London, June 28 (IANS): Looking for love or want to make new friends? Well, get a dog. A canine companion may dramatically help you expand your social network, suggests a study.

It also found that almost half of Britons (46 percent) think loving animals makes a person more attractive, with women more likely to be attracted to animal lovers (49 percent) than men (40 percent), The Huffington Post reported.

The survey of more than 2,000 British adults also found that pet owners were perceived to have positive character traits.

Around a third (32 percent) of Britons surveyed said they thought someone with a dog was more likely to be loyal, compassionate and kind.

It was not just romance that dogs can help out with. Almost half (46 percent) of people surveyed found that walking a dog was one of the easiest ways to making friends.

It may explain why 29 percent of dog owners have met lifelong friends while walking their pets.

The survey, conducted by Direct Line, isn't the first to suggest that dogs can help humans make connections with each other.

A previous study from the Tufts University found that people who have strong connections to their pets also have social and relationship benefits.

The researchers surveyed 500 people between the ages of 18 to 26 and found that those who had "strong attachment to pets reported feeling more connected to their communities and relationships".