For many people, pets are family. In fact, in many homes, some pets have a higher status than their human family members. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many pet owners want the best food and treats for their furry friends. Cincinnati-area pet owners don’t have to look far; several local companies are providing nutritious and delicious treats and food for pets in the Queen City.
Pet Wants
Pet Wants may have over 100 franchised locations across the United States, plus a delivery service, but it all started in Over-the-Rhine, with a storefront at Findlay Market. Open since 2010, Pet Wants focuses on pet nutrition. Co-founder Michele Hobbs got the idea from the journey to solve her dog’s own health problems. Most prescriptions weren’t helping, except for steroids, but Hobbs was worried about the effects of long-term use.
“I had spent so much time and money and energy on vet bills and specialized diets, and nothing worked,” Hobbs said. “I set out to find out how to change it, and it was food. It was the nutrition in the food. My dog was nutrient-deficient.”
Her research paid off. Her dog showed improvement. Many customers have reported similar results.
Unlike many big-brand foods, the food made and sold at Pet Wants does not have preservatives and is made with fresh ingredients at a family-owned plant with high standards for quality.
When Pet Wants first opened, Amazon primarily sold and delivered books, so Pet Wants had less competition and was ahead of its time. Pet Wants has embraced many changes in the social climate and now can even be found on DoorDash. However, the more things change, the more they stay the same, both in terms of Pet Wants’ devotion to freshness and nutrition and the loyalty of their customers.
“Believe it or not,” Hobbs said, “we have dogs that are still coming to us that came when we first opened. Isn’t that crazy?”
Pet Wants, 1409 Vine St. and 1813 Pleasant St. in Over-the-Rhine, plus multiple other locations. More info: petwants.com.
MaiRo & Co Dog Treat Bakery
Another local brand that prides itself on bringing nutritious and delicious pet food to the Cincinnati area is MaiRo & Co Dog Treat Bakery. Founded by Stephen Drace and Robert Burnett, it is named after their three dogs, Maisie, Rosie and Coco, who were also the inspiration for the brand. Drace and Burnett started out making treats for their dogs; soon, they also made treats for friends and then branched out into opening their own bakery.
Drace and Burnett, originally from Southern California, have quickly settled into life in Cincinnati and become part of the local community. Their treats can even be found at such institutions as Findlay Market and Jungle Jim’s. The ingredients also come from local sources, such as honey from several apiaries throughout Southwest Ohio and eggs from their own backyard chickens. It doesn’t get much more local than that.
MaiRo & Co started out with typical dog treats and the occasional birthday cake, but after much experimentation, the company now offers unique treats such as donuts, churros and even dog-friendly buckeyes.
“All the same goodies you can find in a human bakery, but for dogs,” Burnett explained.
Event details and retails locations can be found online at mairoandco.com.
Brewhaus Dog Bones
Cincinnati is known for its breweries, and one company is cashing in on that reputation in a unique, meaningful and sustainable way. Brewhaus Dog Bones sells bones made from spent beer brewing grains by students with intellectual disabilities. Brewhaus is a nonprofit organization, and all proceeds directly support the workers.
Launched in October 2014 with Listermann Brewing, Brewhaus Dog Bones now works with 20 local and Midwestern breweries.
The crew is made up of 18-22-year-old students, and they participate in all aspects of the business, from baking to forecasting demand to counting money from sales. This helps the students learn valuable life and work lessons.
“Our goal is to continue to scale up to provide even more opportunities to those facing obstacles and challenges securing traditional community employment,” said founder and “chief baking officer” Lisa Jones Graham.
Flavors produced by Brewhaus include peanut butter, pumpkin, cheese, honey blueberry, and raspberry carob chip. Brewhaus also bakes for and supplies the dog treats sold at Graeter’s locations, making it part of Cincinnati history. Aside from their standard flavors, Brewhaus can make custom recipes and frequently does for breweries and dog-themed businesses.
Brewhaus Dog Bones, 1623 Burney Ln., Mt. Washington. More info: brewhausdogbones.com.
Pugalicious Pet Treats
Another local brand that proves that necessity breeds creativity is West Chester-based Pugalicious Pet Treats, owned by Michelle and Patrick Burns. The name and the inspiration come from the same place: The Burns’ pug, Ace, who is “allergic to everything.” He needs a grain-free, limited-ingredient diet. There were few treat options available to Ace, so the Burnses took matters into their own hands. They began making freeze-dried treats, and a business idea was born.
The flavors are simple: Duck, bison, sweet potato, pumpkin and more, using simple, local ingredients and restaurant-grade proteins. While any animal can enjoy them, they are especially beneficial for elderly animals, animals with dietary restrictions and even animals who struggle to eat.
“We make all treats and food ourselves in small batches to ensure quality,” Patrick Burns said. “We take raw meat, vegetables and liver–sourced from local suppliers with high sustainability standards–blend and freeze-dry without using any preservatives. During the freeze-drying process, moisture is removed from the treats without using heat that would destroy the nutrients. We test all our products with [our dogs] Rocky, Ace and Hunter before we sell them to ensure they meet their standards! We are confident, if our dogs love them, you will too!”
Pugalicious Freeze Dried Pet Treats, West Chester. To shop their treats in person, browse their list of retail partners at pugaliciouspettreats.com/retail-partners. More info: pugaliciouspettreats.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s March 5 print edition.
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This article appears in Mar 5-18, 2025.