Owning a dog is a big part of your life and identity, so it makes sense to look for a potential significant other that shares your love of man’s best friend. Enter dog dating apps—tailored for dog lovers who are seeking that special someone (or someones—since the dog is part of the package, after all).
It can be tough to meet a dog person serendipitously, which is why we really love the internet and its abundance of dating sites for dog lovers. These apps make dating people who love dogs that much easier.
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1. Dig
With a catchy tagline like “The Dog Person’s Dating App,” you know this company means business. Founded by New Orleans sisters Casey and Leigh Isaacson, the idea for a dog person’s dating app was born after Casey went on a date in New York with someone who wouldn’t let her dog into their apartment. Obviously a deal-breaker, it made her realize that sharing a love for dogs was a top dating priority.
The app functions like many other dating apps where you create a profile and the technology surfaces potential matches based on the information you provide. You can filter by whether or not you want to date someone who currently has a dog and/or wants one eventually. Every day you’ll receive five potential matches and you can decide if you “dig” them, “really dig” them, or “pass” on them.
Dig also provides first date ideas with its dog-friendly locations feature. Whether you’re in New York or Miami or Chicago, Dig will show you and your match bars, parks, restaurants, and museums in your area that allow your doggos to tag along.
Dig also features daily deals for dog-related products and services, so in addition to looking for a partner in crime, you can also discover the latest ways to care for your pup. Go to digdates.com to start making a profile.
2. Tindog
It’s Tinder— but for dogs (and their people). As online dating proliferated, along with a huge uptick in dog ownership among single Millennials in the United States, the makers of Tindog wanted to create an app that could fulfill the social needs of humans and their dogs.
For this app, your profile includes some information about you, but mostly it’s about your dog. What distinguishes this app is that it can be used simply to find friendly new dogs for your pup to play with. But it can also be used as an online dating app for single people who are looking for other dog owners to connect with.
Either way, you can swipe right or left (à la Tinder) to match with other dogs and dog lovers in your area. Once matched, you can begin a private chat with that person, which may or may not lead to meeting up for a dog-friendly date at a dog park or other location where pups are welcome.
3. Wowzer
Inspired by the discovery of a “Love me, love my dog” magnet on her future wife’s refrigerator, Seattle-based Michi Suzuki, along with friend Stephanie Worley, launched the Wowzer app in October 2019.
The app is exclusive to Seattle—it is, after all, the dog-friendliest city in the country, according to data gathered from Rover last year. A community that prides itself on being outdoorsy, connecting and finding common ground through a love of dogs is a natural fit. Plus, bringing the pooch along can also make first dates feel more comfortable and less awkward.
To get started, make a profile and tagline (and don’t forget to make one for your dog, too!). Matches arrive via Wallace (the app’s dog graphic) who will let you know “Mutual tails wagging here.” And if you need doggy date ideas, check out a few of our suggestions here.
4. Dog Date Afternoon
Similar to other dating apps, dog date afternoon allows you to browse profiles of other single people with dogs in your area. For this app, your profile has a section for you and a section for your dog, so you can get a basic impression of the human and the pup you’re considering meeting.
One unique feature of this app is that you can choose to notify your matches when you and your dog are going on an “adventure,” be that a walk in the park or a hike in the mountains. Dog Date Afternoon founder, George Koo, says he wants to eventually add profiles for adoptable dogs to the platform. He figures that dog lovers who prioritize dating other dog owners are likely candidates for adopting dogs in need of a home.
5. Meetup.com
Meetup.com isn’t an online dating app per se, but it’s a great way to meet people with similar interests. These days, there’s a Meetup group for just about everything. Want to go to a bi-weekly Corgi sweater walk around your city’s lake? There’s probably a group for that. And if there isn’t, there are almost certainly people who would join the group if you created it.
The best way to meet people is by building community, and if you bring your Great Dane to a community full of Great Danes and their parents, there’s a good chance you’ll come out of there with a new (human) best friend—or maybe something more. The important thing is that you’re connecting with fellow dog lovers and bonding over the joy your pups bring to your lives.
For Your New-Found Valentine
Once you’ve found your perfect match, let them know you care with the “Roses Are Red” valentine from the Rover Store. Check out our other cards for Valentine’s Day, such as “Favorite Rover Dog,” Dog “I Love You Almost as Much,” “Sorry For All the Times,” and “Thanks For All the Cuddles.”
