Q&A With Betsy Rosenfeld, Author Of "The Complete Single's Guide to Being a Dog Owner"
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 Show Off Your Pets
By ELIZABETH SILE
 
The Hartford Courant
 
August 21, 2009

Caring for a dog is hard enough when you split the responsibility, but having one on your own can be a real challenge. You have your social life, job, dating and travel with no idea how to fit a dog in there. But, dog rescuer Betsy Rosenfeld's new book "The Complete Single's Guide to Being a Dog Owner" and her blog lovethydog.com offer tips.

Rosenfeld spoke recently by phone about what singles should expect with a dog and how to choose the right dog.

Q: Describe your dog Bella, the inspiration for your book.

A: She was and she actually passed away recently. It was devastating. ... But at the same time it's a way of her living on forever. ... Bella was very headstrong and she really put me through my paces ... In that way I really did learn the hard way things I shared in the book.

Q: You offer suggestions for people who are dating while also owning a dog. What things should you consider when it comes to this?

A: Make sure that you introduce someone you're dating to your dog in the right way. If your dog is territorial, don't introduce them in your apartment. Go to the park or go out somewhere. ... [My boyfriend] just didn't know [he was a dog person] and then he was just so in love with Bella. ... You have to give people a little bit of time.

Q: What "bedroom etiquette" do you suggest?

A: First of all, they shed and ... what you might think is an OK amount of shedding might not be for another person. Make sure your bed is tidy. ... And not everyone is cool with your dog sleeping in bed. ... I remember the first time I had to put my dog outside the door. ... Give your dog a treat ... and you can go take care of what you need to take care of.

Q: When do you think you should tell someone about your devotion to your dog?

A: I just don't see the benefit in waiting because it's kind of like lying about another piece of your personality. It's just going to backfire [if you wait]. I actually put it in my Match.com profile that if you don't like dogs don't bother contacting me.

Q: Any advice on what to do if someone pressures you to spend less time with your dog?

A: I just think it's a bad sign because you know, anyone who encourages you to not take care of your life, well what else are they going to encourage you to compromise? They just don't have respect for you. ... To not understand that you have something to take care of whether it's your dog or anything, I think it's a sign they're just trying to hook up with you or they're a bad influence.
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