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Is going to be a dating sim that lets you adopt a dog along your way to finding romance with another dog lover, and it looks like it's even going to feature a sandbox mode that lets you just care for your pup endlessly without any distracting romance plot.

That sounds incredibly adorable!

But there's a part of me that's super disappointed that it isn't a game with all the relationship building of a dating sim, but without any of the actual dating, so that instead it's just entirely about winning the trust of a shelter dog and learning how to give them the best possible home.

You could still have a whole cast of characters to choose from like in a dating sim! Just off the top of my head--

• An energetic dog who needs a lot of exercise to be her best self
• A very shy dog who takes his time about warming up
• A clever dog who'll destroy your house out of sheer boredom if left with nothing to do
• An loving anxious dog who might need medication as well as reassurance
• A sweet lazy dog who just wants to curl up in your lap at every opportunity

Think about the potential! The touching moments and heartwarming happily-ever-afters!

I just need this game to exist, okay. If it does somewhere and I haven't found it, drop me a link maybe?

They're great. They've got these in-your-face stripes that are all don't mess with me, and pretty much everyone knows not to[1], but they don't let it go to their heads. Skunks want to be left alone, but it's not like they go around hassling anyone else, either.[2] They pretty much just seem to do their own thing. It's refreshing.

Tonight I was coming in from a walk, and a couple of yards out I was like, oh hey, is something moving by the door?

And then I was like, OH HEY, A SKUNK IS MOVING BY THE DOOR!

Meanwhile the skunk, who had just come around the corner, was visibly realizing: holy shit, a human! So we both pulled up short, and the skunk put its tail up to remind me of the scent gland thing in case I'd forgotten, and I backed up a step to indicate that no, no, really I was perfectly aware.

And then we both retreated rapidly, because neither of us was looking for a fight, and the neighborhood is plenty big enough for both of us.

I just like skunks, people, I don't know. I mean, it's not like they're cuddly or anything.[3] But they're reasonable.


1. Except great horned owls, apparently. Great horned owls are hardcore and give no fucks; they wear skunk spray like it's perfume. (back)

2. I mean, apart from the smaller critters they crunch on -- they are omnivores. (back)

3. At least, wild ones aren't. (back)