BILLINGS — $25,000—that’s the average cost of raising and training a service dog in Montana, according to Dog Tag Buddies. Puppies learn how to become service dogs at the Billings nonprofit, but the process can take up to two years.
“Training a dog is hard,” said Deede Baker, the executive director and founder of Dog Tag Buddies, on Tuesday. “Training a service dog is even harder.”
It’s a large commitment.
“Frank here, I have had him for almost a month,” said Rori Lindal, a volunteer puppy trainer at Dog Tag Buddies, on Tuesday. “He’s pretty easy to work with so it makes it fun.”
The dogs are making a difference in veterans’ lives by lending a helping paw.
“Not all veterans can handle the crazy puppy stage so I get to help with the basic obedience,” Lindal said. “Usually when a veteran comes in, you can tell that they’re really nervous because they don’t know what …