Recently a 20-year-old guy married his five-year-old labrador in a ceremony in the Queensland town of Toowoomba. Thirty of the "couple's" closest friends and family were there for the vows. The guy, Guiso, made a point that while he loves his dog Honey, "it is purely platonic".

A similar ceremony was held in Taiwan a while back when a 30-year-old woman "married" herself by throwing a wedding banquet in a Taipei hotel Saturday witnessed by 30 relatives and friends.

"Marrying myself is a way of showing that I am confident and upbeat and that I accept myself for who I am," she said. "We must love ourselves before we can love others. I must marry myself before marrying the special someone."

I do think these people are totally sane, perhaps even more so than the majority who simply do what they are supposed to do. I think marrying a dog or yourself is a trend, a symbol for love being broader than just a traditional marriage between two people. Friends are love, pets are love, you are love, nature is love — love is an energy free from people.

Having said that, I believe we have become really bad at maintaining healthy relationships, which may lead to more people choosing the easy way out, staying single or with a pet. A study from Purina Petcare revealed:

• 64 percent of women and 48 percent of men think their dog is a better listener than their partner;

• 40 percent of Australians would prefer a warm welcome from their pet after a stressful day at work rather than a cuddle from their partner; and

• 86 percent of dog owners consider their dog as "more than just a pet" and 20 percent view them as "a companion for life".

Loving yourself instead of someone else is a way of avoiding the true challenges of life. You don't need to have arguments or to compromise. You don't have to visit your mother-in-law or pick up dirty socks from the floor. Easy! A cat will not cheat on you, nor will you need to worry about the extra kilos you put on. Unconditional and easy. Anti-nagging.

But humans are supposed to have human relationships. When we interact we learn and grow. Those tough fights or irritations are lessons for you that brings you to a richer life. Embrace them, don't escape them.

Most relationships become painful when we expect the other person to love us as if he or she was a dog. It all goes pear shaped when we accuse them for not giving us happiness, total attention or care. Other people mess up because they behave like dogs, purely putting the light on the other person, running around trying to please because they lack self respect.

A true relationship is equal. You expect to be treated right, but also respect the other person's needs. When we stop being selfish and greedy in love, and instead focus on the other person and to solve issues in peace, we are on the right track.

Carolin Dahlman is a Love Coach, guiding people to fall in love with themselves to attract love and healthy relationships with others. More info www.thelovecoach.info for one-on-one coaching or inspiring videos.