3 minute read
LOVE ME, LOVE MY DOG
The Top Four Dating Apps for Dog Lovers
By Cherese Cobb
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There’s an old adage that dog people usually identify with: “love me, love my dog.” Well, that also works the other way around. From a pup’s perspective, it’s “wuv my hooman, hope I wuv you.”
According to a recent survey from pet wellness company Ollie, 96 percent of people wouldn’t even consider dating someone who doesn’t like dogs. Another study from the on-demand, dog-walking app Wag! found that 80 percent of pet parents said that their dog’s reaction to a new love interest influences their feelings towards them. Translation? Dating is “ruff.” But it doesn’t have to be. Here are four dating apps that’ll help you find Mr. or Ms. Right—for you and your dog.
Datemypet
According to her DateMyPet profile, she’s a single female who loves hunting, movie popcorn, tennis and conversation.
Roxanna is just three years old—a Basset Hound whose dating profile gets equal billing with that of her owner, Renee.
“There are a lot of people out there who want to meet others who share a common interest like pets,” says Rob Yau, the founder of DateMyPet. “Pets provide a common link, an understanding of who we are.”
Whether you’re sniffing out a potential date, mate or BFF, you can join for free and anonymously send instant messages until you decide to take it further. DateMyPet also asks members to describe their pet’s perfect date. “It brings out the tongue-incheek,” he says. Some people write quips such as, “If I were a cat, I’d just want to stay in my bed” or “If I were a dog, I wouldn’t mind getting my paws dirty.”
With an online dating protector, DateMyPet isn’t likely to be full of individuals with questionable levels of housetraining or spammers that bring a whole new meaning to the word dogging.
Dig
Could your pooch lead to a smooch? Sisters Casey and Leigh Isaacson think so. After being duped by fake dog lovers too many times, they launched Dig. “The Dog Person’s Dating App” connects dog people through the one thing that’s already crucial to them—their love for dogs.
“Dogs can make people more human. If you’re on a first date and picking up poo, you can really understand each other from a more real and personal level. Dogs help break down barriers,” Leigh says. Dig allows you to filter by age, distance, dog size and dog-owning status before matching you with five potential dates every day.
Dig suggests dog-friendly locations for your first date that your whole pack can attend. You can also turn on your notifications for tips or tricks plus daily deals from local pet companies, ensuring that you win over your date’s dog with the best treats you can buy.
Dog Date Afternoon
Dog Date Afternoon knows that you and your dog are a package deal: he’s your best friend and loves you even when you forget to love yourself. If he doesn’t like somebody, you most likely won’t either.
Build your dog a free profile that includes name, size and breed (easy conversation starters). Swiping right and left is the easy part. “On the first date, I’m always like where do I take this girl?” says George Koo, the founder and CEO of Dog Date Afternoon. “Nine times out of ten it’s going to be the same bar, the same happy hour, eating the same jalapeño poppers.” Or…it could be a nice walk getting to know a new friend.
Tindog
If you thought it was hard to land a “humans-only” hot date, try finding someone who gets your squeaky toy addiction and preference for polka dot bow ties when your paws are too large to text and too clumsy to swipe right. Enter Tindog. Described as Tinder for dog owners, it’s “the first application that both dogs and dog owners love equally.”
“Dogs bring so much joy and love that they really have the power to connect us,” says Founder and CEO Julien Muller. “Whether it’s building new friendships or even making a love connection, Tindog is a great way to expand your social circle with others who love man’s best friend just as much as you do.”
To sign up for free, type in your dog’s age, gender and breed, along with a photo of you and your pup. (If you’re trying to enter a mixed breed, you’ll have to settle for Mongrel.) Then simply scroll through the pictures of pooches and their owners in your vicinity. Click the information icon to bring up the dog’s profile (their name, age, how far away they are, when they were last active and an “About me” section). Swipe right on the one you think might be worthy of a puppy playdate (with you as “chaperone,” of course).
