Dogfishing: The worst dating trend of them all

There’s a whole dictionary of awful dating trends out there. From the infamous ghosting, to the equally scary catfishing, there’s plenty of terms to describe what can go wrong when it comes to finding love.

But one particular trend becoming more and more common is perhaps even more terrifying than the rest put together: Dogfishing.

Dogfishing is the term given to the experience of finding a potential suitor's Bumble, Hinge or Tinder, seeing a dog, and thinking: “Not only are they perfect for me, but they have an adorable dog too!”

So you swipe right and message them, probably saying something along the lines of: “What a cute dog! What is its name?”

However, this is where the crushing nature of Dogfishing comes in - as it turns out they don't actually have a dog. The fraud replies to tell you that no, it’s not their dog, it’s actually their cousin’s friend’s neighbour’s puppy.

And you’re right to feel outraged at this utter deception. "It's just odd when you're using someone else's dog online, and it seems like you're trying too hard", online dating coach Erika Ettin told The Washington Post in August. "That's the main thing: Stop borrowing dogs."

And we agree. Let’s put an end to puppy-posers.