Social media has many platforms for sharing pictures and making new friends. Your dog can even take part, as adorable pet pictures are always incredibly popular. In fact, since dogs get so much love, it’s only fair that they have their own social media accounts!
With all the human drama on sites like TikTok and Twitter, you may want a dedicated platform just for pet owners so you can browse pet pictures and stay relaxed. Fortunately, there are many social media apps designed for pets.
These six social media apps are perfect for participating in friendly communities of dog owners who will all adore your cute puppy.
The 6 Social Media Apps for Dog Owners
1. Petzbe
| Platform: | iOS, Android |
| Cost: | Free |
If all you want to do is coo over cute dog pics, any human drama is an unneeded distraction. Petzbe tackles this by being a platform dedicated solely to pets. While you’ll need to take pictures and share posts on your dog’s behalf, you won’t find any humans on the site at all. Petzbe’s users are all dogs, cats, horses, fish, birds, reptiles, and many other pets.
Since Petzbe is dedicated to all things pet-related, it also helps you support shelter animals. The community can take part in a monthly #LendAPaw campaign to donate $1 per post to shelters.
Although it’s a great platform for finding animal friends for your dog, it can be difficult for pet owners to get to know other users on the app. While the limited human involvement succeeds in making it feel like it’s pets only, it’s incredibly difficult to make new friends who aren’t other pets.
- A monthly #LendAPaw campaign supports shelter animals
- Free of human drama
- Dogs can make all sorts of animal friends
- There is no way to communicate with fellow pet owners
2. DogCha!
| Platform: | iOS, Android |
| Cost: | Free |
Facebook and TripAdvisor are helpful apps for humans and DogCha! combines the best features of both to create a dog-oriented alternative. DogCha! enables you to connect with other dog owners and share your favorite places for walking your dog.
With its user-friendly interface, you can share pictures of your dog, rate your local pet services, and mark dog-friendly locations on the map. There’s also a search function that enables you to find local pet services and new places to walk your dog.
It’s a fun way to connect and make friends with other dog owners. However, some users have found it difficult to find local dog owners to hang out with.
- User-friendly interface
- Enables you to mark dog-friendly locations
- Helps you befriend fellow dog owners
- Can be difficult to connect with local dog owners
3. Yummypets
| Platform: | iOS, Android |
| Cost: | Free |
Yummypet is aimed at pet owners who love Instagram but want a more pet-oriented experience. It has a similar look to the more popular picture-sharing app, while solely focusing on all things pets.
You can add multiple pets, regardless of their species, and share pictures of all of them. Yummypet also has DIY craft articles and information about pet health, nutrition, and behavior provided through its partnerships with veterinarians. It also hosts regular photo contests throughout the year so you and your pets can enjoy themed photoshoots and friendly competition.
Some pet owners have found Yummypets difficult to use, though. They’ve had issues navigating the app and updating their profile to include all their pets and their location.
- Aimed at dogs, cats, and other common pets
- Provides information on pet health, nutrition, and behavior
- Features pet-friendly DIY craft articles
- Themed photo contests
- Difficult to use
4. Dokonoko
| Platform: | iOS, Android |
| Cost: | Free |
It’s not just American pet owners who want to keep their dogs as safe as possible. Dokonoko is a Japanese app that was created to keep a protective eye on cats and dogs, whether they live with you, a friend, or on the street.
Translated to, “Where do you belong, little guy?”, Dokonoko enables you to post pictures and other essential ID information about your pets. The idea is that if they get lost, they’ll be recognized by other users of the app and be returned home more quickly.
Unfortunately, few native English speakers use the app, and there aren’t many English translations available. If you’re not familiar with Japanese, this app might be difficult to use.
- Helps protect stray animals
- Enables you to share pictures, data, and identifying features
- Designed to prevent pets from getting lost
- Few English translations available
5. Purrch
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm_62PWrzVH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
| Platform: | iOS |
| Cost: | Free |
Although Purrch is only available on iOS, it’s loved by many pet owners because they can connect with a community filled with like-minded friends. You can add all your pets, no matter what species they are. Each profile is fully customizable and it’s easy to interact with other users to make friends with all sorts of pets.
Purrch provides access to health topics written by experts and advice and recommendations from other pet owners. You can find information on dog ownership and tips and tricks for training them or the best places to go for a walk.
- Share experiences with other pet owners
- Explore health and advice topics
- Fully customizable pet profile
- Only available on iOS
6. Doggie Dates
| Platform: | Android |
| Cost: | $3.99 per month |
Doggie Dates is a simple app with a usable interface and plenty of features to explore. It’s designed to be an all-in-one spot for all your dog’s needs, whether it’s finding a local veterinarian or groomer, finding a puppy to adopt, or arranging a doggy play date.
You can share posts of your dog, recommend your favorite pet service locations, or arrange social activities and playdates. There are also park-sponsored events held regularly to enable the Doggie Dates community to meet new human and canine friends.
This app requires a monthly membership fee, though, and is only available on Android.
- Helps you find breeders or shelters
- Locates pet services in your area
- Organize doggy playdates with new friends
- Requires a monthly subscription
- Only on Android
How to Find the Best Social Media App for Dogs
There are so many social media sites, but if you want results for your dog, the apps that are aimed at humans are often too generic, especially if you don’t want distractions mixed in with your pet’s pictures.
Many pet social media apps aren’t that well known, so finding the right one can take time and effort on your part. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you consider which app works best for you.
Appearance
The look of the social media app can make a big difference in your experience using it. Your dog might not care about obnoxious background colors clashing with their pictures, but you’ll find it nicer to scroll through pet pictures if the app’s background doesn’t distract you.
The font, colors, and layout should be effective, easy to understand, and simple without being garish.
Cost
Most apps are free, which makes it easy to try a bunch of different choices until you find the best one for you. Some also have a premium option that you can subscribe to if you like the app or want to remove the ads or support the developers.
Always make sure to double-check whether the app is free to download before you try it. Some apps might have hidden fees or in-app purchases, while others might have a monthly subscription fee.
Features
Many social media apps designed for dogs don’t just offer a place for you to share pictures. There are also ones that enable you to meet other pet owners and share experiences and recommendations on the best pet-related services. Some even have articles and advice on health issues that your dog might face in their lifetime.
While you might just want to share a few pictures every now and then, the extra features can help you feel like you’re part of a much bigger dog-loving community.
Friendliness
Sharing pet pictures on your social media account is all well and good, but the human drama can get tiresome. The best social apps for dogs are filled with people like you who want their pets to shine more than them.
Even if you can’t find any local dog owners who use the app, the community that you find online should be friendly and offer plenty of advice about all sorts of doggy-related problems. Recommendations and advice from friends, especially if you’re new to dog ownership, can be a lifesaver.
Usability
The usability of an app makes the difference between a fun time online or frustration and a deleted app. Apps can be confusing, and when you just want to share your new favorite picture with your friends, too many buttons take the fun out of it. The app that you choose needs to do what you want it to without confusing you with excessive features.
If you’re not sure which app is right for you and your dog, try out a few of the free options. Each app will have a different style, interface, and focus, which will give you the best idea of which one will work best for you.
Conclusion
Sharing pictures of your dog just to show how adorable they are is something that all dog owners love to do. It’s a great way to share your dog’s mischief with your friends and laugh together. If you’re looking to make new pet owner friends, social media apps dedicated solely to pets can help you build a community of your own, share your funny and scary experiences, and get advice for all things dog-related.
A dedicated pet app also gives you a place to browse adorable dog pictures without the drama of human problems distracting you. We hope that this list has helped you find a social media app for your dog!
Featured Image Credit: Ivan Babydov, Pexels
