London - If a relationship bust-up leaves you in the doghouse, there’s one way to help heal the rift – buy a dog.
Having something in common to look after has been named as one of the best ways to patch up an ailing partnership, according to a poll.
A survey of 2 000 Britons found that activities that bring couples closer work better than a hug and a kiss after a tiff.
Getting a pet dog, avoiding the public gaze of social media like Facebook and ditching “unsuitable” friends were among the most useful steps.
Sharing more quality time is the most successful way to save a relationship – with more than eight in ten saying it helped.
About 78 percent said date nights worked, while more than 75 percent healed rifts with romantic breaks or being more honest and open during heart-to-hearts.
Making time for some old-fashioned date nights is also likely to result in a happy ending, with 78 percent of couples who gave this a go getting over their rough patch.
Heading off on a “make-or-break” holiday together and being more honest and open with each other during important conversations was also hailed a success by more than three quarters of the couples who tried them.
Other things which can help a couple survive a rough patch include ending bad or unhelpful friendships, making more effort to spice things up in the bedroom and finding a new hobby or interest to do together.
Counselling sessions, moving house and writing down the reasons you fell in love with your partner in the first place are also on the list.
The study also found that no longer communicating is the most common reason for relationships to start falling apart, followed by taking each other for granted and having to deal with money worries.
A dwindling sex life, being too busy to spend together and simply growing apart are also to blame for a large number of relationship break-downs.
It also emerged that Brits think couples should try to make things work for an average of just under 12 months before they finally call it quits on a relationship.
But three quarters thought people gave up too easily on relationships; with another eight in ten believing older generations were more likely to stay together because they believed marriage was for life.
Martin Loxley of Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, which carried out the survey, said: “The secret seems to be spending more time together rather than separating your lives even further than they already are.” - Daily Mail