FAQs

No. The Bark Bus caters to you and your pet’s schedule. If you work crazy hours or your dog simply needs an evening walk this can be arranged. Weekend and holiday walks can also be arranged with proper notice.

Absolutely! We are bonded and insured through The Cooperators Group. Bark Bus staff are required to submit to police background checks and these are available upon request.

If your dog does have aggression or behaviour issues, chances are they will have a tough time fitting in with the pack for group walks. However, we are happy to provide your dog or dogs with a private walk.

Using positive reinforcement, your dog will be taught what is acceptable and expected. We would be happy to share our knowledge and give you a few pointers. If there is a major issue which needs to be addressed, we can refer you to a professional trainer or behaviourist.

We walk your dog no matter what. The Bark Bus will always have lots of fresh water and a nice warm bus to go back to. Your dog requires exercise and bathroom breaks no matter what the weather is. Again, your dogs safety and well-being is our number one concern. We will always keep a close eye on them.

The Bark Bus adheres to all City of Toronto by-laws. In order for your dog to ride the Bark Bus they will first need to be licensed by the city. If your dog is not licensed, we will be happy to fill in and return all required paperwork required.

Group runs are one hour in length and private walks are 30 minutes. The time never starts until we are at the dog park or out on a walk. From the point your dog is picked up to the point they are dropped off may be in access of 3 hours.

The Bark Bus never schedules more than five dogs at time.

Rain or shine, the Bark Bus will always make its appointments. In the EXTREMELY rare situation in which the Bark Bus does not show up, you will be refunded your money and offered a free walk or field trip to make up for it. The Bark Bus is not responsible for changes to locks or alarm codes or failure to notify us of changes in your schedule.

Unfortunately, males and females in heat cannot join the off leash run groups. However, the Bark Bus will be happy to take them on private walks. We will even jog or rollerblade with them to maximize exercise.

Group runs always take place in designated off-leash areas. This means that good recall and temperament are critical. Each dog goes through a screening process to ensure safety. If you truly feel as though your dog will not do well in an off-leash setting,our private walks are more suitable.

The Bark Bus staff are trained in pet first aid to manage and quickly recognize medical conditions and potential emergencies. Though our initial consultation you will provide the Bark Bus with your pet’s veterinary information. In the rare case your dog sustains an injury the Bark Bus will first notify you via telephone. The Bark Bus has, and will continue to maintain solid relationships with many different vets around our service area. If it is an emergency, the Bark Bus will take your dog to the closest veterinarian.

If your dog likes to get dirty then yes! We always do our best to dry off and clean every dog before they are dropped off but we encourage our customers to leave a towel by the front door.

We take puppies at least six months of age whose house training has progressed beyond exclusive use of puppy pads.

Yes. Animals who are not house-trained often mark and urinate.

Availability is extremely limited for boarding inside our home, so as much notice as possible is always encouraged.

When boarding your dog with the Bark Bus your dog will be treated like a member of our family. Your dog will always receive at least one long walk (one hour) and two short walks (30 minutes) per day. We have a fully fenced backyard which can be used for playtime throughout the day.

Please provide food and food bowls, and a blanket or bed. Iff they need to be crated at night, please “BYOC” (Bring Your Own Dog Crate). His or her toys are fine if you don’t mind other dogs playing and chewing them. We will remove toys that we feel are causing possessiveness.

The Bark Bus offers both in home-style boarding where we would stay at your house or your dog is welcome to come and stay with us in our home. Availability is extremely limited, so as much notice as possible is required. Boarding with the Bark Bus is usually reserved for Bark Bus customers only but please feel free to give a call and we can discuss.

Unfortunately, we cannot take non-neutered male dogs. We accept unspayed females provided they are not in heat. It’s very important for everyone to get along, and sometimes other dogs have behaviour issues with females in heat or non-neutered males.

We are happy to administer medication in pill or liquid form, however, we are not able to provide insulin shots.

Each puppy visit last a minimum of 30 minutes. We will take them outside for a bathroom break (and clean any accidents in the crate), play with them with their favorite toy or activity, refill water and/or food, and safely return them back into their crates until you return from work.

Puppy visits are important and help ease two issues, separation anxiety and their small bladders. Puppy visits can curb things like excessive barking, unwanted chewing and general destructiveness. These visits, on a regular basis, increase the effectiveness of house and crate training.

The Bark Bus accepts debit, cheques and cash as payments. All payments are subject to HST. Payment is always required at the beginning of each week of service. Monthly packages are also available.

At the Bark Bus we always require at least 12 hours notice for any cancelled appointment. Any appointments cancelled less than 12 hours in advance are subject to full payment.

Cats are creatures of routine and domain so we feel they are happier in their own home rather than ours. Changes like these can cause your cat to be stressed. We will provide care in your home and, in addition to caring for your cat, you will know someone is keeping an eye on your home while you’re away.

For cat-sitting, the Bark Bus will always provide a day-by-day booklet stating what time we came by, what time we left and any behaviours we may have noticed, good or bad. We can also provide you with daily photos so you never feel too separated from your furry baby.

We provide cat visits as often as you like while you’re away. During the cat-sitting, we ensure that the litter is refreshed and that there’s ample food and water. We clean the cat bowls as well as any “accidents” that may have occurred. We offer cuddles, snuggles and quality time. We will also pick up your mail, water your plants and reconfigure your lighting as a security measure.