The best wingman doesn’t wear designer clothes or come up with stellar one-liners. He has a drooling problem and, let’s face it, occasionally humps a few legs. He’s your dog—and you look a whole lot better when you’re with him. “Women automatically perceive a man more favorably when he’s with a dog,” says Deborah Wood, author of The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating. Follow this three-pronged flirting approach with your pooch, and he’ll have a hot new fetch partner in no time.
1. Mark Your Territory
A dog park is a great place to meet like-minded ladies, but if you start dating someone from the park and it goes south, you’re forced to look for new stomping grounds, says Betsy Rosenfeld Vargas, author of The Complete Single's Guide to Being a Dog Owner. “Decide what’s more important to you: the prospect of having sex with a certain girl or being able to go back to your favorite places afterward,” she says. (In other words, don’t crap where you eat.) Farmer’s markets are a so-so choice as the crowds can easily overwhelm dogs and most women don’t want to get their hands covered in slobber before picking out produce. Your best bet: a bar or café’s patio, says Vargas. A lot of outdoor eateries even have bowls for four-legged guests.
2. Show You’re Well-Groomed
When you’re out for a walk, be on your best behavior. “Women work on shortcuts,” Vargas says. "So if a man takes care of his dog and treats it well, women think, 'He can take care of me.'" Before heading out, make sure Fido is clean. And if he can look a little intimidating, accessorize, suggests Wood. “A friend of mine with a Pit Bull often puts a cardigan sweater on him when she takes him for walks,” she says. “No one is scared to approach a dog wearing a cardigan.” Whatever you do, don’t tie your dog up to a pole on the street. If you need to dart in somewhere that isn't pet-friendly, ask a cute girl on the sidewalk if she would hold him for a minute, suggests Vargas. Bonus: By the time you come back, they’ll be best friends.
3. Sniff Her Out
The best part of using your dog to meet women is that for once, you don’t have to be the one making moves. According to Wood, strangers are four times more likely to approach someone with a dog. So chill out and let the ladies come to you. “Talk about the day that you adopted your dog from a shelter, or how he brightened up someone’s day, or even a funny story about him,” says Wood. “The conversation is a chance for a man to show his genuineness and warmth in a non-threatening way.” If she looks at you—and not just your pup—or moves the conversation to non-canine topics, you’ve got the green light, says Vargas. Invite her to go on a walk or grab a drink with the two of you some time.
