DeeDe is the wife of a combat veteran with 21 years of service and founded Dog Tag Buddies after seeing the relief their own dogs brought her husband when he returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. Her love of dogs and desire to help Montana veterans drives her passion for Dog Tag Buddies and has become her true calling in life.
Training Philosophy
Dog Tag Buddies is an integrative therapeutic program providing improved daily living and social mobility for veterans living with the invisible wounds of war.
Services
Dog Tag Buddies offers a variety of services, including:
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Service Dog Training Program:
This program pairs veterans living with hidden injuries (PTSD, TBI, MST) with carefully selected dogs. Following the match, the team is placed into community-oriented training sessions. Based on the veteran’s needs, the dog receives training to become a fully-trained service dog. All services are at NO cost to the veteran.
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Dog Obedience Training:
Dog Tag Buddies offers veteran and civilian classes throughout the year for people looking for puppy, basic, and advanced obedience training. These services are currently only offered in their Billings location.
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QPR Training:
Dog Tag Buddies offers Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention and awareness training. This training teaches individuals how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, offer hope to someone in crisis, and get help.
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Caregiver Support Network:
Dog Tag Buddies offers a caregiver support network for family members of veterans with PTSD/TBI or who have experienced MST. This network provides educational and fun opportunities for caregivers to participate in, build new friendships, learn about hidden injuries, and provide tools to help family units learn to be more resilient in the face of these challenges.
Certifications
- Certified Trauma Informed Care Trainer
- Certified Question Persuade Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Instructor
- Certified Council for Professional Dog Trainers – Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed
- American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
- American Kennel Club Level 1 AKC Fit Dog Instructor
- International Association of Canine Professionals – Professional Member
- International Association of Canine Professionals – Dog Trainer Foundation certified
- Completed This Able Veteran PTSD Essentials Service Dog Trainer Academy 6/2019
- Completed This Able Veteran PTSD Service Dog Trainers Academy 10/2019
- Canine CPR Certified
- Human CPR Certified
Specializations
Service Dog Training, Dog Obedience Training, Suicide Prevention Training, Caregiver Support
Training Methods
Dog Tag Buddies utilizes a variety of training methods, including:
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Positive Reinforcement:
Dog Tag Buddies uses positive reinforcement methods to train dogs. This involves rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, and toys.
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Community-Oriented Training:
Dog Tag Buddies believes in training dogs in real-world settings. This helps dogs learn to generalize their skills and be successful in a variety of environments.
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Task Training:
Dog Tag Buddies trains dogs to perform specific tasks that can help veterans with their disabilities. These tasks may include alerting for anxiety attacks, retrieving items, or providing physical support.
Social Media Links
follow us on instagram @dogtagbuddies
Media Appearances
We are honored to have Chef Andre Rush return as our celebrity chef for this year. He is a US Army veteran, served as White House Executive Chef for four presidential administrations and is currently starring in his new Gordon Ramsay-produced show, Kitchen Commando.
