Holiday
Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun
In search of perfect playmates for their pets, some owners have taken to matchmaking online.
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Diver, the black Portuguese water dog, and Sadie, the terrier, scuffle at an arranged play date, the latest in pet pampering. Video by Stephanie Todaro.
“My name is Cooper. I am a young good looking male in the peak of physical condition,” reads an online dating profile. “I love long walks and football. I have reached that point in my life when I want to meet that special one. She must be friendly and discreet and be willing to travel.”
He may sound like the ideal man, but Cooper is, in fact, a three-year-old English Springer Spaniel/Collie Mix searching for the perfect mate. In the past few years, the online matchmaking industry has grown dramatically for love-seeking singles, and now, with several new websites and many willing owners, matchmaking has gone to the dogs.
The impetus for the pet matchmaking industry, much like any pet-related business, stems from the sometimes obsessive nature of pet ownership. Hundreds of pet-based sites have emerged in the past few years, from profile networks like Petster.com and Petpop.com to matchmaking communities such as Petpalio.com and PetSparks.com. The innovators of such companies have created an online forum for pet owners to meet play mates and potential breeding partners for their lonely pets. “I noticed that among all the population that exists on the web, our best friends, the pets, get almost nothing,” said Ori Anavim, the founder of MatchMyPet.com.
Serving more than 10,000 clients nationwide, MatchMyPet.com offers a series of services, from question forums to dog food recipe advice, alongside the popular matchmaking service. The site allows the owner to specify certain desired traits of a future companion for their own pet, such as breed, age, sex, and geographic location. Once potential matches are located, the owner is able to view each pet’s personal profile, indicating various characteristics such as eating habits, favorite toys, and, most important, their personal mottos. Mr. Bean Buble, a one-year-old Pug from Ottowa, Canada, who advertises his companionship on MatchMyPet.com, posts his life motto of “Poop, Pee, Eat… it’s what I do.”
Louise Harb, director of operations for the pet networking website Petster.com, has noticed the creativity owners put into creating these profiles. “I think people make profiles about their pets because they love them and are proud of them and love to share information regarding them.”
These sites can help match the energy levels of dogs, for while some pets like to roughhouse, others like to simply sit and sniff. Owners also often use profiles to seek out dogs of the same breed and stature. Jen Stern, of Los Angeles, owner of a Norwich terrier, Roxy, found such websites helpful in locating other small dogs in her San Fernando Valley neighborhood that is dominated by large dogs. “Roxy is always the smallest one at the dog park,” said Stern. “She gets along fine with other large dogs, but I can always tell she would like to be around smaller dogs her own size.”
No matter the reason for participating, online matchmaking for pets has led to an even more extreme step in animal relationships: marriage. Several businesses have emerged in response to the new trend of dog nuptials, including Canada-based business Doggie I Dos. As a wedding consulting business, Doggie I Dos celebrates canine love in a professional manner with coordinating services by owners Robyn Bertucci and Connie Dickinson. The two advise on everything from centerpieces and photography, to invitations and wardrobe, and even suggest registering the pups at their favorite dog boutiques.
Although the formal dating rituals of flowers, the first kiss, and the engagement ring do not necessarily exist in the canine dating world, puppy love is definitely flourishing.
The pet matchmaking business has boomed over the past few years. Here, Sadie, the terrier, plays a game of tug-of-war with Diver, the black dog in the background, and Splash, in the foreground. Both are Portuguese water dogs.
Photo by Stephanie Todaro
Love at first sight? Sadie, the terrier in the foreground, eyes her weekly playmate, Diver.
Photo by Stephanie Todaro