I think we all know the pressures of a new relationship. You might be beyond just casual dating and into boyfriend/girlfriend territory.  Or maybe you’ve already reached “exclusive” status; either way there are a variety of approvals you still need to get. Several moments throughout the process you’re left thinking, “when did this get so complicated?”

Al and I have very unique pasts, but the one thing that’s different about this relationship as we’re approaching 30 is that the first time I asked Al out was 17 years ago.  That being said, we had really lost touch over the last 10 years. Thank goodness for Facebook (and our 10 yr. high school reunion event page) it was easy to check up on what she had been up to. Wouldn’t you know, Al had very few photos, and most of the comments people had left on her wall related to guacamole, avocados, Syracuse Basketball, and her dogs.

Ivan and Miah

I brushed off the guacamole as the equivalent to my love of wine, and already knew she liked Syracuse Basketball (her Alma Mater), so it was down to her dogs. I had to assume her dogs were just as close to her as her closest friends, if not moreso. I know dog lovers, having been a part of a family full of them.  I found out quickly that the true way to Al’s heart was through her dogs. 

One of the things that can bring a little more pressure to new relationships is meeting friends and family. It’s one of the things I’ve never really been too nervous about; I tend to believe that as long as you don’t try to be someone else and you legitimately care about getting to know the people, everything will be OK.  Al and I come from the same small town and knew a little about each other’s past (high school friends, siblings). So whereas that wasn’t too stressful, meeting her 2 dogs was.
Ivan and Miah – 2 mixes that weigh 80 and 60 pounds respectively, and they are nothing short of her protectors.

Al had mentioned previous suitors of hers either didn’t like dogs in general, or the dogs didn’t like them, so the pressure was on.  To make matters worse, I’m allergic to dogs. My first trip to Syracuse was spent figuring out how to keep from sounding like I had a cold, in addition to strategizing how to win over the dogs’ affection.

I went to Petsmart and explained my situation that I need two toys, both of which strong, and for two large dogs. They recommended toys which were supposed to be dog-proof (I’ve learned nothing is dog-proof when it comes to Miah), and off I went into the lion’s den.

After a 6 hour drive to Syracuse I reached Al’s place. Her sister was there, which seemed like no pressure at all compared to the dogs who were waiting to greet me.  I’ve spent my entire life around dogs. From our late family dog to the many dogs in the immediate family, I’ve certainly had my dosage of throwing tennis balls and wrestling ropes away.

The meet and greet couldn’t have gone better; the dogs were instantly at ease, as was I. I think the toys earned more points with Al than the dogs, but either way, it worked.

It’s 10 months later and we all get along great. We worked with name recognition and they seem to have “Scott” down, or they are just making sure we continue to stop at the Dog Park in Old Town and bring them treats after our nights out. More often than not,  if a game is on TV, Ivan is sitting on the couch with me, and lately we can’t keep Miah out of the kitchen when we’re trying to cook. In the end, the pressure probably just got me to try a little bit harder. At 29 we both know there are some things that are deal breakers, one of them is that I “must love dogs”.  And I certainly do.

-Scott