When I first brought up this topic to my single and married friends, all of them had a story about how Snuffie always glared at the woman who would ultimately steal all his really good DVDs and break his heart or how Mr. Whiskers clearly knew from the very first day that the not-such-a-gentleman in question would put the moves on all her friends.

 

My cat, the slightly evil and cold-hearted Luther, hated every guy I'd ever dated except for one who turned out to be The One, and still is. It seems ol' Luther had pretty good taste in men after all.

 

My dog Zeus, on the other hand, is a man tramp. He'll pretty much cozy up to any guy with food in his pockets… or dripped on his shirt, for that matter. 

 

Not exactly the razor-sharp insight I'd be hoping for.

 

But many people swear by their pets' abilities to suss out their dates, and according to animal behaviorist Harrison Forbes, who conducts a poll on the subject every year, an overwhelming number of his radio show listeners have "canned a relationship or stopped a date, purely based on how their pet reacts."

 

Kristina, a dog-owning dater says, "My dog Coco is really intuitive -- I think they have a strong sense of these things. One time I was dating this guy -- Coco knew that I wasn't that interested in him, and was very aggressive. She wouldn't let him sit on the couch or even get near me. She sensed it right away."

 

"Another time I had a guy who was doing some computer work for me in my apartment. He came in with a motorcycle helmet in his hand, and I felt uncomfortable. She knew that I was scared -- she could sense my fear."

 

Michelle McKinney Hammond, author of Lessons from a Girl's Best Friend says, "Pets definitely have a sixth sense about people. I would have to say that my little boy shih tzu is more protective of me than my little girl, Milan.

 

"However both are quick to let you know when they don't care for someone by snubbing them completely. Because they are very friendly dogs when they don't like someone it is a huge red flag to me.

 

"For instance, I had a guy friend of mine that came over to give them baths and kept them at his home when I traveled. After a while I noticed that Milan wanted nothing to do with him. When he came to the door she ran and hid from him. I decided to take her cue and cut off the relationship. Months later this man was arrested for being involved in a dog fighting ring! He was keeping over 40 pit bulls in the basement of his home! He was also on record for being a sex offender!

 

"To me he was just a nice guy but my dogs knew better. The bottom line for me is you will only get as close to me as my dogs. If they like you then you're in. But if they don't, then, as Heidi Klum would say, 'You are out!'"