Social networking for man's best friend
Social networking Web sites are all the rage these days. Sites such as Friendster, MySpace, Facebook and others allow users to create little corners of the Internet that are all their own. But the trend isn't only for bipedal Web fanatics. A site called Dogster gives our furry friends the opportunity to post photos, share their personalities, make new friends and even maintain blogs. On Dogster, which won the 2005 Webby Award in the community category, Web savvy humans take a back seat to their lovable companions. Much like Friendster and MySpace, dogs can make friends with each other, leave "treats," the doggie equivalent of a testimonial, and can even note what sort of mood they're in that day. But it's not all just about having fun. Dog lovers can browse profiles of adoptable dogs in their area, a way to find good homes for dogs in need.
Dogster highlights a new dog profile each day and awards the much coveted "Dog of the Week" title to one lucky pup each week. Browsing the pages of Dogster can be addictive for any true animal lover, but some of the more in-depth profiles and frequently updated blogs may give cause for concern over the sanity of certain dogs' human counterparts.
Lest the cat lovers in our audience feel left out, there is a twin site called Catster, which offers the same social-networking opportunities for feline friends.
Jennifer Guevin is assistant managing editor of CNET News. She focuses on science and green tech. But she also makes the occasional contribution to CNET's kitchen gadgets blog or writes about the latest Web distraction. Once a week, she takes the mic as host of CNET's Daily News Podcast. E-mail Jennifer. 
