About our Team

RunBuddy Mobile® – Greater North Shore was born from a simple realization: there was a gap in the services available to dogs and their families in our community. Katie Dunfee - a fourth-generation Grafton resident - saw a need for a flexible, personalized fitness and enrichment option, especially for dogs who may not thrive in traditional settings like dog parks or daycare.

Katie’s love for animals has always been at the center of what she does. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science and has spent much of her career working in the veterinary and animal care fields. Through those experiences, she has seen firsthand the important role that exercise, enrichment, and routine can play in a dog’s overall health, behavior, and happiness.

As Katie explored different business ideas, she kept coming back to the concept of a mobile dog gym; something that could meet dogs where they are while providing structured, personalized fitness and mental enrichment. That search eventually led her to RunBuddy Mobile® in Phoenix, Arizona. After connecting with owners David and Shaunie Lopez, Katie traveled to Arizona to train directly with David and experience the program firsthand. Seeing the dogs’ excitement, focus, and progress confirmed that this was exactly the kind of service she wanted to bring home to Wisconsin.

For Katie, bringing RunBuddy Mobile® – Greater North Shore to the area is about more than starting a business. It’s about providing a service that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of local dogs and the families who love them. That commitment extends to local rescue organizations and foster dogs as well, with opportunities to help dogs build confidence, develop positive behaviors, and become even more prepared for their forever homes.

And perhaps the best part is seeing a dog recognize the RunBuddy van and know exactly what’s coming next - the excitement, the wagging tail, and the eagerness to get moving. Creating that kind of experience for dogs, while helping them live healthier, happier lives, is what RunBuddy Mobile® – Greater North Shore is all about.