Dog Tag Buddies

11/05/2026

NOTHING BUNDT APPRECIATION!

A sweet thank-you to those who served.

We've teamed up with Nothing Bundt Cakes in Billings to make Veterans Day a little sweeter—and you're invited to join us!

FOR OUR VETERANS: On Wednesday, November 11th, stop by Nothing Bundt Cakes and enjoy a FREE Bundtini, courtesy of Dog Tag Buddies! Just bring proof of service.

FOR EVERYONE ELSE: Here's your excuse to treat yourself (not that you needed one 😉). Mention that you're supporting Dog Tag Buddies when you make your purchase, and 25% of your purchase will support our mission of helping Montana veterans reclaim independence, connection, and purpose.

📅 Wednesday, November 11 | 9 AM–7 PM

📍 Nothing Bundt Cakes
1027 Shiloh Crossing Blvd, Suite 6, Billings

Whether you're stopping in for a sweet treat or helping us give back to those who served, you're making Veterans Day a little more meaningful.

Because gratitude is always in good taste.

11/03/2026

What's in your toolbox?

We're not talking about hammers and screwdrivers.

We're talking about the practical strategies we use to navigate stress, challenges, and everyday life.

Grounding techniques. Recognizing early signs of stress. Developing routines. Learning when and how to use different coping strategies.

These are examples of the kinds of tools that can help someone respond more effectively when life gets difficult.

Our staff Occupational Therapist has developed a curriculum to help Dog Tag Buddies participants build their own toolbox of skills.

Why does that matter?

Because when a service dog alerts its handler to increasing stress, the veteran needs to know what to do next.

The dog provides information. The veteran develops the skills to act on it.

And that partnership is what makes the difference.

11/03/2026

Dog Tag Buddies is honored to be a recipient of this year's Dee-O-Gee Helena, MT Missouri Rover Take Over fundraiser earlier this month.

The greatest impact of an event like Missouri Rover Take Over isn't simply what happens that day, but the ripple effect of kindness, generosity, and connection that continues long after.

On behalf of Dog Tag Buddies, we are incredibly grateful to be part of a community that understands the power of bringing people together for a greater purpose. Your generosity and commitment to giving back remind us that meaningful change happens when people come together with open hearts and a shared vision.

To the organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who supported this wonderful event, thank you for believing in our mission and investing in the lives we serve. We are honored to share this experience with Helena Area Friends of Pets and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together in the years ahead.

Because when a community comes together, the impact reaches far beyond the event itself. ❤️🐾

10/31/2026

Great things happen when organizations come together with a shared purpose and a genuine commitment to the people they serve.

We are incredibly excited to strengthen our partnership with Veterans Navigation Network! We have always believed that supporting our veterans takes a community, and collaboration allows us to do more together than we ever could alone.

Operation Good Neighbor is a beautiful reminder that making a difference doesn't always require a grand gesture. Sometimes it's a helping hand, a meaningful conversation, or simply reminding someone that they haven't been forgotten.

We're grateful for this partnership, excited about the possibilities ahead, and proud to be part of a community that continues to show up for one another.

Because taking care of our veterans shouldn't be the responsibility of any one organization. It should be a commitment we share.

10/30/2026

Christmas shopping? We've got you covered!

Looking for some Dog Tag Buddies swag to give as Christmas gifts? (Or to keep for yourself. We won't tell.)

We've teamed up with fellow local nonprofit The Dog and Me for a special, limited-time sale featuring some awesome co-branded goodies!

Insulated tumblers, pet bowls, hats, and more!

One for you, one for your neighbor, and maybe even one for your Amazon delivery driver as a thank-you for all those packages they'll be delivering this holiday season.

The best part? 100% of the proceeds support Dog Tag Buddies and our mission to help Montana veterans reclaim their independence.

Pre-orders close Sunday, November 1! Get your orders in now so your DTB goodies arrive in time for holiday gifting!

Shop here: https://www.thedogandme.org/shop

Two nonprofits. One great cause. A whole lot of holiday cheer.

10/29/2026

Some partnerships go far beyond support. They strengthen missions, open doors, and help change lives.

We are incredibly honored to stand alongside five extraordinary organizations doing this important work, and even more grateful to Purina Dog Chow for recognizing the impact of PTSD service dogs and investing in the veterans who need them.

At Dog Tag Buddies, we know that the journey is about so much more than training a service dog. It's about rebuilding trust, discovering confidence, reclaiming independence, and finding hope in places where it may have been lost.

These transformations don't happen overnight, and they certainly don't happen alone. They require commitment, patience, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in the potential of both ends of the leash.

Behind every successful team is a veteran willing to do the hard work, dedicated trainers and staff walking alongside them, and supporters who believe that financial barriers should never stand between a veteran and the opportunity for a better quality of life.

To Purina, thank you for believing in this mission, recognizing the work behind it, and using your voice to elevate organizations dedicated to serving those who have served.

To our fellow training partners, we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Our approaches and programs may differ, but our commitment to the veterans we serve unites us.

And to our veterans, you are the reason we do what we do. Your courage, determination, and willingness to keep moving forward inspire us every single day.

Together, we are doing more than training service dogs. We are helping veterans build a future filled with possibility.

Thanks to our six INCREDIBLE training partners for all the time and hard work you put in to providing lifesaving PTSD service dogs at no cost to our Veterans in need. We are so humbled by your dedication and couldn’t be prouder to support your life-changing efforts. 💚 Dog Tag Buddies Got Your Six PTSD Support Dogs K9s For Warriors Northwest Battle Buddies Operation Freedom Paws Semper K9 Assistance Dogs

10/27/2026

CLOSING SOON! Get your pre-orders in now and get your items in time for Christmas gifts 😉

Our friends at The Dog and Me are supporting Dog Tag Buddies through a special fundraiser, with 100% of proceeds from purchases made during their October 19–November 1 campaign benefiting our mission!

Every purchase helps support our work with Montana veterans living with the invisible wounds of war.

There's still time to shop and make a difference!
🛍️ https://www.thedogandme.org/shop

Thank you to The Dog and Me for choosing to support our veterans!

10/26/2026

We're proud to be one of Purina Dog Chow's six Service Dog Salute partners!

This Thanksgiving, you can help support veterans and their service dogs simply by sharing a photo of your four-legged family member!

Thank you, Purina Dog Chow, for continuing to recognize the life-changing impact of service dogs and the veterans who depend on them.

Check out the original post to learn how you can participate!

10/26/2026

What Happens After the Alert?

A service dog alerts. Now what?

It's a question that gets to the heart of what makes the veteran–service dog partnership work.

A trained alert can help a veteran recognize early physiological changes associated with increasing stress.

But the alert itself isn't the solution.

The veteran needs tools to respond.

That's one reason we're incorporating an Occupational Therapy curriculum developed by our staff OT into our program across Montana.

The curriculum focuses on practical skills for managing stress and navigating daily life, helping veterans build a toolbox of strategies they can use when their dog alerts.

Because the alert is only as effective as the handler's response.

Training happens at both ends of the leash.

10/23/2026

The Ordinary Moments

Sometimes the biggest victories look like ordinary moments.

A trip to the grocery store. Dinner with family. Attending a community event.

Walking into a crowded room.

For someone living with PTSD, TBI, or other invisible wounds of war, these experiences can present challenges that aren't always visible to the people around them.

At Dog Tag Buddies, we celebrate the big milestones. But we also recognize the countless smaller steps that happen along the way.

Because sometimes, what looks ordinary to one person represents extraordinary progress for another.

And those moments matter.