So, we’ve all been there. You have a “friend” over for the first time… things are going well. Maybe you’re watching a movie on separate parts of the couch, drinking champagne by the fire, or you’ve started kissing already. Then your dog decides it’s the perfect moment to make themselves known – through a bark, a cry, or jumping up on the bed next to you. And, just like that, that intimate moment is killed and you’re not quite sure what to do with your pup. Does this sound all too familiar? Then, read on.
There are options! Here are a few things I’ve thought of to handle this situation when you want to be intimate with your partner.
Get a babysitter when its time to be intimate
Perhaps the most obvious choice. If you have a date you’re excited to go on, especially in the early dating days, it might be best to arrange for your dog to stay with a friend. I know that lots of my friends in their twenties are missing their childhood dogs but don’t yet feel ready to get a dog of their own. They love the idea of having a sleepover with my sweet puppy – it’s a fun and cozy night for them and they get the best company ever. For you, if you’re already a little nervous about bringing someone into your apartment, it can relieve some of the stress to not also be worrying about when your dog needs to be walked, if they’re hungry or if they’re going to like the person you’re dating.
The crate
Okay, I feel slightly bad writing this one. And hypocritical. If I’m honest, my dog would never willingly and quietly go to sleep in his crate. If I tried this when I had a date over in my apartment, he would have to endure Finn’s shrieks continuously until I let Finn out to once again be part of the scene and take his rightful place in between us on the couch. BUT if you are someone who has more successfully trained their dog, this option could definitely be right for you. That way your dog can still be around for most of the night, but he or she doesn’t have the same opportunity to kill the mood in the moments it matters.
Staying out
This is the least risky option but also the one I like the least. If I wasn’t sure I wanted someone to meet my dog yet – because let’s be honest, if my dog didn’t like them, it was an immediate dealbreaker – I planned dates that always kept me out of my apartment. The upside of this is that you only introduce your dog to a person you’re seeing when you’re ready to. The downside is that you can probably stay out for shorter periods of time and if you’re like me you’ll spend your time out thinking about your sweet dog at home alone and want to cut every date short.
Just … doing … nothing
Well, I don’t know how helpful of a solution this is, but it IS a very real option. There are many moments over the years when my dog has come into my bedroom at, well, inopportune times leading to all kinds of awkward situations. My dog has never really been great about boundaries, and those are the times when one would hope boundaries would be at an all time high. I have to say though, for as many awkward moments, there were just as many moments filled with laughter. Because the situation is, if nothing else, a little comical. It might feel ridiculous and embarrassing and it very much is, but to be honest, if I’m going to really like a person, they’ve got to be someone who makes these awkward moments into something we can laugh about. More than that even, they have to be someone who has not just accepted, but is excited about the fact that my dog and I are very much a package deal.
Have any tips on how you navigate how to be intimate when you have a pup? Share your funny stories at whatthepup@spotandtango.com!
