First Example:
Tom:
Chris said your son is dating?
Carol:
That's what he's telling everyone.
Tom:
I thought he was only 13!
Carol:
He is. It's only puppy love. But he and his girlfriend are so cute together.
Tom:
I remember my first girlfriend. We were both 12, and her name was... actually,
I don't remember her name.
Carol:
Don't tell my son that. He told me he's going to marry this girl one day.
Meaning: The expression "puppy love" refers to the strong feelings
at the beginning of a relationship, often used for young people and implying
that the relationship won't last. Here, Carol says that her 13-year-old son's
relationship is only "puppy love,"
which Tom seems to agree with when he can't remember the name of his girlfriend
when he was 12.
Second Example:
Sheila
met her husband in high school; they were both only 17. Their parents and
friends said it was just puppy love,
and that they'd never last. But they got married 3 years later, and they have been
happily married for 20 years now.
Meaning: The expression "puppy love" is also often used in
this context, referring to relationships that started at a young age but
developed into something long term.
