With a catchy tag line like “Dog meet Dog, Owner meet Owner”, this new app called RendezWoof is helping dog owners find other dog owners for dating, for friendship or just to arrange play dates for their pups. The app’s developer, Judson Aikens, hopes to fill a niche in the dating industry, while also providing a new resource for dog owners.
The idea behind this app is that dog owners often share similar interests and understand the responsibilities that come with a pet. It’s not uncommon for people to buy dogs as another way to meet people, so an app that connects dog owners made sense, according to RendezWoof creator Judson Aikens.
“Dogs are like children to people,” said Aikens, a manager in CMT’s creative division in Nashville and a recent graduate of Belmont University’s MBA program. “It’s important to include them in your profile when you are meeting others and being really upfront: ‘Here’s my dog, here’s me, get to know us.’ ”
Niche dating sites have gained momentum in recent years as people try to narrow their dating pool based on interests and priorities.
For example, people can search for matches on religious dating sites ChristianMingle.com and JDate.com, or they can use more tailored networks to find fellow vegetarians (VeggieDate), farmers (FarmersOnly.com), geeks (Geek2Geek), Packers fans (GreenBayPackersLovers.com) and even Ayn Rand readers (TheAtlasphere.com).
People often include their pets in a Match.com profile or on a Facebook page, but with dogs often being such a significant part of people’s lives, Judson Aikens says there is a need for an app tailored to the dog-owning community.
RendezWoof is not just about dating or play dates. It also serves as a mobile resource for any dog owner. Using a feature powered by Yelp, it shows nearby dog parks, pet stores, clinics, boarding sites, day cares, groomers, and dog-friendly restaurants and hotels, helping dog owners at home and when they travel.
RendezWoof is free and allows users to sign up through their website.
“A lot of my friends joke that it’s like Tinder for dogs,” he said, referring to the popular dating app. “Well, kind of.”
Aikens has nothing against cats, but based on their social skills, or lack thereof, he does not foresee including them in his next app version.
