Dogfishing is the latest dating trend to be wary of and yeah, you’ve probably experienced it before

We've seen bread crumbing, benching, freckling, r-bombing and fishing cause heartbreak throughout the dating world.

And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it turns out there's a new trend that singletons need to keep an eye out for.

In fact, it's one you may have already experienced: dogfishing.

Dogfishing is one of those things that has been happening on dating apps for forever - and, in fact, you may have experienced it yourself at some point. Basically, it refers to when someone posts a photo of themselves with a cute dog on their dating profile - breaking the ice with potential matches, who only later find out the dog isn't actually theirs. And some people aren't too impressed when they realise that the adorable pupper was just used as bait. American dating coach Erika Ettin told The Washington Post how she reckons people are 'dog fishing' as it suggests someone has nurturing qualities. “Sometimes women subconsciously equate things like how a man treats his dog is how he would treat a partner," she added. "That’s the main thing: stop borrowing dogs. It’s just odd when you’re using someone else’s dog online, and it seems like you’re trying too hard."