David G.
Nutley, NJ
Personalized Pet Care
Pet care experience
I grew up in households that always included multiple dogs, and at least one of those dogs was my full responsibility. It was up to me to feed, train, groom, and generally keep my dog happy. Early on I discovered that it was not difficult to make any dog really happy. It simply meant giving him or her my undivided attention - as briefly as a 30-second head scratch or as long as a 3-hour hike in the woods. As an adult dog-owner, I quickly figured out that although MOST dogs crave ANY attention, ALL dogs truly appreciate when humans are more thoughtful and take the time to learn what KIND of attention that particular dog actually wants or needs. More often than not, it'll be a head scratch, but I know that it could just as easily be, "don't touch me right now." Like a person, every dog has its own unique characteristics. I pride myself on always taking a moment to read the signals given by all dogs before I engage. This same consideration carries over to my volunteer work for Save A Yorkie Rescue. My wife and I help that organization by fostering rescued Yorkies in our home till a suitable family is found to adopt them. These vulnerable dogs are especially in need of such caring treatment, and I'm more than happy to provide it. It's this consideration and treatment that I'd give to your dog too.
Reviews
If you are looking for a truly caring, attentive and nurturing pet sitter, David is the top of the list! He has cared for our dogs on many occasions over the past 20 years, whether it be for a short duration or a longer vacation, and has given us the peace of mind to not worry about our loved ones while we are away. David will love your pet as if it were his own and your pet will thank you for it!
David, a dog owner himself, loves animals and is a very responsible, dependable, and caring person. He has taken care of our two dogs many times when we went away and that has always put us at ease knowing that they are safe. I would recommend David without hesitation to join the Rover team as a pet caregiver.
David has been dog sitting for our three fur babies for about 8 years. During this time, two of our special needs dogs required a lot of extra love, patience, and care. David provided them with all the specialized care that they needed, often administering medication and specialized meals. David’s patience and love for our dogs has made it possible for us to have a peaceful heart when we’ve been away from home and left them in his care.
About David G.
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
The two dogs in our household are a Yorkie (Jagger) and a Sheep-A-Doddle (Duncan). Jagger is an 11-year-old, 10 pound male who is very tolerant of visiting dogs. Duncan is 2-year-old, 40 pound male who's more skittish and keeps his distance at first from visitors. He takes a little longer to warm up, but he ultimately does - more readily if the visiting dog is not much larger than him. Our back door opens up to the fenced-in backyard. The yard also contains an inground swimming pool. I would never let visiting dogs near our pool without my supervision. Visiting dogs are free to take a dip if they choose (our own Yorkie jumps in regularly). During the offseason, the pool is closed with a secure cover. The dogs eat their meals in the kitchen, under our supervision. We also have nearby rooms with doors that close if a feeding dog needs more separation. At night our dogs sleep in our bedroom, but there's a spare bedroom nearby and a couple of couches available in the house for visiting dogs. We also have several crates of various sizes for visiting dogs that need their own protected space.
Home
Information David G. would like to know about your pet
Please let me know what, if anything, makes your pet anxious and you normally try to avoid (certain people, animals, items, sounds, walking routes). On the flip side, what makes them happy and they're allowed to have (certain toys, activities, treats, favorite spots in the home)?
A typical day
My priority is to determine what level of engagement an animal is interested in - letting them call the shots. Some pets will decide the activities they'd like by bringing me their favorite toy. Then I let them know I'm excited to play too and start games of fetch, chase, tug, or hide & seek. - whichever seems to pique their interest. We'll play for 10-15 minutes, then I'll prepare them for a walk. For the less inclined pets, I'll take the initiative and try to engage them, maybe with a toy. If they don't seem interested, then I'm happy to hang out quietly with them for a while. Then depending on its needs, I'll encourage a walk or some other form of exercise.
Services
David can host
David can watch in your home
Availability
I'm a part-time freelancer who works from home, so I have the flexibility and presence to easily meet the needs of our own two dogs, visiting dogs, and pets in their own homes whose humans are away. Plus, I'm practically an empty-nester, so my evenings and weekends are more available to give to other pets as well. I encourage visiting dogs to maintain the same routines and schedules as our own dogs throughout the day. Our dogs are let out into our fenced-in backyard frequently (4-5/day & 3-4/night). They get two walks a day (midday & evening). And they get fed twice a day (6am & 6pm).
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About David G.
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
The two dogs in our household are a Yorkie (Jagger) and a Sheep-A-Doddle (Duncan). Jagger is an 11-year-old, 10 pound male who is very tolerant of visiting dogs. Duncan is 2-year-old, 40 pound male who's more skittish and keeps his distance at first from visitors. He takes a little longer to warm up, but he ultimately does - more readily if the visiting dog is not much larger than him. Our back door opens up to the fenced-in backyard. The yard also contains an inground swimming pool. I would never let visiting dogs near our pool without my supervision. Visiting dogs are free to take a dip if they choose (our own Yorkie jumps in regularly). During the offseason, the pool is closed with a secure cover. The dogs eat their meals in the kitchen, under our supervision. We also have nearby rooms with doors that close if a feeding dog needs more separation. At night our dogs sleep in our bedroom, but there's a spare bedroom nearby and a couple of couches available in the house for visiting dogs. We also have several crates of various sizes for visiting dogs that need their own protected space.
Home
Information David G. would like to know about your pet
Please let me know what, if anything, makes your pet anxious and you normally try to avoid (certain people, animals, items, sounds, walking routes). On the flip side, what makes them happy and they're allowed to have (certain toys, activities, treats, favorite spots in the home)?
A typical day
My priority is to determine what level of engagement an animal is interested in - letting them call the shots. Some pets will decide the activities they'd like by bringing me their favorite toy. Then I let them know I'm excited to play too and start games of fetch, chase, tug, or hide & seek. - whichever seems to pique their interest. We'll play for 10-15 minutes, then I'll prepare them for a walk. For the less inclined pets, I'll take the initiative and try to engage them, maybe with a toy. If they don't seem interested, then I'm happy to hang out quietly with them for a while. Then depending on its needs, I'll encourage a walk or some other form of exercise.
Location
Nutley, NJ
Pets
David G.
Nutley, NJ