2 Paws up Pet Sitting| Dog Walking and Dog Training Service

We’ve all been there; we are happily saying hello to our fluffy friend Fido when all of the sudden he gets us on the mouth with his tongue.  A thorough wiping of the mouth, gargling with water, washing our hands, and trying to remember what we last saw him licking ensues. This isn’t an experience many seek out, but getting ‘doggy kisses’ can also be something a few owners love.  While difficult to hear and common-sense for others, letting our dogs lick our mouths is bad for a number of reasons.  Here are some hard facts about what happens when people let their dogs kiss them and why we should avoid it. Why Do They Do It? Dogs love licking our mouths for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it is a classic act of submission.  In a pack, wolves would have a complicated social dance to go through based on one wolf’s relationship to the pack hierarchy.  Your dog’s interactions with you are exactly that – their expression of their place in the family...

If you’re a pet owner looking for a pet sitter, it’s like deciding what toilet paper to buy. Okay, seriously, there are so many options on the internet of those who call themselves pet sitters. Retirees, to college students home on break, to your neighborhood teenager. Who Will Care For My Pets? I see pet owners asking on Facebook, on Nextdoor, even at a Yoga class if they know of a pet sitter who can watch their pets. There are so many options out there for people who call themselves pet sitters. How do you choose? You want to feel safe and secure about who will be coming into your home to take care of your pets. At 2 Paws Up Inc Pet Sitting and Dog Walking we offer this advice to pet owners: be cautious of the “pseudo pet sitters.” Pet Sitter Is A Loose Term Pet owners and news outlets use the term “pet sitter” carelessly, referring to anyone from a family member, to a friend, to a college student, to a retiree, to the neighborhood teenager. Can anyone walk a dog? The ans...

This beautiful dog was originally bred to haul freight because it is so strong. They have a few other relatives in this part of the world including the Siberian Husky and The Canadian Eskimo Dog. According to the American Kennel Club the dogs can be quite large ranging on average from 75-85 pounds. For that reason they are also some of the best dogs if you are looking for a dog which has natural strength, they also have the ability as well to pull up to 100 pounds. The coat has two layers and is very thick which can mean that it can be over two inches thick. The coat itself on the outside is very coarse and stands off of the top of the body. The fur also has a wooly texture to it and is very coarse, the coat is very important to ensure that you are able to keep your animal groomed. In addition to this you want to have the opportunity to groom your pet on a regular basis as well so that you will be able to care for him. That means that you want to help him keep his coat very healthy...

When the weather outside is frightful, and you are experiencing below normal temperatures, as most us of have already experienced this year, please bring your pets inside.  Wolves may be able to handle sub-zero temperatures but our furry friends cannot.  Pets are accustomed to central heating. To help combat the winter health hazards here are a few winter tips: Are you freezing even wearing a coat? If you’re cold even in your coat, more than likely your pet is cold.  Shorten your walks in unusually cold weather.  Keep a towel at the door to wipe off snow and ice on your pets paws and coat. Eating Snow? Did you know that eating snow can lower a dog’s body temperature?  Eating snow could lead to hypothermia.  During long walks or hikes take some Luke-warm water with you for the dog to drink.  This will help to avoid your dog eating snow when they are thirsty. Ice-Melting Salt? Try looking for “paw-safe” salt for melting ice and snow....

Quite often parents end up taking full responsibility for pet care when school starts back.  It doesn’t have to be that way.  There is a great way to teach your child responsibility. Make it fun, and not something to feel guilty about or have it become a chore.  Make it a family affair by pitching in and teaching that it will make life easier. Below are 5 tips you can do to make it a family affair.  Parents can start with negotiating simple short tasks: If getting ready for school on-time is a problem, then the parent can feed the dog breakfast and the children can feed the dog at dinner. As a parent what better way to find out how your child’s day was by walking the dog after school.  What a great way to bond more with your children, as well as getting some exercise in for the day. Try something fun like, first down the stairs puts the dog out. Since it is August it will be warm outside so make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water for the day, an...

Forget the canned food which may be tainted with chemicals and who knows what else. These days it is all about making food at home with the best ingredients so that you will be able to know that the animals are getting the best nourishment. That means there are many owners that are taking this into their own hands and are cooking gourmet meals at home for their dogs with the best ingredients. There is a lot of confusion currently about what dogs should eat; there are many foods out there with vegetables as well as different combinations of meat. It is very confusing for most owners as they do not have any idea what they should be feeding their dogs with a large amount of the confusion coming from advertising campaigns as to what the appropriate diet should be. But where does all of the wrong information come from and how is it possible that so many people have no idea what they should be doing to ensure that their dogs are happy and healthy? Since the ancestor of the dog is the...

Cats love to be brushed. Have you brushed your cat today? One thing that most cat lovers can agree on is that although they adore their furry friend, they are significantly less fond of the inevitable hair on clothes. Often cat hair loss is nothing to be concerned about as cat hair shedding is completely normal. Shedding is the physiological process of pushing out dead hair. Some cats will shed more than others; however, there are factors that can lead to your cat shedding more excessively. You may notice that your cat will lose more hair in the spring and fall while its fur may grow thicker in the winter. It is important to understand that cats often shed despite whatever season they are in. Is this shedding or should I be concerned? However, if your cat’s hair loss is significant, coming out in clumps, if your cat is exhibiting bald patches, or showing signs of noticeable skin discomfort – these signs could be indicative of underlying health problems. Alopecia is a common p...

Sometimes people wonder if they will get the same pet sitter or dog walker each time they go out of town, or the same dog walker every time they need their dog walked in Gwinnett County. At 2 Paws Up Inc, we strive to keep all of our sitters working as a team. This means that every sitter is trained and familiar with the policies and procedures of our company. Every sitter is able to do the job with the same level of care and attention to detail. Why We Use More than One Sitter Imagine if your boss said to you that, from now on, you have to work 7 days per week. Not only that, you have to work morning, noon, and night, and that sometimes you will have to spend the night at work as well. How would you feel about doing that job? Would it be something you would look forward to doing? In addition, as you went on working without much of a break, what would happen to the quality of your work? Even though we work with pets, the same reasoning applies to pet sitters and dog w...

Fall is a wonderful time of year for you and your pets. You can get outdoors to enjoy the beautiful changing leaves and crisp autumn air. The holidays are just on the horizon, and change seems to be ringing in the air. But with all the change of leaves and seasons, it’s important to remember that things are changing in your pet’s environment as well. Here are some good things to keep in mind as we move in to the fall season. Antifreeze: As more people winterize their cars, there will be a lot more antifreeze around. This chemical is toxic to animals if ingested. Unfortunately, antifreeze comes with a sweet aroma that tends to attract pets with inquisitive noses and tongues. Protect your pet by keeping antifreeze tightly sealed and wiped down. Clean up any spills, and do not dispose of antifreeze by pouring it outside in the yard, gutter, or street. Rodent poison: Rat and other rodent poison becomes a more common threat in the fall. As the weather turns colder, more c...