Giving back to those who serve
Montana Dog Food Co is a proud partner of Warriors & Quiet Waters. We enthusiastically donate 1% of our annual sales to support the warriors and their pups affiliated with WQW. Additionally, we sponsor military service dogs that support the Warriors in the program on a monthly basis. Each month, we provide free Montana Dog Food Co meals for 12 lucky pups that are providing support, protection and friendship to the distinguished service men & women in the WQW community. See below for details on these awesome dogs!
Warriors & Quiet Waters
Montana-based Warriors & Quiet Waters (WQW) is a purpose-driven community offering nature-based experiences designed to restore minds, bodies, and souls of post-9/11 combat veterans (warriors). Their programs cultivate a safe and supportive environment where veterans can grow, heal, and experience deep camaraderie. As a community, the sole focus is to help each Warrior discover they were built for more. More connection. More peace. More purpose. More life.
Warriors spend time at the WQW ranch in Montana's beautiful Gallatin Valley. They begin a journey that will last a lifetime, often accompanied by a trustworthy canine companion. Transformed, these men and women and their families gain renewed confidence in their ability to move forward with resilience and succeed in every area of their post-combat life.
Sponsored Dogs
Montana Dog Food Co is honored to sponsor the dogs below. We provide one bag of Freeze-dried Raw Dog Food each month for 1 year, to supercharge their existing kibble and give them the energy and vitality they need to live their best active life.
Meatball
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Age: 7 years
Owner’s Name: Sue K.
Dog’s Favorite Activity: Besides meeting his friends at the dog park, eating, and chasing balls, Meatball loves to go on adventures. Whether it’s exploring the woods, hanging out on the drift boat, camping, or chasing sticks in the river, this guy is 100% a nature-loving pup.
Brief Story of how you came to have your dog in your life: After losing my chocolate lab, Harlie, to cancer, I was devastated and felt lost without a furry friend. One night, I came across a Facebook video of “Lucy and the Chocolate Factory,” a litter of chocolate lab puppies at a shelter near Atlanta. I followed their antics for weeks, but one little pup with a smudge of red nail polish as an ID marker stole my heart. He was messy, playful, and curious, and during a fundraiser, he was officially named Meatball. I knew we were meant to be.On October 21, 2018, just shy of my one-year sobriety anniversary, I drove to Atlanta to bring Meatball home. He’s been my loyal companion ever since, walking with me through healing, a cross-country move, and all the joy we’ve found in Montana.
Xena
Breed: Mini Labradoodle
Age: 5 years
Owner’s Name: Jen B.
Dog's favorite activity: Chasing Balls, going on hikes and meeting new people.
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: We lost our black lab in Dec 2019. The pandemic hit and we were all at home. We decided our house didn’t feel like a home without a dog. I started looking for a puppy and found one in West Virginia. We chose a mini labradoodle for their intelligence, low shed, and compact size. I started training Xena right away. She had earned canine good citizen, urban canine good citizen, and in 2022 she became a fully certified service dog.
Griffin
Breed: Border Collie, Red Heeler and Australian Cattle Dog mix
Age: 6 years
Owner’s Name: Justin S
Dog’s Favorite Activity: Work. Walks and runs are favorites too!
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: My wife Loni and I rescued Griffin in March 2020, just months after losing our beloved dog Berkley, a loss we felt deeply. Not long after, I broke my kneecap while arresting a hit-and-run drunk driver, leading to nine months of grueling rehab. Through it all, Griffin was my constant companion, motivating me to stay active even when it hurt. He didn’t care about my knee; he just wanted that ball thrown!
After years of military service and a career in law enforcement, I faced my share of trauma and challenges, eventually retiring due to my injury. Balancing mental and physical health has been a journey, and Griffin has been a cornerstone of my resilience. Despite his own struggles with a seizure disorder, we prioritize his health, knowing proper nutrition is key to keeping him happy and healthy for as long as possible.t we can and proper nutrition is an important part of keeping him around as long as possible.
Zeus
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Age: 6 years
Owner’s Name: Doug S.
Dog’s Favorite Activity: Tug & chase
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: Zeus and I found each other in our time of need. I just retired from the Army, and being wounded, I was just lost, then my family took a direct hit from Hurricane Harvey, and we lost everything. It was less than 2 months later that I found Zeus. He was 10 weeks old, and his breeder needed him gone because they also lost everything in the floods from Harvey. He and I became great friends from the start. We went through service dog training together, and he has helped me to learn how to live life again and heal. He and I have done stuff together that, looking back, I can't believe we did, like rafting the whole Grand Canyon or learning to fly-fish in Montana. With out the friendship between him and me I would not be the man I am today.
Spy
Breed: English Springer Spaniel
Age: 1.5
Owner’s Name: Chelsey D.
Dog's favorite activity: Searching/SAR and climbing mountains
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: I got Spy as a puppy with the intent to train as a detection dog. She is now certified in Human Remains Detection (HRD) and is an active member of a non-profit K9 team called K9-TF. We travel all over the country on searches supporting law enforcement and SAR agencies. Spy is also a resource for Ravalli County (Montana) SAR, our home county. She is the happiest, most driven, and fun working partner on the planet. She has one of the best personalities of any dog I have ever known.
Ginger Rose
Breed: Border Collie / Bernese Mountain Dog
Age: 10 months
Owner’s Name: Billy C.
Dog's favorite activity: Exploring outdoors
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: I have been living alone after a 17 year marriage and I would experience times of loneliness and wanted a dog but could not, due to restrictions on the house I was living in. In May, I found a new job as Camp Cook for Milk River Outfitters and this allowed me to bring a dog into my life. I then looked for an animal rescue near Bozeman and linked up with Montana Dog Rescue. Within 24 hrs of contact, they dropped off Ginger and we have been traveling since May, for my job. Ginger has been a great travel companion along the way. In the past 4 months, we traveled over 6,600 miles and 6 different states.
Axel
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Age: 6 years
Owner’s Name: Jeff M.
Dog’s Favorite Activity: Work. Walks and runs are favorites too!
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: Hiking and exploring all the smells of all the new places.
Brief Story of how you came to have your dog in your life:
I originally bought Axel for my wife, but he imprinted hard on me. I trained him to become my service dog, however, he has too much separation anxiety from me and ended up failing the course. He is still my best bud.
Juniper
Breed: Miniature Schnauzer
Age: 7 years
Owner’s Name: Shanna R.
Dog’s Favorite Activity: Tug & chase
Brief story of how you came to have your dog in your life: I have had struggles with PTSD from the service. Juniper provides a sense of comfort and companionship so that I no longer have to deal with those issues night after night. I am forever in her debt.