: Women often report receiving more emotional support from their dogs than from human partners, except for their own children. Safe Vulnerability
Okay , that blink said. You can stay.
She was unremarkable at first glance. Messy ponytail. Paint-stained overalls. But then she crouched down, and Beau—the lumbering, drooling beast—immediately tucked his head under her chin. She closed her eyes for a second, her whole body relaxing as she scratched behind his ears.
Victorian literature often portrayed the "lapdog" as a reflection of its female owner's status or a substitute for human companionship, sometimes even aligning the bond with the intimacy of a marriage. 2. Dogs as Matchmakers in Romantic Storylines