A new dating trend has emerged, and this one’s worse than ever. Gone are the days where the only thing you had to worry about was a catfish, now you’ve got to question the authenticity of every dog-dad profile as Gen-Z’s most performative men have caught on and have started to “dogfish” their potential partners with fake dogs and even faker stories. Forget ghosting, imagine walking around saying you’re the latest victim of dogfishing – and no, it’s not referring to the tiny shark.
Right… WTF is the dogfishing dating trend?
@hay.nae More on dogfishing. #catfish #dating #single @Hinge
make it stop.
In an era where finding your fluffy haired golden retriever boyfriend is all the rage, a dog-filled profile grabs eyes. But women across social media have started to fall victim to deceptive “dogfishers”: Men posing with someone else’s dog in search for more matches.
Often partnered with captions searching for a “dog-mum” for their supposed companion, these dogfishers pray on the approachable and caring vibe dog lovers give off.
The term has been around since around 2019, and dog mentions on dating profiles has shot up by 442 per cent since 2017, but the dogfishing fear has seen a meteoric rise this year as women have become more vigilant of the dreaded performative man.
Men, posing or feigning an interest in topics or activities they believe would interest a potential girlfriend, is the number one red flag online, with almost post now needing to be scrutinised in case its just an attention seeking act.
Our furry friends have now been dragged into this, being used as props to build the supposed owner’s golden retriever image – but women are catching on, with some calling a dog pic an “instant swipe left”, and another telling Cosmopolitan: “Daters are more likely to be on the hunt for red flags these days than they are to be wooed by a boy and his dog.”
So… Does it work?
Well, sort of. According to Michael Kaye, global communications manager at OkCupid, dogs do bring in the likes, even saying: “Users with dog mentions have a higher probability of initial conversation over those with cat mentions.”
A Tinder spokesperson even confirmed suspicions, telling Elite Daily: “Users typically respond to photos that include animals or traveling shots”.
An initial success doesn’t mean a lifelong partner though – the real problems come up as the conversation unfolds. Questions about the dog that are shrugged off or bland are almost guaranteed to put a real dog lover off, and once you’ve started the web of tennis balls and dog biscuits, its hard to keep the facade up – and that’s before you’re even expected to meet them, with the dog by your side.
Four must know red flags to spot a dogfisher
While there are some genuine dog lovers out there – it’s best to be prepared for the fakes. Here are some tell-tale signs of a serial dogfisher.
1. The dog shows up once, then disappears
You’re drawn in to a profile by the dog, but you keep on swiping, and there’s no sign of it after the first picture. You’re telling me you spend a good chunk of every day with your dog, and yet only have one picture to show for it?
2. They’re always vague about the dog
It’s not difficult to think of a name, but what about your favourite walking route, its favourite chew toy, or what tricks you’re trying to teach your friend? Dog owners love to talk about their dogs (often a bit too much), one that barely even wants to mention it is a massive red flag.
3. The dog loving doesn’t match the rest of their profile
A constant world traveler who hates a cosy night in? Either you’ve got a great pet-sitter, or the dog just isn’t yours.
4. No dog content beyond their dating profile
Once you’ve reached the Instagram and TikTok stage of chatting, you’ll probably have passed the previous tests, but what if there’s no more dog loving content plastered over their socials? Nobody needs to be as extreme as a second account dedicated solely to their dog, but no posts, highlights or stories? Run, girl.
Featured image via Reddit
