Now more than ever it’s important to SHOP LOCAL. With the holiday’s around the corner, we wanted to share some of our favorite local pet products & brands. From food, to toys, to fashion, to photography - all you need to spoil your pets & gift your fur-iends this holiday is made right here in Milwaukee.
For The Love of Drax
We LOVE Drax & his Mom, Staci. She makes bandanas, bow ties, collars and accessories by hand, they are cute, clever and solidly crafted - just like her. She started FTLOD to help cover Drax’ medical costs & also donates a portion of the proceeds each month to a local rescue. You can buy her items online, at Central Bark Wauwatosa, Fancy Pants, and at local craft fairs. We have quite a collection of our own as Cooper likes to rotate his looks throughout the season.
Grandpa Bunzel’s Treats
You might have heard of Bunzel's Butcher Shop, it’s a 4th generation family run business & it just makes sense they would sell dog treats. They have a big selection and their prices cannot be beat. Treats include freeze dried chicken hearts, beef liver, tripe, ox tails, and dried cheese curds, which are like Himalayan yak chews. They also have fresh bones, pig ears and tendons from the butcher counter that are priced by the pound.
Canine Compassion Bandanas
Make affordable bandanas in addition to treats and toys. They make one of our favorite gifts the MKE Flag bandana. It's one of our favorite gifts to give to our new clients who have moved here from out of town as our way of saying “Welcome to Milwaukee!” They also have fun floral prints, sugar skulls, and TACOS! We love that they give a portion of their proceeds to rescues.
Threepaw’s Gourmet
Threepaws Gourmet Organic Vegan Dog Treats were born in Hannah Anderson’s kitchen in 2014. They are organic, vegan, grain, gluten, corn & soy free, and were recently named “Best Gourmet Dog Treats” by Rover.com. We love their tasty flavors and colorful sprinkles - Coconut Bacon, Strawberry Coconut, Coconut Carob, and Coconut Carob Mint. With a mission based in compassion Threepaws treats are vegan & handcrafted with love by people with special needs. You can purchase them on Amazon. (People can eat these, too, maybe I have! ; )
Dogs Of MKE
Purchase a one of a kind photo session with MKE Dog Photographer, Jen O’Hara. I recently booked a session with Jen where we walk dogs along the Menomonee River Parkway & was so smitten with the experience. As a former pet sitter & dog walker, Jen is a kindred spirit and has a special touch with not only dogs, but their people. Couple that with her talent for a good shot and you’ll have memories to cherish & share. She also makes really cute shirts, sweatshirts, and the coolest dog collars made from recycled tires that you can also use as a beer opener in a pinch!
Good Hound Company
Good Hound Company makes bandana’s and gear with a flannel flair. As a socially conscious brand, they use upcycled & eco-friendly materials and their mission is to support local rescues by providing funding for ongoing animal care for shelter dogs. One of their offerings that we LOVE is their “Make Your Own” bandana, second chance initiative. You send them a piece of fabric, a shirt or blanket with sentimental value, take your dog's measurement, and they send you back a one of a kind bandana.
Pleasant Valley Treats
Pleasant Valley Treats produce farm fresh single ingredient freeze dried beef, chicken and pork treats for dogs & cats. Their selection includes chews & freeze dried treats - lung, liver, hearts, hardwood smoked pigs ears, beef trachea, and specialty items like green tripe meatballs. They also sell food toppers and gift boxes, which you can order from their site directly.
Leashless Lab
Ok, seriously, could you get any more Milwaukee than Leashless Lab?! They make dog treats using upcycled brewers grains sourced from craft breweries. Made in small batches and 10% of the profits are donated to animal welfare organizations.
Fresh Is Best
We love Fresh is Best mission of producing human quality, raw, grain free, natural pet food & treats. Founder, Stacy LaPoint started making dog food at home for her dog, who had been diagnosed with Addison’s Disease. She learned nutrition and started having success with her feeding regime, soon she was prepping food for friend and family, and Fresh Is Best was born.
This month, we’re thrilled to turn the spotlight on Louisa! She’s our vibrant, outdoorsy superstar who takes care of everything in the Bay View neighborhood—from cat care to pack play, she’s got it all covered! Keep reading to discover more about the amazing person behind the leash and why we’re so lucky to have her as part of our team!