims for different demographics—everything from the Food Channel to MTV to the History Channel to Animal Planet has its own audience.

We usually admire in a dog those things that we admire—or strive for—in ourselves. So, if you’re running 20 miles a week, you’ll probably admire a dog who’s equally athletic and fit. If you’re looking for a special kind of person, you might be best served by a special kind of dog.

For example:

Canaan Dog
The Liberal Left-of-Center Urban Hipster. Forget all the purebreds on the 10 Best List. You need a dog from a shelter. How important is this? When John F. Kennedy, Jr. bought a purebred Canaan Dog, he told people it was a shelter mix. The dog’s true
identity didn’t come out until Kennedy’s death, when dog lovers worried about what became of the pooch, and the breeder had to step forward and say that the supposed shelter dog was alive and well with her. (Another lesson here: Don’t fib!)


Pekingese
Outdoorsy Love Interest. If you’re looking for a hunting, fishing, outdoorsy man or woman, you’re not likely to meet this person while you’re walking your Pekingese. (Especially since most Pekingese can only walk a block or so.) An athletic German Shorthaired Pointer would be a better choice. Non-conformist. You’ll want a dog that goes beyond mixed—think of a lovable mutt who looks like he was designed by a
committee. Maybe stubby legs (like a Corgi) and the slender face of a Greyhound—and patches of hair of different lengths and textures. This dog isn’t going to conform to anybody’s breed standard.


Basenji
Mental Health Professional. One Basenji breeder claims that a disproportionate number of psychiatrists own this fastidiously clean, barkless breed.

Dog for Men (or Women) Only

While the appeal of some breeds, such as Golden Retrievers and Collies, is generally universal, other dog breeds have almost exclusive appeal to one gender, and usually not to the other:

Guy Breeds


- Bulldog. Men relate to their big jowls and swagger. Women notice their gas.


- Airedale. Called the “king of terriers”, this big, brash dog is definitely a guy breed.


- Boxer dog. Guy dog—and half of them are named after famous human boxers, like Tyson. Or underwear (as in Joe Boxer).

To many men, to most men, perhaps, a dog is simply an animated machine, developed or created for the convenience of the human race. It may be so; and yet again it may be that the dog has his own rightful place in the universe, irrespective and independent of man, and that an injury done to him is an insult to the Creator.

Chick Puppies


- Shih Tzu. Women adore grooming them, just like they played with their baby dolls when they were kids. (And some empty nesters do seem to substitute a Shih Tzu for their grown-up children, and prefer them to their boisterous grandchildren.) Marissa agrees. “My daughter got her Shih Tzu when her youngest child started talking and playing outside. She had baby-itis and decided a Shih Tzu would need as much TLC as a baby and fix the ‘itch.’ She was right! Annie is a little doll baby . . . and takes plenty of mothering.”


- Toy Poodle. Tiny, delicate, sensitive and requires grooming: This dog is for women only. And it shouldn’t surprise you that these dogs often have names like Prada and Chanel.



- Shetland Sheepdog: A Sheltie looks a lot like a Collie in miniature, but Collies are equally a woman’s and a man’s
dog. Shelties are solely a chick breed.

The Five Worst Date Bait Breeds

1. Pit Bull. There are lots of sweet, gentle Pit Bulls in the world, and most Pit Bulls love people and are great with kids. No
matter how nice your Pit Bull may be, understand that, with the breed’s fierce reputation, lots of people won’t come near these dogs. Some communities have banned Pit Bulls and related breeds. Expect people to cross the street to avoid you if you have a Pit Bull, even if your dog is a wonderful, friendly, sweet soul.



2. Rottweiler. Like Pit Bulls, too often Rottweilers are given a bad rap, unfairly. These loyal, intelligent, trainable dogs can be fabulous pets for singles and families alike. But here’s a hint: Any breed that is the subject of a cult classic movie named Rottweiler: Dogs of Hell may lose you more friends than it wins you.



3. Yapping Little Dogs. Some people don’t like little dogs, period. No one likes yapping little dogs. These dogs can even irritate their owners.



4. Dogs With Elaborate Hairdos. People who show their Poodles learn to love all the fluff and pompons. Not the rest of the world. If your Poodle or other breed is trimmed like topiary, expect derisive laughter, not love.



5. Chinese Crested. These dogs are usually born naked, except for tufts of hair on their heads, feet and tails. No matter how smart, funny and just plain lovable these little guys are, even many of their owners admit they look a little bit like space aliens. It doesn’t help that Chinese Crested are the perennial winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, held annually in Petaluma, California. In fact, a Crested named Chi Chi is in the Guinness Book of World Records for winning this dubious title the most times—seven in all.