And they call it…”Puppy Love”
Hi all! Since its February, the month of red hearts and pink flowers, I thought I’d take a moment to discuss the meaning of the term “puppy love.” It seems that everywhere I go I see Valentine’s Day cards with cute puppies and hearts–enough to make you want to gag. Don’t get me wrong: I love puppies just as much as the next person. It’s just that when I see a word or phrase misused my inner-librarian wants to scream.
Photo by yellowdogandy
The term puppy love is most often applied to teenagers who are infatuated with one another and, often times, it is one-sided. The actual connotation of the phrase is negative. Think of the 1960’s song by Paul Anka: “And they called it puppy love /Oh I guess they’ll never know /How a young heart really feels / And why I love her so.”
Puppy love is also used to describe ‘love at first site’ or immediate infatuation. There’s just no denying it: puppies are cute. We fall in love with puppies instantaneously. Their little scrunched-up faces, their puppy kisses, their eagerness to please…it’s all too much. Yet, people who mistake physical infatuation for love are often referred to as being in puppy love. The derrogatory connotation derives from the misunderstanding that love is more than just physical attraction. Puppies grow up. Beauty fades. Love should endure.
So the next time you send someone you care about a Valentine’s Day card with an adorable puppy on it and some phrase about “puppy love,” please rethink the meaning you want to convey. This may be the first time I’ll condone the use of pink and read hearts for their symbollic meaning. <3 <3 <3
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