It had to happen: it's a dog's Web

There's Noah, who enjoys walking along the beaches on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard; Maggie, an avid swimmer; and Luke, who likes . . . eating shoes?

At first glance, the profiles may appear to be part of just another personals site. And they are, sort of. Posted on www.dogster.com, these pages contain basic information: likes, dislikes, pet peeves, etc. Pet peeves, indeed: these are profiles of dogs.

With websites like MySpace and Xanga becoming increasingly popular among teenagers and adults who post profiles of themselves on the Internet, Dogster puts a new spin on the trend of online networking groups. Nearly 500 people in the Boston area participate on Dogster.

The company was founded in 2003 by Ted Rheingold, who was previously the owner of One Match Fire, a company that designed Web applications. Based in San Francisco, Dogster enables pet owners to post pictures and general information about their four-legged friends, as well as to connect with other members of the site through message boards and a friend program called ''pet pals."

Rheingold, now 35, started Dogster after being inspired to create a domain that could act as a virtual dog photo album when his wife was looking through rescue sites at pictures of dogs. The site went public in 2004.

''Dogster was going to be a way to make a little extra money every month on top of the inconsistent income of a contractor," Rheingold said. ''I knew there were going to be people out there who liked it, I just had no idea how many."

Since first developing the company, Rheingold has quit his former job and now earns his income solely from Dogster.

The site now boasts more than 160,000 members in more than 15 countries. Although there are no specific geographical groups, Dogster members can find people in their area by searching by town or city. Some Boston-area members said they often meet other Dogster members at local parks and other popular canine hangouts.

Similar sites that are specifically for Massachusetts owners include www.somervilledog.com, a blog for Somerville dog owners to discuss issues that affect their pets; www.cambridgedog.org, where Cambridge dog owners can find out about upcoming dog-friendly events; and www.bostonpooch.com, home page of an advocacy group for dog owners' rights.

Dogster takes a less serious angle, allowing members to exchange information just for fun, without any evident political agenda.

In spite of the seeming popularity of such pages, the success of Dogster and similar sites has surprised even some of its members.

''It's just a unique idea," said Heather Parker, 27, of Brookline, who has developed profiles of her 1-year-old French bulldog, Winston, and her 8-year-old Boston terrier, Chloe. ''Who would have thought putting your dog on the Internet and sharing your dog's information with other dogs would be so popular?"

Aside from the ability to post pictures, Dogster members can post on message boards about dog-related topics, view other dogs' profiles, and create diaries for their canine companions. There is also a link to Dogster's offshoot aimed at feline fanatics, www.catster.com.

The users ''get an opportunity to be completely open about something they love very, very, very much," Rheingold said. ''And they don't have to guard it. They don't have to worry that someone else is going to say, 'You drove in the middle of the night to get your dog food, because it only likes special food?' "

Not all the pages on Dogster are lighthearted. Melissa Dunn, 22, is one of several members who have built pages to memorialize their pets. Dunn's Siberian husky mix, Rascal, died of cancer in 2003.

''I like the fact that I've been able to meet other people on the site that have had their dogs pass away," Dunn said. ''At least I'm not the only one who feels like a pet is more than just a pet. . . . He was part of the family."

Robin Ladd, 27, of Dorchester, attributed the site's success to the camaraderie that subscribers feel. She has a page for Oakland, her 6-year-old golden retriever.

''People want to connect with people that they know have common interests," she said. ''It's easy to bond with someone who has a dog. . . . It's nice to have that already common connection with people."

Aaron Richardson, 29, agreed. He and his wife, Heather, who live in the Fenway, have created a photo page in honor of their 4-year-old golden retriever, Fiona.

''We have become those 'dog people' that we sort of used to snicker about," he said. ''We wanted a way to display to other dog people who sort of understand the obsession. . . . It's one of those things that only dog owners truly understand."