You’ve heard of catfishing and all the other phenomenons to hit online dating, but now we’ve got a one that seems to be posing a bit of a hairy problem. Pardon the pun.
Catfishing has been a term that’s been used in conjunction with the online dating world since its birth. The term itself was gifted to the world in 2010 by American producer Nev Shulman with the release of his documentary film ‘Catfish’, and the follow up MTV series that soared in popularity.
Basically, catfishing is the act of luring someone into an online relationship behind the guise of a fictional persona.
Given the plethora of apps and filters that are at our disposal, it’s become terrifyingly easy to pose as a different person online. Perhaps now more than ever.
But now we have a phenomenon that’s crushed many dreams already, with many creating relationships under false pretenses only to be disappointed by reality.
We’re talking about dog-fishing here. That’s right, people are borrowing other people’s dogs and posting photos with them/of them on to their dating profiles.
When it comes to online dating apps, most background checks you conduct involve a person’s linked Instagram and Facebook accounts, tagged photos, and if you’re really trying to be safe: FaceTime calls. This are done usually in order to prove the validity of the individual you’re speaking to, so that you can avoid a catfishing incident.
Now, it seems online daters need to undergo an entirely different background check to prove the existence of their potential partner’s pooch.
So why dog-fish?
The Washington Post said that: “It’s like getting your foot in the door, presenting yourself in this performative way. Until that impression is ruined because you have to explain yourself.”
Dogs, as we know, are one of the purest gifts this world gave us. So it’s understandable why owning one could make you appear more attractive to dog-lovers.
In fact, a French social experiment conducted in 2008 revealed that 20 per cent of women agreed to give their number to a man if he was holding a dog, in comparison to a man asking solo.
Surely dog-fishers know that their efforts will eventually fail when they bring their partner home only to reveal it is pooch-less.
Who would want to date a person that lies about owning a dog anyway?
Have you ever been dog-fished? Let us know in the comments down below!
