All Things Dog Blog

Posted: 02 Feb 2010 01:00 PM PST

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Social networks for dog lovers have been popping up all over the Internet. They each have their own twist. Facebook's version will likely have many of the others chasing their tail. Dogbook, which FYI was not developed by Facebook, but is now an integrated application there, seems to be striving for the whole package offered by Facebook. At the Dogbook application, your dog can create a profile, download photos, search for dog parks, or even "friend" his doggie buddies from the neighborhood, dogpark or his doggie daycare pals. Dogbook is also available on the IPhone, allowing Iphone's users and their dogs to keep up with their pack while on the go.

Dogbook is just shy of 1 million users, and has roughly 40,000 fans. That's not mere kibble, but rather a signal that dog lovers mean business for Facebook and its growing advertising base. Dogbook's pages also allow you to shop for products and discuss their pros and cons with other like minded folks.

So, what else is in it for you, the dog owner? I can see many advantages to getting involved with Dogbook:

For starters, look at a typical Facebook page under the INFO tab. There you'll find a category that is your key ingredient here: "Looking for" (fill in the blank) allows each user to indicate their primary reason for being on Facebook. Check out this notation on your average Facebook user and you'll see that a common answer is "women" or "men". So ask yourself, "If you were a typical 20-something Facebook user, looking for a boyfriend, what better way than to jump into Dogbook with all fours?" Dog lovers abound, and seeking another dog lover for a companion may be an important goal for many. Even at my tender age of--well lets leave that to your imagination--if I were looking for a male companion, Dogbook might be a good place to sniff out other dog lovers in a game of social fetch.
As any hound will tell you, research is key. Dogbook certainly gives you the ability to check out your potential companions and their dog choices. After all, dog lovers have favorites. No self respecting, high energy agility competitor would be caught dead with a lazy, couch-potato Bloodhound as a pet. Then again, that same Border Collie loving agility competitor might consider a companion who loves Australian Shepherds or Jack Russel Terriers. For members of the human race, we gauge our compatibility with other possible human companions by the things we have in common. Yes, this can even include our dog choices.
Many of the most engaged dog lovers will find setting up a doggie profile and organizing his photo albums to be a fun way to spend a rainy day.
Add to that the interest of discussion groups and you've found a perfect place to discuss the pros and cons of local dogparks, whine about leash laws, and yes, even share your expertise that is for sale.
No doubt, many trainers, groomers, and countless other canine products and services will be parked on this page woofing about their wares. This will make for more and better choices for dog owners, as they seek out these services and products, and get input from others who have used them.

I could probably go on for at least as long as my 3 pups nap, but I'll leave it at this. I think you get the idea. If you're a Facebook user, be sure to stop in at my page and become a fan. This will help you keep up with my posts and other notes of interest, like my photo contest that's going right now. Just click the "Become a Fan" button in the middle at the top of the page, and you won't miss a single post. That's it!

While you're there, feel free to comment or leave note on the wall. Got a question? I'll try to answer it. As for your Fido, ask him to submit his photo for the contest. He'll enjoy the prizes and the media exposure. Send them to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Hope to see you soon!

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