The characters often discuss their feelings, forgiveness, and the importance of being "good" rather than "smart," which are core tenets of healthy relationships.

While rare, there have been brief mentions of romantic attraction: : In the early books, specifically Dog Man: Unleashed , it is revealed that has a crush on , a pet poodle belonging to reporter Sarah Hatoff

: The "Detey" (Dog Man x Petey) ship is popular in online fandoms. Fans point to moments where Petey seeks approval or where

took a significant departure from the books by replacing the / Nurse Lady romance with a crush between and Sarah Hatoff . Development: is shown doing "cool poses" to impress Sarah , while she eventually reciprocates his feelings .