By Shelley Cooke
A lot of people are talking about the pink Barbie Dog Bus driving up and down the streets of Centennial and West Rouge. That’s right – it’s a bus just for dogs, and it’s owned and operated by Barb (or Barbie) Rizzi, an experienced dog walker for seven years.
After working as an office manager for 25 years for a family-owned construction company, which eventually came to an end, Barb had to seek out new employment opportunities. It was during her job search that she started walking a few dogs. Word of mouth led to more people asking her to walk their dogs, and it didn’t take long before her passion for dogs had snowballed into a thriving business.
Recently, Barb came across a TikTok video about a couple in Alaska who use a bus to take dogs on group hikes (Mo Mountain Mutts). This sparked a suggestion of how Barb could expand her dog walking business. The timing of the recent blockbuster hit Barbie movie combined with Barb’s nickname (Barbie) gave her the idea to transform a school bus, which she purchased on Marketplace, into a bright pink Barbie Dog Bus. It was also serendipitous that one of Barb’s dog walkers is named “Jen”, a perfect replacement for “Ken.”
What started out as a one-person operation has now grown into a full-service pet care company that also includes boarding, feeding, backyard let out, and daycare. Barb hired Jen Civello and Sarah Cooper, who are experienced dog walkers, to be a part of her team. On their walks, they each take three or four dogs and bring them to either Colonel Danforth Trail, UTSC playing fields, or Adams Park for a 60-minute pack walk.
One might wonder how Barb and her team get the dogs on the bus and into their seats. After personally observing my own dog board the bus, I can honestly say that it doesn’t take much effort! As soon as Barb, who drives the bus, opens the door, and greets the dog, they come running! Once they hop onboard, Barb, Jen or Sarah lead them to their seat and buckle them into their seatbelt.
The Barbie Dog Bus has been on the road for just over a month and it has already received rave reviews. Everywhere Barb drives, people are attracted to the bright pink bus and the adorable furry friends she has aboard. One of her clients said that “the bus seems to have brought new life into the neighbourhood. It’s amazing!” Another client credits Barb for “building up a business that serves the community.”
If there is one thing that the pandemic has provided us with, it’s the number of dogs we have in our neighbourhood – in every neighbourhood for that matter! Having a service that picks up the dogs at their front door to take them on an hour long pack walk not only provides them great exercise, it gives them time to socialize and meet new friends. When they return, they are pawsitively happy… and exhausted!
Doggie conversations on the bus
My new cone helps me hear the postman six blocks away
You look a little flushed, have you been drinking out of the toilet again?
I’ve been working on my tree climbing skills. That squirrel has no idea what’s comin’.
I think of my nose as a search engine for finding smelly things on the ground
“So”, I said. “I was just sitting there and the pillow exploded.”
Did you know that when a cat wags its tail, it means something completly different?
They keep asking, “Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy”? but they won’t tell me.
He won’t bring the ball back because it was too far-fetched.
