New dog boarding & bathing service launching
March 16, 2023
Meaghan and Todd Galbaugh’s love for animals inspired them to create Oh My Dog, a new dog boarding and bathing facility for Chouteau County residents.
Oh My Dog is based out of the Galbaugh home at the corner of 8th Street & Main in Fort Benton.
Meaghan plans to paint angel wings along the side of the tall wooden fence to bring more attention to the business as well as create a photo opportunity where people or pets can pose.
Oh My Dog offers six climate-controlled kennels made from cedar and metal sheeting with raised beds, blankets, food and water bowls, boxes of toys, storage bins for each dog, and a refrigerator for medication.
There are five 3x6’ “Classic Suite” kennels for $25 per day and one 6x6’ “Grand Suite” for $40 per day. Additional pets (in the same kennel) will be $10, and a 20% discount is offered for multiple pets in separate kennels.
Their home sits on three lots and has a large, L-shaped yard with tall wooden fences creating two large grass areas for dogs.
One section of the yard has been gated off to provide a 50x30’ play area. The second yard is 50x150’ for more active dogs.
The boarding facility is already completed and open to four-legged clients, however the salon is still under construction, aiming to be completed by April 1, the business’ official open date. They have already secured city licensing and liability insurance.
Meaghan attended barber school and is currently training in animal grooming in Great Falls. She plans to offer grooming for dogs of various sizes and perhaps even cats in the future. Currently, she only offers dog baths (starting at $25) and nail trims for $10.
Oh My Dog offers long and short-term boarding and even daycare services. The Galbaughs also hope to assist the Dedman Animal Shelter when they can by taking in rescues or fosters.
“Animals give us a lot of joy,” Todd said. “We try to look for things that make us happy and we’re passionate about animals. We brainstormed ideas that we could do together and be home-based and we came up with this.”
The Galbaughs have lived in Fort Benton for two and half years. Todd previously served as a deputy and detention officer for Chouteau County Sheriff’s Office and Meaghan worked at the Wake Cup Coffee House & Restaurant as front of house manager for almost a year.
“Everyone has been so kind to us through the years and we wanted to give back to the community,” Meaghan said. “Fort Benton had a need for a place to bring their dogs and we wanted to provide that need.”
The nearest dog boarding facilities for Chouteau County residents are in Great Falls. The Galbaughs toured other facilities and took notes on how to create a warm, welcoming, calm environment for animals.
“We took notes of what not to do at other boarding places we checked out,” Meaghan said. “We also know how to handle rattlesnakes because of Mr. Miyagi. He always has his face in the dirt.”
Mr. Miyagi is Todd’s emotional support pig. The Galbaughs also have three cats and a rescue dog from the Dedman named Rolo. All of their pets will be kept separate from the occupied kennels.
The Galbaughs recently lost their beloved “tripod” dog, Luna, but “we get to love on other people’s dogs now,” Todd said.
Locals have been receptive and encouraging as the Galbaughs pursue their new venture.
Rustic Mug is making t-shirts, Joyce Fuel and Feeds sold them an old sheep trough that has been renovated into the bathtub for the salon, and the leather handles for the kennels were provided by a family friend’s late grandfather who was also a huge animal lover.
The Galbaughs have also hung up soundproof tiles and curtains to block any noise from the kennels out of courtesy for their neighbors and have used friends’ dogs to test the noise levels and any other details they needed to address.
More details on the boarding process and a full price list can be found on Oh My Dog’s Facebook page. They can be reached at 406-622-3841 or ohmydogfb@gmail.com.