Pet Crazy people everywhere are discovering that the best way to get a date is to let your dog do the networking. The new rage in dating is bringing Fido along to events and places that allow for pooches. After all, if your potential mate is smitten with your four-legged friend, chances are better for a match made in heaven.

Singles are realizing that dogs are the perfect icebreaker. At a dog park or strolling with your dog on a walk you instantly have something to talk about with every interested person you meet. All you have to do is let your friendly pooch nose up to the good looking girl or guy sitting on a park bench, smile and say, "Look at that, Fido likes you." Now you can introduce your dog and start talking. All the awkwardness of introduction is instantly swept away. In fact, in a Knoxville New-Sentinel survey 58 percent of men said that a puppy is a fool-proof chick magnet.

Dating coach Melissa Smith seems to have caught on to this and organizes "Singles, Pets & The Park" events at Dogwood Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. Smith notes that, "It's one of the number one ways to meet people – bring a pet to a park. People love their pets." More than that, pet crazy people want their potential mates to love their pets. In fact, in the same survey 66 percent of dog owners say that they wouldn't consider dating someone that didn't like their dog.

In Los Angeles, dating with dogs is a little swankier. A nightclub called Skybark is held on the downtown rooftop of the PETaPOTTY company and everyone's pups are invited. Dog lovers mingle and tangle leashes while enjoying cocktails ands live music. PETaPOTTY provides grassy areas for dogs as well as puppy snacks and drinks. At each of the SkyBark events a silent auction is also held to benefit an animal rescue. Single dog lovers are thrilled to be able to enjoy a night on the town without worrying about how their furry children are managing at home alone. In fact, the event has been so successful that this August the SkyBark folks held their fist event in Boston.

For pet lovers that are still too shy to mingle, online dating has gone pet crazy too. Sites like DateMyPet.com and AnimalAttration.com allow single people to surf online examining not only potential dates, but the pets that share their lives.

AnimalAttraction.com was founded by Dan Cohen in Washington, DC, a sportswriter and pet lover who noted how much easier the dating connection was with a canine companion helping. He says, "I joked with a friend of mine that we should start renting puppies to single people." Instead he created a free site that helps animal lovers connect with posted photos, descriptions of their animal friends and even what their animal friends think of them. There are also chat rooms and pet-care information provided by the Humane Society. So if you're a pet crazy single, what are you waiting for? Pick up the leash and mingle!