I wasn't ready. No one is ever ready. But my live-in boyfriend at the time kept sending me the links from Petfinder. The pictures were all adorable. They all needed a home. They all stared back with eyes that said "please adopt me." The more I stared at these images, the more I began to consider it. I thought, hey, if we can do this together, share the cost, hire a dog walker, and forgo the housetraining thing with an adult dog, how hard could this be?

The adoption agencies were tough. The initial paperwork aimed at weeding out the … Read More

Puppy. Kitten. Bunny. The names we give to pets have connotations of cute, adorable, fluffy, and cuddly. Generally, everyone adores pets, and animal-haters are often categorized with the like of terrorists and murderers. After all, who could ever hate on Lassie?

But here at Love Buzz we understand that sometimes that adorable little creature can be the enemy. And not just because he used your favorite shoes as his restroom. Pets can often become the source of jealousy among couples. As MSNBC points out, boyfriends may sometimes ignore their girlfriends (ahem, their smart, talented, beautiful girlfriends) and instead bestow … Read More

Love Bytes: three must-click sex, dating and relationship links.

Forget meeting the parents; now it's meet the pets! Advice on how to create harmonious relationships with people, pets, and people with pets. [MSNBC]

Trend: hope sex. Can you guess what this is all about? [Huffington Post]

Hope is a physical as well as mental state," says Pepper Schwartz, PhD., professor of sociology at the University of Washington and author of Prime: Adventures and Advice About Sex, Love and the Sensual Years. "When we feel hopeful we produce positive hormones, such as adrenalin and dopamine, that energize and uplift our … Read More

Despite the fact that plenty of women—maybe even you—have said that "men are dogs," there's no obedience school for guys. But is it possible that the secrets to communicating with men are similar to the secrets of training your dog? Could the Dog Whisperer straighten up your man? No? Maybe? Actually, ladies, YES.

Money woes got you down?  If you're one of the 1.2 million Americans who have lost their job this year (thanks ABC News for that terribly depressing statistic) then chances are tracking your spending down to the very last dime.   When you do splurge you want to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck, especially when date night at the movies could end up costing you a good $50 (think popcorn, tickets, soda).  To that end, YourTango (with a little help from noted film junkies across the web) has pulled together a … Read More

YourTango's Love Lexicon will reveal some words you may have never heard of. Words: Wingmutt, Sextile, and Manscaping.

Readers, and imaginary readers, who probably outnumber you, be aware: this will be a blog about cats. If that offends your sensibilities, then move along to more scintillating fare. Cat people, here is my issue: I think I might need to get another cat.

I admit, I like cats. I didn't used to, but then I got some. I now have two. The first was adopted hesitantly and largely because of Frank. Her name is Elliott. The second was adopted off Craigslist because I thought that Elliott was lonely—she would mew and demand constant attention. I accidentally ended up with … Read More

The key to a happy relationship? Treat him like a dog, reports Cincinnati news station WLWT. Well, somewhat. The station's web site covers a new book, DogSense, which tells readers to take relationship cues, namely, unconditional love, from their pets.

Author Carla Genender told the site:"At the beginning, it is so intense and so wonderful," she said of all relationships. "The longer you are in, no matter how good it is, the more you focus on the negative."

So what's the fix? One tip Genender offers is simple:Greet your spouse like your pooch does when you return home pure excitement.

I … Read More

I had a feeling it would work. And it didn't take long. I had only been living in New York for about a month when my investment paid off. It was a rainy July day. I had been working at home all morning. As lunchtime approached, my stomach started grumbling and my puppy needed a walk. I decided to kill two birds with one stone and set off with the dog to a nearby deli. Both of us arrived drenched. A tall, older guy asked, "What kind of dog is that?"

"He's an Italian greyhound," I said. "His name is Puccini."

"Oh. … Read More