Matteo D.
The Rockaways, Far Rockaway, NY
Services
Matteo can care for
Availability
I am ONLY available to take dogs out for walks in my FREE TIME. Must book at least 24 hours in advance. I will update my availability based on my primary job schedule, any time I am out of town, or unavailable due to personal life appointments. NOTE: My day job is a revolving schedule. I am not always available the same time daily or weekly. You MUST discuss this with me as I only recieve so many company schedules in advance. IM AWARE THIS IS NOT CONVIENIENT, but my hands are tied. This is how the company operates.
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About Matteo D.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I do NOT offer in my home sitting (my landlord does not allow pets in this facility/only service animals). I am a will check on your pet house call and on the go dog walker only. If your dog does not have a harness, I will NOT be walking your dof for their OWN safety. Dogs can easily slip out of leashes. It also helps them with leash manners and allows me better control of them if I needed to move them quickly from a situation. I prefer to walk dogs away from busy roads/busy intersections and will take advantage of any nature trails nearby. Dog parks can be stressful on dogs, so unless your dog has playmates that it regularly sees at a specific dog park, I will not take your dog to an unfamiliar area and let them run free with other dogs where they could become involved in a fight. Generally, I walk them around their local neighborhood or on a nature trail. NO car rides (I dont even have a car). Your dog always stays close to home and in a familiar environment. Treats will be used for positive reinforcement but due to dogs having food allergies, I DO NOT provide treats. All owners must provide their OWN pet-specific "safe treats" and note ANY restrictions such as "Only one or two whole treats" or for bigger dogs, "5 cookies max" (these are just generic examples, its up to you to know your pets diet and leave instructions for what your pet needs). CATS- same deal, although cats typically wont take treats from strangers so don't be offended or surprised if you find kitty crunchies left untouched. Kitty churus/"tubes"- if your cat cannot have the whole tube, please leave a ziplock baggie that I can put the remainder of the tube in. I will only squeeze out the directed amount and then place the tube in the baggie and leave it in your fridge so it doesnt spoil from the coastal heat/humidity and so bugs cant get in it.
Information Matteo D. would like to know about your pet
Please let me know if your dog is a puller or has any behavioral issues or is sensitive to certain noises or people such as kids/strangers so I can plan their walk in a safe zone away from any triggers. CATS- Please tell me if they are stranger shy. Most cats are NOT dogs and they are more cautious about new people. I WILL TREAT ALL CATS LIKE THEY ARE "RUNNERS". Not all cats will try to escape out the door by your feet, but some do. Others may only do it when they are startled or scared. If your cat is a "hider", its best for me to NOT invade their safe space and territory. I will ensure they have adequate food, water, and a clean litter box, but I will not go around the house/apartment trying to coax them out of hiding. This causes a significant amount of stress to them and can cause them to get stress sick or even life long fear issues. Its okay if they hide! Not every cat is a super social love bug.
A typical day
When walking your dog, I try my best to remind them to stop/wait at intersections, how to behave around strangers/other dogs including diverting our path away from other dogs if they become an issue, and all around basic leash manners, HOWEVER I am not going to TRAIN your dog- I will reinforce ground rules that you should have already taught them. For their safety, PLEASE buy a harness that they cannot slip out of or get hurt in if they decide to pull. Contact your vet for safety harness suggestions. If you do NOT have a harness for your pet, I WILL cancel the walk/decline the request. A collar is not good enough. Your sweet little pup can easily back out of a collar and run off. Due to the amount of traffic around the area, I take no chances and have a zero tolerance policy. If you cannot provide safe walking gear for your best friend, either walk them yourself or find another walker who doesnt care. If I show up and you told me you had a harness but dont, I will report this to Rover and you will still be charged a fee because the app can tell that I showed up to your location. This is not negotiable and is 100% for your pets safety when walking. Winter coats, rain coats, and booties are optional. Please be aware that if you know your pet does not tolerate these items or will not let a stranger touch their feet, do not ask that I try to wrestle your pet and get them on. This is also highly unsafe for your pet and walker. **If the pavement is hot enough to make you say ouch/burn your hand, I will not take your dog without booties! Bigger breeds can even wear infant shoes if you train them to tolerate things on their feet, but 100% you need to have something so they can go outside safely.
Location
Far Rockaway, NY
Hospitality style pet services
Pet care experience
**My FT job is a revolving schedule meaning I do not always work the same exact shift daily and may not have the same exact days off weekly.** NYC AREA ONLY! I must be able to reach your address via transit. Due to transit times, I may not be able to take a last-minute request. **Dogs I have 17 years of experience, cats I grew up with and rabbits I have 7 years with** I had the pleasure of owning a big beautiful rottweiler greater swiss mountain dog boy for many years until I lost him to cancer. I also grew up with cats! Check out my kitty profile to see my best friend, an orange tabby boy. He made it all the way to high school putting up with me before it was his time to go. Losing him was as hard as losing my college best friend, my rottie mix. . Outside of that, I professionally raised, trained, and showed rabbits for a decade and had a professional show horse while I was in college. With the passing of my big rottie boy, I couldnt bring myself to have a new dog and my schedule is too busy to own another these days so instead I offer my services to help other busy pet owners. I have worked with pit bulls, huskies, stubborn shepherds, all kinds of dogs from volunteering at shelters to taking care of friends dogs while they were out of town to just helping neighbors get in potty breaks and walks for elderly pet owners who cant always go for long walks. . I am in my later 30s and have experience in the hospitality industry, corporate security industry, airline industry, and medical field (ex FF/Medic). Your pet is like one of your kids- their safety and security matters as much as someone who understands animal body language. Your dog and I can work on basic things like leash manners while on our walk (its all included if they need it). . **Schedule notes cont: I am only given a short amount of schedules in advance so I have no way to book beyond my current assigned FT job schedule. Regretfully, I am not able to pre-book pet clients then tell the FT job I cant work those days. They will not honor that request as the contract with them strictly says they are the first priority- meaning I HAVE to wait until they release any upcoming weekly schedules. This is beyond my control and I applogize for the inconvience it causes. I do state that I only do pet services in my FREE TIME which means whenever Im not commuting to work or have to be at work. Please take this into consideration when booking!
Cat care experience
Matteo also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Reviews
Stevie enjoys her walks with Matteo. She is learning a lot from him.
Matteo did a great job. He is interested in my dog and is working with her to improve her behavior as well as get much needed exercise!
My experience with Matteo was excellent. He is excellent with animals, takes very good care of them. I would trust him with my dogs anytime.
About Matteo D.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I do NOT offer in my home sitting (my landlord does not allow pets in this facility/only service animals). I am a will check on your pet house call and on the go dog walker only. If your dog does not have a harness, I will NOT be walking your dof for their OWN safety. Dogs can easily slip out of leashes. It also helps them with leash manners and allows me better control of them if I needed to move them quickly from a situation. I prefer to walk dogs away from busy roads/busy intersections and will take advantage of any nature trails nearby. Dog parks can be stressful on dogs, so unless your dog has playmates that it regularly sees at a specific dog park, I will not take your dog to an unfamiliar area and let them run free with other dogs where they could become involved in a fight. Generally, I walk them around their local neighborhood or on a nature trail. NO car rides (I dont even have a car). Your dog always stays close to home and in a familiar environment. Treats will be used for positive reinforcement but due to dogs having food allergies, I DO NOT provide treats. All owners must provide their OWN pet-specific "safe treats" and note ANY restrictions such as "Only one or two whole treats" or for bigger dogs, "5 cookies max" (these are just generic examples, its up to you to know your pets diet and leave instructions for what your pet needs). CATS- same deal, although cats typically wont take treats from strangers so don't be offended or surprised if you find kitty crunchies left untouched. Kitty churus/"tubes"- if your cat cannot have the whole tube, please leave a ziplock baggie that I can put the remainder of the tube in. I will only squeeze out the directed amount and then place the tube in the baggie and leave it in your fridge so it doesnt spoil from the coastal heat/humidity and so bugs cant get in it.
Information Matteo D. would like to know about your pet
Please let me know if your dog is a puller or has any behavioral issues or is sensitive to certain noises or people such as kids/strangers so I can plan their walk in a safe zone away from any triggers. CATS- Please tell me if they are stranger shy. Most cats are NOT dogs and they are more cautious about new people. I WILL TREAT ALL CATS LIKE THEY ARE "RUNNERS". Not all cats will try to escape out the door by your feet, but some do. Others may only do it when they are startled or scared. If your cat is a "hider", its best for me to NOT invade their safe space and territory. I will ensure they have adequate food, water, and a clean litter box, but I will not go around the house/apartment trying to coax them out of hiding. This causes a significant amount of stress to them and can cause them to get stress sick or even life long fear issues. Its okay if they hide! Not every cat is a super social love bug.
A typical day
When walking your dog, I try my best to remind them to stop/wait at intersections, how to behave around strangers/other dogs including diverting our path away from other dogs if they become an issue, and all around basic leash manners, HOWEVER I am not going to TRAIN your dog- I will reinforce ground rules that you should have already taught them. For their safety, PLEASE buy a harness that they cannot slip out of or get hurt in if they decide to pull. Contact your vet for safety harness suggestions. If you do NOT have a harness for your pet, I WILL cancel the walk/decline the request. A collar is not good enough. Your sweet little pup can easily back out of a collar and run off. Due to the amount of traffic around the area, I take no chances and have a zero tolerance policy. If you cannot provide safe walking gear for your best friend, either walk them yourself or find another walker who doesnt care. If I show up and you told me you had a harness but dont, I will report this to Rover and you will still be charged a fee because the app can tell that I showed up to your location. This is not negotiable and is 100% for your pets safety when walking. Winter coats, rain coats, and booties are optional. Please be aware that if you know your pet does not tolerate these items or will not let a stranger touch their feet, do not ask that I try to wrestle your pet and get them on. This is also highly unsafe for your pet and walker. **If the pavement is hot enough to make you say ouch/burn your hand, I will not take your dog without booties! Bigger breeds can even wear infant shoes if you train them to tolerate things on their feet, but 100% you need to have something so they can go outside safely.
Matteo D.
The Rockaways, Far Rockaway, NY