New online service custom matches people and dogs -- and the result is a love that lasts

The dog you want to take home might be cute, but are you compatible? A new online service helps you figure that out, and the result is a love that lasts.

In Brockton and the surrounding towns, How I Met My Dog is custom matching people with their canine soulmates based on lifestyle and behavior rather than breed or the “aww” factor.

The matches made by the service are based on specific details about both the adopters and the dogs, making it easier to find your forever dog – and for a dog to find its forever family.

“No other online service goes into the depth we do when matching dogs with people. Using behavior and lifestyle criteria enables us to treat every dog as an individual, regardless of breed,” said dog trainer Jodi Andersen, who co-founded How I Met My Dog with Mary Ann Zeman and Sharon Mosse. “It’s a real win-win for both adopters and dogs.”

Here in Brockton, How I Met My Dog is partnering with the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.

The Kinney Family of Whitinsville, Mass., also adopted their new dog, Beckham, using the service.

“Beckham is the absolute perfect match for our family! We love him so much,” said Donna Kinney. “The survey that [How I Met My Dog] had me fill out was super detailed and really led to our best match. I also tell everyone that it’s like a dating website to meet your perfect dog match, but better.”

The need for this service is real, the founders say. More and more people are embracing the dog adoption movement. And still too many choose dogs based on breed or “love at first sight” only to find that the dog they fell in love with is not necessarily a dog they can live with.

The result is 4,000,000 dogs a year, being surrendered to shelters and rescues or needing to be rehomed by families that can no longer care for them. Only half of those dogs ever find another home.

So far, How I Met My Dog – which has launched in New England and plans to roll out nationally over the next 18 months – has partnered with more than 40 local shelters and pet rescues to help make adopter-dog matches.

In addition to matching families with shelter dogs, How I Met My Dog also includes dogs that need to be rehomed by private families. There are many reasons why people need to find a new home for their dog, including moving, illness or other life changes. People who dearly love their dogs often feel a great sense of guilt about having to find them a new home.

“For these rehomers, we’re giving an added level of comfort,” said Zeman, noting that other options for rehoming such as social media or online bulletin boards, leave a lot to chance. “We help you feel better about having to rehome your dog because we’re not just finding your dog a new home, we’re finding your dog a home where he/she will thrive.”

How I Met My Dog’s service is currently beta testing in the New England market and free for a limited time.

How it works

With a team of leading animal behaviorists, trainers, and animal welfare experts, How I Met My Dog started by identifying the most important components for successful human/dog relationships. Then, they developed a proprietary algorithm to make these successful matches happen.

That means asking the right questions, not only about each adopter, but also about each dog.

In addition to the adopter, “we give the dog a voice,” said Zeman, who came up with the idea after having a dog for years that wasn’t quite the right fit. “Not only do we need a survey filled out by every adopter, we require a survey for every dog. When a rescue or rehomer fills out the survey, they answer specific questions that help to pinpoint the best environment for that dog.”

With filters for more than 30 levels of human and dog compatibility, How I Met My Dog creates a P.E.T. Profile™ for each dog and each adopter.

An adopter’s P.E.T. Profile is then matched in real time with the P.E.T. Profile of available dogs resulting in a custom ComPETibility Match. The result, Andersen said, is “falling in love at first sight with a dog you can live with.”

In the How I Met My Dog’s P.E.T. Profile, P is for personality. The algorithm is, in part, based on factors that ensure a dog’s disposition and sociability level match with the adopter and vice versa. “Behavior compatibility is key to the longevity of the relationship,” said Andersen.

E stands for expectations. “This is, in my opinion, the most important element of the P.E.T. Profile. We all have expectations when it comes to relationships -- even the ones we have with our dogs. If those expectations are not met, the odds are the relationship isn’t going to make it,” said Andersen. Creating matches where the expectations are met greatly improves the success of an adopter-dog relationship, she said. For example, “if you’re the kind of person that likes to cuddle with your dog and the dog you’ve chosen is a bit aloof, believe it or not, this could actually sabotage the success of the relationship. And it’s not because there’s something wrong with the dog - or you, it’s just the wrong match,” said Andersen.

T stands for is for training style. “Every person has a natural parenting or training style, and the key is being matched with a dog that responds best to your style.”

“Because our questions consider these factors, our matches are far more meaningful,” said Mosse.

“You might think you’re athletic, but if you’re an athlete that goes to the gym that has nothing to do with your dog,” noted Andersen. “Or if you’re not necessarily a person who likes to go to go out and party but you do like to entertain in your home, that counts as a certain amount of socialization for your dog.”

How I Met My Dog’s mission is to change the culture of how people find their canine soulmates and increase the odds that the dog you fall in love with will be the dog you can live with.