My name is Brandon, and for far too long, I’ve been getting in my own way.
I’m not sure why — but I’ve been holding back from fully chasing what I’m about to unfold for you. I operate a modest small business rooted in service to shelter dogs. Margins are thin, the days are long, and after nearly a decade, the impact has proven to be invaluable to shelters and clients alike.
As we roll into 2026, I want to finally share this vision openly — in hopes of finding the right people who rock with it and want to see it come to life.
If you’re still reading, I invite you to find a seat, get comfortable, and learn what’s been keeping me up at night for the last 24 months.
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The Belief That Started It All
For the past several years, my life and work have revolved around one simple belief:
Dogs deserve happier, healthier, more active lives — no matter where they come from or who owns them.
That belief led me to RunBuddy Mobile, the world’s first and number one mobile dog gym, providing structured exercise, enrichment, and confidence-building for dogs — including shelter and rescue dogs who otherwise wouldn’t have access to such an outlet.
After six years working alongside the founders in Arizona, I brought RunBuddy to the Lone Star State.
In just the last nine months, I’ve provided over $35,000 worth of services completely free of charge to shelters and rescue organizations, including Central Texas SPCA, Austin Humane Society, Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, and Austin Pets Alive!
This support isn’t occasional — it’s built directly into our weekly operations.
Before Texas, this mission was already well underway.
RunBuddy Mobile has supported shelter and rescue dogs in Arizona for over eight years, using structured weekly workouts to improve quality of life, increase adoptability, and help dogs succeed both inside and outside the mobile dog gym.
Now, that same belief — backed by nearly a decade of real, hands-on impact — is evolving into something bigger.
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A One-Man Operation — And the Schedule I’m Working Toward
Since arriving in Texas, RunBuddy has been operating largely as a one-man show.
Most days start around 5:00 AM and end close to 7:00 PM, often six days a week, driving from client to client. While it would be possible to fill every available time slot with paid sessions, I’ve intentionally operated at approximately 65–75% paid capacity.
Why?
So I can:
• Provide consistent, reliable support to shelter and rescue partners
• Protect the quality of care every dog receives
• Reduce burnout and keep this work sustainable long-term
That choice has allowed RunBuddy to show up week after week for shelters — but it has also meant growth has been slow, careful, and entirely self-funded.
That said, this current schedule is not the end goal.
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What the Ideal Future Actually Looks Like
My ideal schedule doesn’t involve being on the road all day, six days a week.
Instead, I envision spending four to five days per week, six to eight hours a day, embedded directly at our shelter partners — working hands-on with staff, volunteers, and dogs.
That shift would allow me to:
• Help significantly more dogs each day
• Be a more valuable on-site resource for shelter teams
• Provide consistent structure and enrichment where it’s needed most
• Reduce wear and tear on the dog gym itself
• Spend more time at home with my family
The example I always give is this:
If I were a roofer and started my own company, the long-term goal wouldn’t be to stay on the roof forever.
With the dog gym, however, there’s no world where I’m not working in the gym in some capacity — and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
But focusing my time at shelters allows me to fulfill my purpose without burning myself out, while also creating space to care for my family, take care of myself, and eventually reconnect with passions and hobbies I’ve set aside in pursuit of making this dream real.
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Why Experience Matters (And Why This Is Hard to Replicate)
Over the past six years, as RunBuddy gained popularity on social media, many have attempted to replicate the mobile dog gym concept.
Most launched with the best intentions.
Many came and went.
Few — if any — have scaled across multiple gyms and markets.
The reality is this work is far more complex than it looks.
Running a successful mobile dog gym requires:
• Deep understanding of canine behavior
• Skill working with dogs of all temperaments and histories
• Operational discipline around routing, scheduling, and sustainability
• Systems that protect dogs, clients, shelters, and staff
If success were as simple as putting money into vans and sending them on the road, someone with deeper pockets would have done it already — and left us in their wake.
But money can’t replace experience.
What allows RunBuddy to succeed isn’t just the concept — it’s the years of refinement, mistakes already made, lessons learned, and grit earned along the way.
I’m in a unique position to carry this forward — with the experience, passion, and resilience to scale responsibly while protecting dogs and the mission.
The only real limitation is access to capital without taking on traditional debt that drastically eats into already-thin margins.
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Introducing the Church of UpDog
The Church of UpDog is a mission-driven initiative built around the pursuit of canine wellness, movement, and quality of life — for dogs and people.
Despite the playful name, the mission is serious:
• Support shelters and rescues
• Fund routine movement and enrichment
• Help dogs stay out of shelters — and get adopted faster
• Connect people through the love of Dog
• Improve mental and physical health
Our goal is to formally establish the Church of UpDog as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so supporters can soon enjoy the benefits associated with charitable giving while knowing their contributions are fueling meaningful, measurable impact.
The Church of UpDog already has its bylaws drafted and an independent board structure in place, with officer and director roles filled. To avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interest, I will not serve in any decision-making role — ensuring transparency, accountability, and mission-first governance from day one.
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Why This Fundraiser Matters — and Why It’s Different
This GoFundMe campaign is the first step in a much larger expansion effort.
The long-term vision is to build and operate 15+ mobile dog gyms across Texas, representing an investment of approximately $975,000. This expansion is not meant to create dependency on donations — it’s meant to eliminate it.
Once operational, each mobile dog gym:
• Serves 30–60 household clients, dramatically improving dogs’ quality of life
• Generates consistent earned revenue through paid services
• Uses that revenue to continually support shelter and rescue dogs
In other words:
• Client revenue becomes the fuel that funds shelter impact
• Donor dollars help build the engine — not keep it running forever
• Monthly operating expenses are reduced by avoiding long-term debt (aside from van financing)
When all 15+ gyms are operating, the system becomes largely self-sustaining, allowing shelters to receive more ongoing support — for free.
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Where Expansion Fits In
Time spent at shelters also creates the perfect environment to train and mentor new coaches operating the other dog gyms.
If funds are raised to support the first five mobile dog gyms, that milestone would allow me to step away from full-time, day-to-day road operations — not away from the mission, but into a more impactful role.
From there, my time off the road would be used to:
• Support shelter dogs directly
• Train and support new coaches
• Guide continued expansion of RunBuddy Mobile
• Build the Church of UpDog into a sustainable, long-term force for good
This is how the work becomes bigger than one person, without losing its heart.
That’s the model.
That’s the goal.
That’s why this first fundraiser matters so much.
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Fundraising Goal
Raise $25,000
This initial campaign is about momentum and proof of belief.
Funds raised will help:
• Establish the Church of UpDog as a nonprofit entity
• Launch formal fundraising and outreach efforts
• Expand RunBuddy Mobile into additional Texas communities
• Cover early startup costs for additional mobile dog gyms
• Continue free or sponsored sessions for shelter and rescue dogs
• Demonstrate grassroots support to larger donors and sponsors
This campaign shows the movement already has a loyal base of supporters who believe in both the work and the long-term vision.
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Why This Matters Now
Over 60% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese.
Over 90% demonstrate at least one behavioral concern.
Shelters are overcrowded.
Rescues are stretched thin.
Too many dogs lack proper movement, stimulation, and fulfillment — not because people don’t care, but because resources are limited.
The Church of UpDog builds on:
• $35,000+ in free services already provided in Texas
• 8+ years of shelter support in Arizona
• A proven, experience-driven model built to last
Your support helps transform proven impact into a scalable, nonprofit-backed, self-sustaining force for good across Texas.
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How You Can Help
• Donate, if you’re able
• Share this page, even if you can’t donate
• Follow @RunBuddyAustin and @ChurchOfUpDog on Instagram to watch this foundation take shape
Every contribution builds momentum.
And momentum can make or break the execution of this mission.
With every fiber of my being, thank you for believing in Dog, community, and the idea that movement can change lives.
That’s what’s Updog,
Brandon
Organizer
