In honor of Father’s Day, we sat down with dog daddy extraordinaire, Matt Newman, to chat about dog parenting and what life is like as a hairstylist, influencer, and TikTok star (find him here)!
Wild One: When did you fall in love with haircare and what led you into hairstyling?
Matt Newman: I grew my own hair out long in college and I didn’t know how to manage it on my own, so when I graduated from undergrad, I ended up going to beauty school afterward mostly to figure out what to do with my own hair!
WO: What do you love most about being a hairstylist?
MN: Connecting with people! I’ve always been a “chatty Kathy” and “people person”, so this career has been a perfect fit.
WO: What inspired you to start sharing your incredible tips & tricks online?
MN: During the COVID-19 lockdown, all of my freelance styling gigs were on pause, and one day amidst all of the boredom of being stuck instead, my boyfriend said “Hey, you should make hair videos on Tiktok” and the rest was history!
WO: What’s something you wish more people knew about you?
MN: I wish people knew about my poochies! I tend to stick to the beauty realm when I post on social media, but my two dogs are my WHOLE WORLD and nobody knows it.
WO: What’s your favorite thing about being a dog dad?
MN: All of the cuddles! These guys are such cuddle babies—even when they’re left alone, I’ll find them squished up as close to each other as possible. Their fluffy faces snoring in my lap while I work or watch TV is just absolute serotonin overload.
WO: What’s your favorite thing to do with Mojo & Keewee?
MN: I take the dogs out after they eat. My boyfriend, Jeffrey, always feeds them and then it’s my turn to hit the streets with them for some exercise and a bathroom break. It’s my special time alone with the boys that I cherish!
WO: How did you come up with your pup’s names, Keewee and Mojo?
MN: Keewee is actually short for Kereón, which is in honor of my first dog (another black Pomeranian) who was named Dereón. Eventually, we started calling Dereón by the name Deewee, so that’s how we got to Keewee! Mojo came to us from Joplin Missouri, which people refer to as Jo-Mo, so we flipped it and got Mojo!
WO: If Mojo & Keewee could pick up human hobbies, what would they be?
MN: They would be gourmet chefs. I’ve never known two dogs more interested in food than these two—and they know that Jeffrey and I are suckers who will give them a taste of what we’re eating!
WO: Do Mojo & Keewee have any secret talents?
MN: They are expert-level kissers!
Time for some rapid-fire questions:
WO: Top 3 Wild One products?
MN: The Harness, Treat Pouch, and Dog Daddy Hat!
WO: Describe Mojo in three words…
MN: Sassy, jaunty, the boss.
WO: Describe Keewee in three words…
MN: Crazy, kissy, lover.
WO: Holy grail hair product that you can’t live without?
MN: Leave in conditioner!
WO: Hair secret you think everyone should know about?
MN: The hottest water temperature in your shower actually dries your hair follicles and scalp (sad!), so stick to cold or lukewarm.
WO: One-liner you would tell your younger self?
MN: People thinking I’m cool is less important than following my dreams.