Two Chicks and a Pack treats your dog to the great outdoors.
Laraine Wilkinson started Two Chicks and a Pack in 2017 while working full time in marketing. She realized the need for dog owners with challenging work schedules—like herself—to provide the amount of exercise and stimulation their pets require daily.
“I knew there was a better way to help busy city pet parents give their dogs the exercise, enrichment and socialization they need,” she says. “I wanted to create something that went beyond traditional dog walking— a safe, structured adventure where dogs could get out of the city, explore nature and simply be dogs.”
Fast-forward almost 10 years, and Wilkinson and her team of dog hiking adventurers (four full time and eight contractors) know the city’s trails inside and out. Two Chicks and a Pack offers group and private hikes for dogs and includes pick-up and drop-off services at clients’ homes. Pricing for one to three hikes per week for one dog is $80 per hike and $70 per hike for two dogs. It also partners with dog trainers to offer private “Trail Training,” a customized plan to socialize and build confidence in dogs that need more personalized care.
Wilkinson chooses the dog hike destinations based on safety, accessibility, visibility and the overall experience. The trails need to be well-maintained, offer enough space for the packs to move safely and have varied terrain and opportunities for enrichment.
“I also consider distance and routing so we can maximize the dogs’ time on the trail rather than spending too much of their adventure in the vehicle,” she says. “Ultimately, I want every park to offer something different while providing a safe, enriching environment where the dogs can explore, exercise and enjoy being outside.”
In Buckhead, Two Chicks and a Pack frequents Blue Heron Nature Preserve, which Wilkinson says provides the most natural, trail-oriented environment with sandy beach terrain along the creek, deer and bird sightings and a more immersive nature experience right in town.
“We love Murphey Candler Park in Brookhaven, as it is the best fit for a true dog hike,” Wilkinson says, adding that it features a 2-mile loop around the lake, wooded sections, bridges, wetlands and varied scenery.
For some of the private hikes or “Trail Training” outings, Wilkinson takes the pack to Brook Run Park in Dunwoody that has a 1.8-mile multi-use loop. Dunwoody Park is another good spot with a more nature- focused experience, including wooded hiking trails, Wildcat Creek and a 25-acre nature preserve. In Chamblee, 45-acre Keswick Park is a staple for the smaller pack hikes because it includes a wooded nature trail through the old-growth forest, walking paths and access to the Chamblee Rail Trail.
“We love the intimacy of Big Trees Nature Preserve in Sandy Springs,” Wilkinson says. “In some areas, you feel like you’re walking through one of our national or state parks in the North Georgia mountains with the varying terrain of boulders along the creek, steep overlooks, wooded pine forests and a series of switchbacks that swerve throughout this small preserve.”
TWO CHICKS AND A PACK
404.720.9969
twochicksandapack.com
@twochicksandapack
DOS AND DON’TS FOR HIKING DOGS
DO: take pups on hikes that are social, adaptable and comfortable for experiencing new environments.
DO N0T: push a dog beyond its fitness level, age, health or ability to handle heat and terrain. Choose an environment that matches your dog’s abilities.
DO: hike with ample water for your pup, a secure leash/harness, up-to-date identification, basic first aid supplies and an emergency plan regarding weather, injuries and unexpected encounters.
DO N0T: assume every dog, person or wildlife encounter will be a friendly one.
DO: keep your dog under control, maintain appropriate distance and avoid situations that could escalate into a fight or injury.
