I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard women say, “Men are dogs.” Since joining the online dating scene, I’ve begun to regard that statement in a whole new way. It seems to me that looking for the right mate is very much like looking for the right dog. As I go out on dates, I’m screening for companionship, loyalty, livability, attractiveness, personality, temperament and trainability—not unlike what I looked for when I got my first dog last year. So I’m applying the lessons learned from dog shopping to my present project of mate shopping:

Know yourself—decide what’s important to you.
When I decided to get a dog, I listed qualities that were important to me: I like fluffy dogs, with very soft fur. My canine companion should be quiet, with an easy-going temperament. (I’m not into high-maintenance or high-strung dogs.) My dog will be cute, but need not be gorgeous. And finally, it would help if the dog is already semi-trained.

I’ve given similar thought to the man I want in my life. I’d like one who’s attractive, but he need not be gorgeous: His personality is what I’m going to be living with. Easy-to-live-with is very important—no high-maintenance guys. And just like my dog, my man should be intelligent, funny, responsive, loving and playful.