By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
There’s a food truck rolling through Rio Rancho and Albuquerque where the entire menu is off-limits to people. Bark Bar, launched about six months ago by Chad Rutter, serves handmade “pup cups” and treats built exclusively for dogs — and the owner believes it’s the first business of its kind in the state.
Rutter started Bark Bar after noticing no one in the area offered an ice-cream-truck-style experience made just for dogs. The signature pup cups are built from fat-free Greek yogurt with a choice of xylitol-free peanut butter and banana or pumpkin and cinnamon, topped with options like dog biscuits, beef sticks, cookies, whipped cream and honey. “The response from the community is overwhelmingly wonderful,” Rutter said.
Rather than parking in one spot, the truck rotates through parks, pet businesses and community events across the metro, with stops posted weekly on Bark Bar’s Instagram (@barkbar.nm). The business has also partnered with Bernalillo County Animal Shelter and Watermelon Mountain Ranch, offering free treats to volunteers who take shelter dogs out for the day — an effort aimed at encouraging more adoptions and volunteer visits.
More details
- Seasonal flavor rotates with the calendar; a pumpkin apple cobbler treat is planned for fall.
- Rutter is considering launching an annual dog meetup event, though details are still being worked out.
- Bark Bar accepts pet-supply donations for local shelters at the truck, offering pickup as a convenience for owners who can’t make the drive themselves.
Find Bark Bar’s weekly schedule and locations:
instagram.com/barkbar.nm