At a Glance
- Hope Mehlberg drives a pawprint-painted school bus to ferry 65 client dogs to a private three-acre dog park in Oconto, Wisconsin
- She launched K9 Konvoy full-time in 2023 after quitting her previous job, now transporting about 24 dogs daily
- The business began as a coping mechanism for infertility, with her first client being a rescued dog named Zeppelin
- Why it matters: A personal struggle sparked a thriving local business that brings daily joy to dozens of pets and their owners
A bright yellow school bus covered in paw prints winds through the streets of Oconto each morning. Inside, tails wag instead of children chatter. Hope Mehlberg, 31, is at the wheel, collecting dogs for a day of adventure at her private dog park.
From Heartbreak to Howls
Mehlberg’s journey started in darkness. She began walking her own dogs-Dodge and Teddy-just to leave the house during a low point triggered by infertility.
“I hit a really, really, really low point in my life, which I’m thankful for now,” she tells News Of Losangeles. “I was in that dark place where I needed to get out, I need to feel that joy again.”
The first expansion came when she added Zeppelin, a neighbor’s dog she rescued after he was hit by a truck. Once Zeppelin recovered, he joined her daily walks. Word spread. More dogs arrived. A part-time hobby snowballed.
Betting on Herself
After nearly two years of side-hustle dog walking, Mehlberg quit her unfulfilling job.
“I wasn’t happy with what I was doing,” she says. “At that point, I was like, ‘You know what? I already have so many dogs. Let’s take a gamble on myself.'”
In spring 2023 she bought a decommissioned school bus and fenced three acres of family land into a canine playground. Today her client roster stands at 65 dogs.
Daily Route
- 8 a.m. Mend the park: check fences, refill water stations, scatter toys
- 9 a.m. Start the bus route, driving 1-2 hours total to collect pups
- Late morning Unleash 24 dogs into the park filled with tires, swings, tunnels
- Afternoon Supervise zoomies, sun rolls, and pack play
- Evening Return each dog home, tired and happy
Weather dictates the schedule; snowy mornings delay pickups, but the bus rolls whenever safe.
A Park Designed for Play
The private enclosure sits on Mehlberg’s family property. She landscaped it with agility equipment built from up-cycled farm items: tractor tires become climbing frames, old ropes become swings, drainage tubes become tunnels. Water stations sit every 50 feet. Shade cloths stretch over sandy patches where dogs dig to cool off.
Each visit ends with a head-count and treat parade back onto the bus. “Each day is different and each day is an adventure and each day is super fun,” Mehlberg says.
Growth Through Gratitude
K9 Konvoy now fills Mehlberg’s mornings, afternoons, and social-media feeds. She posts daily reels of pack antics; local businesses sponsor bandanas printed with the bus logo. Revenue covers bus fuel, insurance, treats, and-importantly-her mortgage.
More than income, the job replaced grief with purpose. “I’m consistently around these dogs. They’ve just helped me [and] showed me that it’s okay,” she explains.
Looking back, Mehlberg views her infertility struggle as the unlikely catalyst. “If I wouldn’t have gone through that, I wouldn’t [be] where I am,” she reflects. “I love going to work. I love waking up and going to pick up all the dogs.”
Key Takeaways
- A personal crisis sparked a creative business idea
- Word-of-mouth turned a favor for a neighbor into a 65-dog enterprise
- Investing in herself-buying the bus, fencing the land-paid off emotionally and financially
- Daily structure and animal companionship replaced isolation with joy
