Frequently asked questions
What is The K9 School Bus, and how does it work?
The K9 School Bus is a premium electric transport service that meets you and your pup at your local dog park each morning and drops them at Wolfhouse for a full day of daycare, then brings them back again in the afternoon.
You meet the bus at a designated place and time, I handle everything in between, and they're back at the park ready for you at the end of the day. No more rearranging your day around rush hour traffic and the daycare drop off and pick up. For more details, see our How Does It Work? page.
Where does The K9 School Bus operate and what stops are on the route?
The K9 School Bus runs five days a week, picking up pups across the northern suburbs and taking them to Wolfhouse Hamilton. For more details, please see the Timetable page.
What if I only want a one way trip?
The K9 School Bus has been designed to make your day easier and the price includes a return trip in the evening. However, some people may only need a one way trip.
The ticket for your cabin is for a return trip, but if you only want one way, I can pick your kiddo up in the morning, and then you can collect them from Wolfhouse at a time that suits you. Visit our Schedule & Pricing page for more details.
How long will my pup be on the bus?
The timetable has been created to make the trip as easy as possible for your pup.
There will be two morning runs and two evening runs every day to help ensure that the journey times are as quick as possible.
Depending on where your kiddo gets on, they should be on campus in less than 2hrs. For those closer to Wolfhouse, it could be as quick as 15 minutes. Each pup will have their own cabin, bed and fan in warmer weather to help make the journey for them as comfortable as possible.
Head to our Timetable page to see exactly how long it'll take your pup to get from your local dog park to campus.
Who will be driving the bus to school?
That will be me, Ali. I'm the dedicated K9 School Bus Driver, so there will be a familiar face for you and your pup every day.
For more info about me, take a look at the About Me page, or please reach out if you have any questions thek9schoolbus@gmail.com.
How much does it cost, and what is included in the fare?
Ticket prices are NOT based on the size of your pup - our prices are based on your pick up location and vicinity to the Wolfhouse campus.
All tickets are for a return journey, and more details about the schedule and pricing can be found here.
The ticket price will include the morning pickup, the ride to Wolfhouse, the afternoon collection, and the drop back to your local dog park stop.
However, I understand that some people may only want a one way trip - where I'll pick up their pup, and they'll collect them in the afternoon straight from Wolfhouse. This can be booked via the checkout in our booking portal.
Please note - Wolfhouse daycare fees are separate and need to be booked directly with them.
How will my dog travel, and will they be safe and comfortable?
Every pup travels in their own individual cabin, secured inside my custom-fitted electric van, Ted.
There are a range of cabin sizes available - from Great Danes to Frenchies and everything in between. A lot of time and thought has gone into the cabins and they are sized closely to airline crate dimensions so you know they're suitable and appropriate for travel.
Just select the cabin size they need when you book, and your pup will be safely secured for the ride.
Each cabin has a comfy padded blanket, and I use Adaptive Transport calming spray to help them enjoy the journey, stress free. There are also fans for warmer days to help keep the air circulating and cool for them.
And the van, Ted, is also 100% electric, so the ride is whisper-quiet with no diesel rumble or fumes.
Are there size or breed restrictions?
The K9 School Bus has a mix of cabin sizes and being pawrents of large kiddos ourselves, I have tried to accommodate all sizes as best I can!
The main requirement is that your dog is enrolled at Wolfhouse, booked to attend on the day of travel, and that they are also comfortable travelling in a safe and comfortable cabin.
If they've never been crated before, I'd suggest you do some crate training at home first, or chat to the awesome team at Wolfhouse about how best to prepare them for their bus ride.
What if my kiddo is BMOD?
Firstly, if your kiddo is a BMOD dog, thank you for advocating for them and working through their quirks.
Can they travel on The K9 School Bus? In theory, absolutely. However let's chat.
Our boy Obyn is a spicy little BMOD with big feelings and he would not be happy travelling in the bus within close proximity to the other pups. So for his safety and wellbeing he sadly won't be joining me on the bus.
However I appreciate BMOD doggos are going through their training for a whole variety of different reasons. So if your pup is enrolled as a BMOD, let's discuss their needs with the team at Wolfhouse to see if they think they'd be happy to take The K9 School Bus to campus. If the team say they are, they are more than welcome aboard!
What's your booking and cancellation policy?
I've kept our policies as simple and fair as possible.
- Bookings need to be made ~24hrs the day before travel. However if you have a last minute booking request, please reach out and I will try my best to accommodate your pup.
- Cancellations must be received at least 24 hours before your morning pick-up. So for example, please cancel before 6am on Monday to cancel or reschedule your Tuesday bus ride.
The bus runs to a fixed timetable with other families counting on it, so I kindly ask that you're at your stop on time. If you're running late in the morning, I'll try to contact you before I need to leave, but unfortunately I won't be able to wait for you.
Life happens though, so if something comes up unexpectedly, please reach out as soon as you can and we'll work through it together.
Similarly The K9 School Bus aims to be a reliable and punctual service for all our families, so if there are any unexpected delays on my end that are out of my control I'll reach out to you all as soon as possible with updates.
Have another question?
I've tried to cover off the most common questions you may have about The K9 School Bus, but if you have another query or want to know more about the bus and how it works, feel free to email me at thek9schoolbus@gmail.com.