What area do we serve?
Below is a map of our service area. 90-95% of homes in this map will have no extra mileage fees added to your visit.
If you live outside this map, shoot us an email, give us a call, etc. We may still be able to service you with a mileage fee between $3-$10, depending on where you live.
Without further ado, our service map:
About Us
We Mean Business
At DPS, our mission is to provide our clients with the most trustworthy and accountable dog walking and pet sitting experience ever. We understand how vulnerable you may feel trusting someone to enter your home and work with your pets.
We get it.
You might not know us or trust us yet. Give us a chance. You’re sure to find yourself working with a company that impresses and excites you day in and day out.
How It Works
Online Client Portal: Everything happens in the portal via a smart phone app or website. There, you’ll enter and maintain your information, chat with us, schedule / cancel visits, and pay us too.
The Walk (and other services): Every time we finish a dog walk, you’ll see a GPS map of exactly where we walked, a message, and cute pictures from our visit. We also attach a 5G GPS locating device in case of escape. Sometimes videos, Instagrams, and Facebook Lives too. Get ready for the best doggy messages ever while editing spreadsheets at work!
Scheduling: It’s a piece of cake. You can sign up with with an automatically recurring weekly template or, if your schedule is a bit more wonky, you can schedule them every few weeks yourself. All of this can be completed on our website or smart phone app. Click, click, scheduled. Boom. Done.
Payment: Now, for the fun part! Payment is due semi-monthly on the 1st and 16th. We bill *after* services are complete. Our accepted forms of payment are credit card and PayPal. You can pay by yourself on the portal, or we can enroll you in auto-pay.
Communication: We communicate almost entirely on the portal. Further, for your convenience, every time we send a message through our portal, it also gets copied to your email. Without logging on to the portal, you can respond right in your email and it will send a message to the portal for you! #technology. We always respond within one business day, but typically right away. We are also always reachable via telephone at (860)612-8340.
Our Current Availability
Dog Walking (while you’re at work) – High availability
Cat Sitting (while you’re on vacation) – High availability
Dog Sitting (while you’re on vacation) – Medium Availability
If you have any questions, drop us a line at woof@dps.dog or pick up the phone and call (860)612-8340. We will always get back to you within one business day or sooner.
Our W2 Employees
- Vetted and selected by retired therapist and Owner of DPS!
- Pet CPR & First Aid Certified.
- Background checked, insured, and bonded.
- Receive Dog Behavior Training (Theory = Positive Dog Training).
- Shadow trained until deemed ready by Head Dog Trainer / Owner and Field Manager.
- Supervised and retrained through extensive procedures, handbooks, and policies to maintain a high level of pet care proficiency.
How DPS Began
DPS was founded by current Owner and Head Dog Trainer, David Steinberg back in 2013. At that time, David was studying to become a therapist at the UConn School of Social Work. Luckily, the program was located in his hometown (West Hartford). Many of his friend’s parents had dogs and all of their kids were off working in Boston and New York. He was the only one left in town, so they told him, “You’re watching our pets. Deal with it.” Oh. – he dealt with it alright. Before David knew, David’s Pet Services was a thing. Fast forward a few years, and now the business does less dog sitting, a little more cat sitting, and mainly mid-day dog walking.
Similarities Between Being a Therapist and Owning a Pet Service Company
David used to be a licensed therapist, and now as a pet business owner, he sees a lot of parallels in the two professions. Themes like maintaining truthful and effective communication and staying true to appropriate boundaries and policies have been lessons learned from both practices. In terms of dog training, the theory behind Positive Dog Training and Parent Management Training (helping parents with child development through positive reinforcement) operates on the same exact principles. Whether he’s working with families or packs of dogs, he’s going to treat them both the same exact way, through a method of enthusiasm, care, and positive reinforcement.
Find Out More by Scheduling a Free Consultation (Meet & Greet)
There is so much to know about DPS, that an about section couldn’t possibly cut it. Please inquire for a free consultation (a.k.a. Meet & Greet) so we can see if we are a good for for one another!
DPS + Instagram = Your Pets Becoming “Instafamous”
When DPS discovered Instagram, it was love at first sight. We appreciate our Instagram followers and enjoy the interaction and feedback we get on all our posts. Become a follower of @DPS.dog right now! Check out some of these photos DPS has taken to see the type of happy doggies (kitties too!) we churn out on a daily basis.
Like Our Facebook Page Too.
Facebook is a great place to interact with DPS. Read interesting, cute, and hilarious posts and stay up to date with DPS feature upgrades and community announcements and events!