From Facebook to 'Facebark': The online social site for DOGS

By EMILY ANDREWS - 10th September 2007

Once they were happy to be simply man's best friend.

But in the Internet age, dogs are expanding their social circles.

Thousands have their own profiles on a Facebook spin-off called Dogbook, which also offers them to chance to network and make new friends, just like their owners.

There are currently more than 35,000 Dogbook users, with 1,500 said to be joining every week.

Owners can upload photos of their dogs and list their details along with their favourite activities and parks.

They can also search for other dog owners who live nearby so they can meet up to go for walks together.

Nadine Dyer, 28, of Nottingham, recently created profiles for her two boxer dogs, Riley and Harvey.

Riley's profile shows him staring moodily into the camera, with his interests listed as 'sleeping all day' and football. So far he has 40 friends.

Harvey is listed as having a ' majestic nature' and is said to enjoy playing frisbee.

Miss Dyer said: 'I've put on pictures of them in hats and clothes - loads of people have messaged me to say how cute they look.' Petra, a 12-year-old Afghan hound from Cheshire, also has a Dogbook page.

She lists her favourite activities as 'lying down, wagging my tail, running around for a bit and looking far away'.

Social animals: Nadine Dyer with her boxers Harvey, left, and Riley

Owner Jacqui Pointon, 39, said: 'I have a page, so why not Petra?'

All Facebook users can sign up to Dogbook. There is also another application called Catbook, which has attracted 15,000 users so far. And with four million Facebook users in Britain alone - a figure which has doubled since May - there is plenty of opportunity for expansion.

Dogbook and Catbook were created by two Canadians - Geoffrey Roche, 54, and his 21-year-old son Alex - and have attracted 610,000 users globally.

The elder Mr Roche said: 'We're amazed at how they have taken off.'

A review website explains Dogbook allows owners to 'easily let people know about your dog', adding: 'You can see which of your friends have created a profile for their dog.' However-it points out that Dogbook has its limitations. 'Kind of useless,' it acknowledges. 'Does your dog really need a Facebook profile?'

Dogbook is the latest in a host of applications developed by third parties which are now offered to Facebook users along with the option of a basic profile page.

Others include The Sorting Hat - which determines if you, like Harry Potter, would be in Gryffindor at Hogwarts School - and an online version of Scrabble called Scrabulous.