What a Minx Thinks

Get your relationship right with a little doggystyle

Get your minds out of the gutter readers. We’re talking about looking at the good old saying all ‘men are dogs’! Are they? And are some women really bitches? Savvy Siobhan Copland examines the evidence and give’s a few tips on how to find your perfect mate. Trust us- she’s a dating maverick who organizes speed dating events!

Every single one of us has heard the phrase ‘all men are dogs’. Like marmite people tend to love or hate it.

In my opinion there are two ways of looking at it. A dog can be seen as a loyal submissive friend and defender or as an aggressive frisky predator that goes around attempting to breed with every other dog he sees. But these are personality traits that are not reserved for men alone. Woman can have them to. And men are often heard referring to certain ladies as bitches aka the female dog. This is a term which tends to get a woman’s back up. No one likes to be called a bitch.

Anyway enough about bitches, lets get back to the dogs. One thing male and female dogs undeniably have in common is they can bite you where it hurts the most!

So when it comes to the dating game, how can you spot the good dogs from the bad? And most importantly, how can you avoid being bitten?

Paws for thought (excuse the pun)

Try the following methods as tried and tested by moi!

1. Being straight up!

When you start to date someone there’s a little game playing and concealing of feelings. One person may be after a committed relationship, the other a casual fling. But its best to be honest from the get go. Life is short, why waste time?

Months down the line you might be angry with yourself for being strung along because neither of you were looking for the same thing.

So simply ask ‘what are you looking for’?

Note this question doesn’t apply if you catch them looking through your blackberry messages or digging around your underwear drawer (that’s another article altogether)…

If they give a fairly impressive answer such as ‘I’m interested in settling down’ as opposed to ‘I’m focused on whether you go down’, just relax and get to know them a little better. You’ll soon find out if they’ve been honest about wanting something real.

2. Ask about their past

Although you may just want to look at the present and whether you may have a future as a couple with the person you are seeing, the past can be equally important in determining your fate. As the saying goes ‘you don’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been’.

History has shaped this potential wife/ husband/ concubine/ lover and knowing about their past may give you an insight into what you’re really letting yourself in for.

Remember that scene from Meet the Fockers when De Niro had Ben Stiller in a chair, hooked up to a lie detector test? He grilled him about his past to see if Stiller was good enough for his daughter. Well do that. Only in a much nicer, subtler style (perhaps liquor them up with a glass of vino first).

Need a little help with the line of questioning? Pick a few from our choice selection:

How did your past relationships end? How did you deal with the break-up?

What character traits do you like in a new partner? What are your pet hates?

If they are vague or get angry when asked, chances are they have something to hide. Maybe they were to blame for a break up or they’re simply not over it!

If they’re comfortable talking about what they want in a partner and what went wrong with an ex- fabulous. It shows they have learnt from past relationships, closed old chapters and are ready to move on to the next.

But obviously you don’t want them to talk too much about an ex- nobody likes a date to wax lyrical about a former love interest.

Ask away but be prepared to answer questions too. The idea is to get to know each other better, not play detective. Nobody likes to be interrogated.

Don’t be scared to ask questions, its better to do a bit of fishing in the beginning to avoid getting egg on your face in the end!

I always try to go by the wise old timeless piece of advice, which is simply to trust your instincts! How many of us have ignored those inklings we get like ‘he just wants a quick shag’ or ‘I think she may be more into my best mate’.

So whether you are looking for a loyal Labrador, a fluffy poodle or a feisty pit bull, there’s someone out there just for you.

Have you encountered a dog with a fierce bark and bite? Encounter a golden Labrador that you want to play fetch with? Fill us in please readers!

Siobhan organizes speed dating events – for more information visit www.catchmecupid.co.uk

or follow her on www.twitter.com/catchmecupiduk