Salty Raccoon Ranch Kennels & Training

05/13/2026

🎬🐾 Public Access Training Night with Sunny 🐾🎬

Tonight we took Sunny to the movie theater for a real-world training outing, and she absolutely amazed me.

Movie theaters are actually one of the harder environments for a future service dog:
🍿 crowded people
🍿 food smells everywhere
🍿 dark rooms
🍿 loud sounds and sudden noises
🍿 tight spaces for long periods of time

Sunny calmly walked beside me while my hands were full carrying popcorn and drinks, confidently entered the dark theater, ignored distractions beautifully, and settled quietly during the movie.

During the film, she also practiced grounding work by laying across my feet applying gentle pressure against my ankles. These grounding tasks can help provide body awareness, regulation, and calm connection during stressful moments.

Then came the moment that reminded me why all the daily training matters…

Sunny began alerting me repeatedly during the movie. When I checked my blood sugar, it had climbed above 200. 👀🩺

Even in a busy theater filled with distractions and popcorn smells, she stayed tuned into ME.

Afterward, she relaxed quietly on the floor and calmly exited the theater right beside me like a little professional.

People often see the “cute dog in public,” but what they don’t see are the thousands of tiny training moments, exposure outings, scent games, relationship building, and consistency that create a dependable working dog.

Needless to say…Sunny earned her popcorn tax tonight 😂🍿💛

05/08/2026

Spent my day off making over 300 pounds of balanced raw dog food for the crew 🐾❤️

Today’s prep included:
🐓 100 chickens
🐄 Beef
🦌 3 deer
🐑 2 sheep
🐇 Rabbit
🫀 Loads of organs
🐟 Fish
🥕 Fresh vegetables & fruits
🌾 Oatmeal

…and honestly, the amount of prep work before the giant grinder even started was a full job by itself 😅

This is one of the biggest reasons I’m so passionate about canine nutrition. Our dogs are athletes, working partners, service dogs, family members, and growing puppies — nutrition matters. I want my dogs fueled with the best ingredients possible to help support healthy growth, muscle development, gut health, coat condition, stamina, and overall wellness.

⚠️ Side note because this is important:
Please don’t jump into homemade/raw feeding on a whim. I’ve spent hundreds of hours studying canine nutrition, taking courses, and learning how to properly balance meals for different ages, activity levels, and developmental needs. Fresh feeding can be wonderful when done correctly, but balance is EVERYTHING.

Now if anyone needs me… I’ll be somewhere smelling like a farm, butcher shop, and fish market combined for the next 3 business days 😂🐾

05/05/2026

This is what real service dog training looks like out in the world 👇

Sunny is sitting right in the middle of a busy Home Depot—carts rolling, people walking by, noise everywhere—and her job is simple…

✨ Stay in place
✨ Ignore strangers
✨ No sniffing
✨ No seeking attention

Even when a worker leaned down and talked directly to her… she held it together beautifully. Calm, focused, and choosing her handler over everything else.

And that right there? That’s not something dogs just “do.”
That’s built through consistent training, clear expectations, and practicing in real-life environments—not just at home.

A service dog’s job isn’t to say hi… it’s to stay steady when it matters most 💛

I’m so proud of this girl and the work she’s putting in.

💬 Would your dog be able to hold this kind of focus in public? Tell me below 👇

https://youtube.com/shorts/OA4E9Em1aTU?si=04cwuUfcIjmbnnyT

Sunny is a Service Dog in Training practicing advanced impulse control in a busy Home Depot.In this clip, she’s sitting in the middle of heavy foot traffic w...

04/29/2026

Sunny met… Sunny today 😆🐾

We were out training at Home Depot and came across a full-length mirror. Instead of walking past it, I paused and let her process what she was seeing.

Moments like this might seem small, but they matter so much in training—especially for a future service dog.

Mirrors can be confusing for dogs. Some think it’s another dog, which can lead to barking, lunging, or even fear. That’s not something we want showing up later in public access work.

So we turn it into a learning opportunity 💛

Sunny noticed her reflection, gave a curious little tail wag, walked up to sniff… and stayed completely calm and under control the entire time.

No overreaction. No uncertainty. Just quiet confidence.

That’s the goal.

Because service dogs don’t get to choose the environments they work in—so we prepare them for everything.

It’s these tiny, everyday exposures that build a dog you can trust anywhere.

And I’ll tell you what… watching that little golden girl think through something new with a wagging tail instead of worry?
That never gets old 🥹✨

Watch here: https://youtube.com/shorts/GhTDR-jcI_A?si=Snp-XZpsxNKpJw90

10 likes. "Most Dogs FAIL This Test… 😳 Mirror Reaction Training with a Future Service Dog"

04/26/2026

✨ Powerhouse “P” Litter Has Arrived! ✨

We are so excited to officially introduce our Powerhouse “P” puppies here at Salty Raccoon Ranch LLC Kennels & Training 🐾

These little ones are already showing strong, confident beginnings—and we have high expectations for this very special pairing.

Sire: IntCH V1 Yeti Von Shield
AKC: FDC, CGC, CGCA, CGCU, TKN, TKI, TKA, VHMP, VHMA
Yeti is a fully trained Service Dog specializing in Medical Alert & Psychiatric support—steady, intelligent, and truly one of a kind.

Dam: Gemma Von Merryman Haus
FDC, CGC, CGCA, CGCU, TKN, TKI, TKA, VHMP, VHMA
Gemma is a 2nd generation working Service Dog, also trained in Medical Alert & Psychiatric support, with a heart of gold and a natural instinct to serve.

💥 This is a repeat breeding, and if the past tells us anything—we are in for something incredible.
From our previous Notorious “N” Litter, we already have 4 puppies actively working toward becoming future Service Dogs… and that is exactly why we chose to repeat this pairing.

From day one, these puppies are being raised with intention—early neurological stimulation, early scent introduction, and daily enrichment—all laying the foundation for confident, capable working dogs.

And let me tell you… they may be tiny now, but there is nothing small about their futures 💛

🙏 All puppies from this litter are reserved.
We are incredibly thankful for the families who have trusted us with one of these special pups.

📅 We are now accepting applications for our planned Fall 2026 breeding between
Yeti Von Shield × Indiana’s Iris Von Merryman Haus—another pairing we are very excited about.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time, this upcoming litter may be it .

04/24/2026

Sunny had her first indoor pool experience today—and it came with all the excitement you can imagine 💦😅

Kids were jumping, banging on the columns, splashing… all the big distractions. And this girl? She worked right through it 👏

We focused on our engage → disengage game, working close to the chaos, and she stayed thoughtful, responsive, and connected. She noticed everything (because of course she did 👀), but made the choice to check back in, take her reward, and stay in control. That’s exactly what we’re building.

And of course… steady Yeti didn’t even blink 😌🐾
Just quietly holding the standard like he always does. That’s what years of consistency and training look like.

This is one of my favorite things to show—
✨ A young SDiT learning how to make good choices
✨ A finished dog modeling calm, neutral behavior

It all starts with solid impulse control. You build that first… and then you take it out into the real world.

So proud of Sunny today—big wins in a brand new environment 💛

https://youtube.com/shorts/yOFXyXKVD0Q?si=JgKP-TlO7Tw2r-A_

22 likes. "First Indoor Pool Test… Sunny vs CHAOS"

04/20/2026

Oh the places Yeti and I go… ✈️🐾

We had such a fun trip flying to Baltimore, and once again my big boy showed exactly what a well-trained service dog is capable of.

From the airport, to the shuttle bus, to the plane—Yeti calmly tucked himself into tight spaces, stayed engaged, and handled everything like a seasoned professional. Watching people realize that a large dog can be this composed, this responsive, and this reliable… never gets old 🥹

This is the standard we train for. Real-life exposure. Real-world obedience. Dogs that can confidently support their handler anywhere life takes them.

Huge thank you to Southwest Airlines for the kindest captain and flight crew—we felt so welcomed every step of the way 💛

👉 If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to raise and train a dog like this—whether for service work or an exceptional family companion—I’d love to help guide you.

🐾 We offer:
• Service dog prospect puppies
• Foundation puppy training programs
• Board & Train options
• Online puppy training course

Message me or visit 🌐 https://saltyraccoonranch.com to learn more.

So proud of you, Yeti 🐾💛

04/12/2026

Katie is currently raising one of our puppies with a big, beautiful goal in mind—Opal is being trained to become a future guide dog to support her with vision impairment. 💛

Right now, Katie is facing a serious medical emergency and is unable to care for Opal during this time. As you all know, these early weeks are critical in a puppy’s development—especially for a working prospect like Opal. Her training, structure, and consistency simply cannot pause.

We are stepping in to make sure Opal continues on the path she was meant for… but we can’t do it alone.

We are asking our community—if you feel led—to please consider donating. Even $1 truly makes a difference and helps support both Katie and Opal during this unexpected hardship.

👉 Please visit the GoFundMe page to donate and share.

Thank you for loving and supporting our dogs and the people whose lives they are meant to change. 🐾✨

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-opal-become-my-guide-dog?attribution_id=sl:c039d24a-a3af-48b1-9fa7-bc14595ff354&lang=en_US&ts=1775967402&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp17_tb&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&fbclid=IwdGRjcARIrCpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeL1u26dagbroxCNzXT_bRIYpAPSaptEwqn-6z0a4mJbpdNt-ATO0jPsUpuNY_aem_S54vbjTpMhEhl70pFSUA1Q

🐾💛

My name is Katie, and I’m the proud owner of Opal, a seven-month-old German Shepherd puppy … Katie Bandel needs your support for Help Opal Become My Guide Dog

04/05/2026

☀️ Big milestone for Sunny! 🐾

Shaffer’s Sunshine aka Sunny just completed her AKC Canine Good Citizen Test & Virtual Home Manners Adult (VHMA) Test… at only 7 months old 🎉

This is exactly why we are so intentional about the bloodlines we bring into our program. Sunny comes from exceptional scent-working lines, and she is already showing the focus, confidence, and work ethic we look for in our future service dogs.

She’s still just a baby… but she’s already proving she has what it takes 💛

Watching these young dogs step into their purpose never gets old. It’s one of those moments where you just sit back and smile… because you can see what they’re going to become.

✨ Future Service Dog in the making
✨ Strong foundation, clear mind, willing heart
✨ Raised with purpose here at Salty Raccoon Ranch

We are so proud of you, Sunny girl ☀️

Drop a 💛 for Sunny in the comments!

🎥Video in the comments

04/01/2026

Listen Up!! All working dog owners this Farm Bill has dangerous and broad language that will effect dog sports and all working dogs—-take a few minutes to write your Congressman using the link in the comments of the original post—-

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CeeNFE9Sj/?mibextid=wwXIfr

𝙄𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙜𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚?

𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝐌 𝐀𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓
𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 | 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐋𝐄𝐓’𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐀𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 — 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒

A provision being discussed as part of the current Farm Bill process is drawing attention from hunting-dog owners, sportsmen, and working-dog organizations nationwide. Specifically, H.R. 5017 — the Greyhound Protection Act of 2025 focuses on restricting certain live-animal lure training activities tied to commercial greyhound racing. While the bill is written around racing contexts, multiple hunting and working-dog organizations have raised concerns that language affecting live-lure exposure and field training could reach beyond racing depending on interpretation and enforcement.

From a working-dog perspective, that includes:
• sight hounds
• retrievers
• bird dogs
• scent hounds
• working terriers

This matters to me personally as well as professionally. We run working terriers here, and like many livestock operations across the country, they are part of how predator pressure gets managed responsibly around cattle.

𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐆

At first glance, this looks like a sportsmen’s issue instead of a livestock issue. But agriculture knows the pattern. When policy begins defining how one category of working animals can be used, it rarely stays limited to just one category.

On our place, what my husband and I can get done with two border collies would take eleven day hands to do in the right situation. That isn’t exaggeration. That’s modern stockmanship across the High Plains and West, where stock dogs function as real operational infrastructure for:
• moving cattle safely
• reducing livestock stress
• improving labor efficiency
• protecting both animals and people

Today the conversation is about hunting dogs. Tomorrow it could involve:
• border collies
• kelpies
• heelers
• other stock dogs used to manage cattle and sheep operations nationwide

Agricultural policy rarely expands overnight. It expands one definition at a time.

💭 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀

If working-dog use starts being defined federally…
If training standards begin shifting through interpretation…
If enforcement authority expands beyond original intent…

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚?

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙨 — are you watching federal ag policy discussions?
𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣 — are you reading the bill language yourself?
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨 — do you know how working dogs fit into ranch operations?

— 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐌 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐨.
𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦.

𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨

U.S. Congress — H.R. 5017, Greyhound Protection Act of 2025 (118th Congress)
Congress . gov public bill text and status tracker

American Kennel Club Government Relations — Federal legislative updates affecting hunting and working-dog policy

Sportsmen’s Alliance — Analysis and alerts regarding H.R. 5017 and working-dog training concerns

04/01/2026

From Our Ranch to Their Purpose 🐾🇺🇸

One of the hardest—and most meaningful—parts of what we do here at Salty Raccoon Ranch is knowing when it’s time for one of our fully trained service dogs to step into their next chapter.

Our breeding program is intentionally designed to produce working service dogs—dogs that need a job, that love to work, and truly thrive when they have a person to serve.

When we begin training the next generation, it naturally takes time away from our fully trained dogs… and those dogs still have so much left to give.

So instead of letting them sit on the sidelines, we place them where they are truly needed most—
with military veterans.

We are extremely selective.
This is never rushed.
And these dogs are never “rehomed”… they are placed with purpose.

✔ Application process
✔ Personal interviews
✔ Background checks
✔ Structured transition period
✔ Ongoing training requirements & recertification

We recently placed Clodovia Von Merryman Haus—a dog I brought into this world with my own hands.
She was purpose-bred for service work and has already produced incredible working dogs herself.

And then came the message that stopped me in my tracks…

Her new handler’s wife reached out and said:
“I haven’t seen my husband smile like this in years.”

That right there… is why we do this. ❤️

These dogs are fully trained service dogs donated at no cost to the veteran—but it takes thousands of dollars and countless hours to raise, train, and prepare a dog at this level plus training spent to transition the dog to the new handler.

If you feel led to support what we’re doing, your help truly makes a difference in continuing this mission.

Ways to Donate:
PayPal: [email protected]
Zelle: [email protected]

Every dog placed is not just changing one life… it’s changing an entire family.

And while it is never easy to let one of my dogs go…
knowing they are stepping into a role that truly matters makes it all worth it.

This work is bigger than us—and we’re grateful to be part of it. ✨🐾