Devizes singleton Chloe Swift will carry on taking her dog, Bentley, on first dates despite not finding love on a TV programme.

Miss Swift, 32, takes the two-year-old Chihuahua on all her first dates and to work meetings.

She and Bentley appeared on the Channel 4 programme First Dates – where couples have their first date in a restaurant in London – on February 12.

Her date, Mo, 32, was not fazed by Bentley, although he is not a dog lover.

Miss Swift, a marketing manager for the charity Embrace Child Victims of Crime, said Bentley helps her to vet potential boyfriends.

She said: “Taking Bentley with me is the best way for me to gauge guys. I do tell my first dates that I will be bringing my dog along but don’t tell them how small he is.

"The guys that have handled it well with Bentley are the ones that have had second dates.

“I only want to date a guy who is kind to animals.”

Miss Swift, who went to Clarendon School, Trowbridge, used to work for Wiltshire Police as an events manager and is on the committee of the emergency services show, which is held at Hullavington. Her last serious relationship ended three years ago and she has been single for eight months.

She has had Bentley since he was six weeks old and dresses him up in clothes and, like his owner, he has a Twitter account. She also has a cat called Nismo.

Since the programme was broadcast Miss Swift said the reaction to Bentley had been overwhelmingly positive.

She said: “A few people said they can’t believe I took a dog to a restaurant but most people seem to love Bentley and said he was the star of the show.”

On the show Miss Swift and Mo got on well, but he was not her type.

She said: “Mo was twice married and had a beard. I had told the producers I didn’t want to be matched up with someone who had been married before and I don’t like facial hair, but I can’t fault the show.”

Although love did not blossom between the pair they are staying in touch.