The Puggle is not just a gay man's newest and most important accessory, no matter what the cute guy down at the pet store might have you believe. The trend-trackers over at Alyson Books have done their damnedest to put into words what straight men have created whole TV shows about -- why it is, exactly, that dogs are often a man's best friend.
The press release for Paws and Reflect: Exploring the Bond Between Gay Men and Their Dogs tells me that gays love dogs because "their dogs love them unconditionally, without judgment or regard to sexual orientation; comfort them when they are in pain; and, because most men outlive them, teach them extraordinary lessons in how to cope with loss."
I actually buy that. And also:
Interviewees include Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Edward Albee, Academy Award winning writer Ron Nyswanner, director Jonathan Caouette, actor and playwright Charles Bush, and Animal Planet’s David Mizejewski with contributions from Jay Quinn, Hal Campbell, Russ Overton, and many others. These celebrated men share stories that range from dogs from their childhood, the dogs who make connections, learning from dogs, making the world a better place for dogs and something many dog owners often experience – exasperating dogs that persist until they have securely stolen hearts, attention and love.
But here's a word of advice: Don't type "gay men and dogs" into Google. Just don't. Or at least don't say I never warned you. I went looking for a funny little something to say about dogs and the men who love them and the only item I found able to be shared in any kind of polite company was this funny little column from the Yale Daily News:
Straight men are like dogs. But gay men are dogs. Take a moment.
Butt-sniffing as a courting ritual.
Humping your leg. Your third leg. Or fourth in some cases… don't over think it.
How often do heterosexuals actually do it doggy-style compared to homosexuals? I think we've got them beat.
Female dogs go into heat and the male dogs go crazy. When the females aren't in heat, male dogs will have sex with just about anything, including each other.
The whole S&M, leather-daddy, master-slave, put-me-on-a-leash and walk-me-down-the-street subculture. It's a city thing.
There you go. At least one of those should work as a pick-up line the next time you're down at the dog park. Because any best friend worth a man's love should be willing to help his master get laid.
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