Grit the Dog launches new campaign to help pups in need 

Has anyone picked up their 2026 calendar yet?

If not, Grit the Dog has a suggestion: Come to Sport Systems and snatch up next year's calendar featuring 12 shop dogs or employee pups.

Among the adorable dogs are Grit — a white Labrador who serves as Sport Systems chief happiness officer — and English Labrador K-9 Wheezy, aka fire safety officer. Wheezy is an Albuquerque Fire Rescue K-9, who has assisted in numerous police and fire investigations.

Inside the calendar are slots for people to put in business cards for each of the dogs. They can pick up a card of whichever dog is working a particular day (three or four dogs per day). If they collect nine cards they get a $50 gift card, said Duane Kinsley, who owns Sport Systems and Grit.

"Kids love this," he said. "They call asking if (the dogs) are working today."

The calendars are free, but they have a QR code on them that people can scan then donate as part of the "Run with Grit" campaign, a fundraiser to help local dogs with medical, financial and other needs.

As of Christmas Eve, about $2,000 has been raised, Kinsley said.

Grit's latest campaign comes on the heels of his 2024 presidential campaign where he raised $125,000 for Warehouse 505 — a nonprofit that provides a safe place for youth between ages 13 and 20 to learn and develop skills in subjects like art and music — and various animal welfare organizations.

"(After the campaign), everyone was asking, 'What's he going to do now?'" Kinsley said. "And so we thought we got to do something good with all of his notoriety."

In October 2024, the campaign caught the attention of a then-Rio Rancho couple needing to raise money for their dog Miller, a white Labrador, who suffered burns after saving his sister, a miniature schnauzer named Amelia, during a house fire, Kinsley said. 

"We said, 'Yeah, let's get Grit and we'll go down to the hospital (and meet) them,'" Kinsley said. 

About $17,000 was raised for Miller's medical care, he said.

Just over a year later, co-owner Chris Hinz said Miller is back to his normal self.

"We like helping a specific family in need, where we know the money that we're raising goes to make a difference with a specific dog and family," Kinsley said.

People interested in requesting assistance for their dogs should send a letter addressing describing their furry loved one's situation. Every three months, a committee will take a look then decide which one to raise money for.

"We're looking for compelling stories about the family and their dog," Kinsley said.

Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.