Welcome to our Online Dating Tip resource for you and your profile, ONLINE DATING GENIUS, where we spell it out for you…The DO’s, the DON’Ts and the OH NO YOU DIDN’Ts…and where we implore you to take that pic down from your dating profile ASAP. For this one, we are going to talk about another important DON’T in your online dating profile: PET PICS.

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We asked NY singles what their top pet-peeves (literally) are and can tell you what they had to say…but many of you are not going to like it. The truth sometimes hurts folks, but if you want your dating profile to work for you…you need to hear it.

  • #1 Online Dating Profile pet-peeve (with no pun intended) was…Your cat

 So, you can imagine what that means for that pet pic of your beloved Puss In Boots. Despite all of the cat popularity online these days, many singles are asking us to skip over anyone boasting their cat ownership. Don’t shoot the messenger here. We know sweet fluffy does not deserve the negative stigma. Maybe it’s because cats are portrayed as evil in cartoons? Or maybe it’s because cat-haters are jealous of their nine lives. Mostly it is because when you put that snuggly pet pic up on that dating app, it’s often not as cute as you think. You don’t look warm and fuzzy…you just look married to your cat. Regardless of reason, this is more than an online dating tip – it’s more like a warning – pet pics of you and your cat in your online dating profile is a huge DON’T!

Sadly, women with cats are often labeled as crazy cat ladies. Meanwhile, men with cats are an even worse miss with single NY women. Women assume these men are weird AF. Our suggestion is to limit the publicity your cat gets when you are dating online. Let her get to know you first. If she accepts the invite up to your place, by then, Mr. Fuzzles should be less of a deterrent (assuming she is not deathly allergic).

  • #2: Women who treat their dogs like humans.

Dressing your dog up for Halloween, buying special treats for his birthday and including your dog in the family Christmas cards are gestures both your canine and society will deem acceptable. But when it comes to your online dating profile, there is a certain line to be drawn. Here are a few things to selectively omit from your profile…Dogs groomed like A-list celebrities. Dogs are carried around in a stroller, or even worse… a baby carrier. Save Famous Fido’s instagram account for well after the fifth date. Truth be told, your chances of finding a sugar-owner are generally quite low. Despite the fact that you’ve definitely seen a pet or two in a Chanel handbag, this type of overindulgence might cost you a date or two.

  • #3: People with more pictures of their pet than themselves.

You know the feeling when a parent wants to document every moment in their newborn’s life. Imagine if their baby could never grow up to tell them to stop being annoying. This is how everyone feels about your ‘baby’. Your dog is cute and all, but people will stop caring after a while, and start thinking you’re just plain crazy. If you’re going to post pictures of your cat all day long, our experts suggest making her a separate Instagram account for her pics (people love that) – and to keeping them out of your dating profile.

Bottom line with this online dating tip… Although there are pets with successful careers as wingmen, some pets will actually ruin your chances of finding love. When dealing with online dating it’s best to mention that you have a pet in your bio, but focus the rest of the profile on yourself. Let them fall for you first and then they’ll stay for your pet later, I promise. Word of caution…if they fall for that pet too hard, they may fight you for it if you break up.

Written by Christina Madera, Edited by Jane Rudes

Christina Madera was once our hilariously bright Business and Communications Intern.

Jane Rudes is a Communication Consultant as well as the Online Division Director at Project Soulmate. Jane is happy to speak with interested prospective online clients about their online profile and other common online dating woes. 

Did you know that Project Soulmate offers more than expert matchmaking in NYC?

We can also help you decide on the best photos for your online dating profile, and offer professional profile writing, photography, communication coaching and account management services for your online dating accounts. Click here for more info! Or Contact Us and ask!

Find more brilliant advice by checking out our other Online Dating Genius posts like:  

The Bathroom Selfie, The Height Exaggeration, The Hot Chic In Your Pic, The Pet Pics, The Offspring Pic, The Posse Pic, The Not Your Baby Pic and The Impossible Checklist  

Click here for more info!  Or Contact Us and ask!

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