Dating for Dog Lovers: Apps, Meetups and First Dates

If you’re single and your dog is half your personality, you want someone who gets it. The good news is that dogs are a great way to meet people. The less good news is that the dog-only dating apps have mostly faded. Your best bets are a regular dating app with your dog front and centre, and the places dog people already go.

Do dog dating apps exist?

They did. Dig, a “dog person’s dating app”, launched in New York in 2018, and Tindog matched dog owners in London. In October 2026 we couldn’t find either one working: Dig’s App Store page is gone, and we couldn’t confirm Tindog is still running. If you find a dog-lover app, check it has recent updates and real people near you before you pay for anything.

What works instead is the apps everyone uses:

• Bumble lets you add interest badges, and Pets is one of the categories (Bumble). Its advanced filters are on the paid plans.
• Hinge shows whether you have pets on your profile, right next to the basics (Bustle).
• On any app, a photo of you and your dog does the talking. Use a real one, outdoors, where people can see your face.

Does a dog actually help?

A bit, and in an interesting way. In a 2015 study of more than 1,200 single Match.com users, people often used a date’s reaction to their dog as a test of character, and dogs played that role more than cats did. Women were more likely to say they’d been attracted to someone because of their pet (Gray and others, Anthrozoös). So if someone isn’t nice to your dog, that’s useful to know early.

Where dog people meet in real life

Most dog people meet the way they always have: by walking the same route at the same time, every day.

• Your morning or evening walk. Same park, same time, same faces. It’s the easiest conversation starter there is: “What’s his name?”
• Dog parks and off-leash areas. Regulars chat while the dogs play. Read our dog park etiquette first.
• Dog-friendly cafes. A coffee where the dogs come too is an easy second meeting. See cafes in Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Hyderabad.
• Adoption drives and dog events. Volunteering at a shelter or an adoption day puts you among people who care about dogs.
• Dog lover speed dating. These events pop up now and then, often at dog bars or indoor dog parks in the US and UK. Search for one near you on Eventbrite or Meetup, and check the dog rules (vaccinations, friendly dogs only) before you book.

FurFam is a place for dog people to post and chat with others nearby. It isn’t a dating app. It’s a community, and friendships start there.

Your first date with dogs

Most people don’t bring the dog on a first date: fewer than one in ten in that 2015 study said they would. That’s sensible. Meet on your own first, and save the dog for the second or third date.

When the dogs do meet:

• Neutral ground. A park neither dog thinks of as home, not your flat.
• Start apart, on leads. Walk side by side, a few metres apart, before the dogs say hello. Use a normal lead, not a retractable one (PetMD).
• Let the dogs set the pace. Stiff bodies, staring, growling or raised hackles mean give them more space. See how to set up a first playdate for the full version.
• Don’t take it personally. If the dogs don’t click, it’s not a sign about you two. Some dogs just prefer their own company.

Staying safe

The usual dating rules still matter:

• Meet in a public place with people around, ideally in daylight. Not at either home (Victoria Police).
• Tell a friend where you’re going and who you’re meeting, and get there on your own.
• Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, however good the story (US FTC). Be wary of anyone who wants to move off the app straight away or never manages to meet.
• Check the photos. A reverse image search can show whether a profile picture belongs to someone else.

And watch how your dog takes to them. It’s a good first opinion.