Wet Noses: Making ‘the best damn dog food on the planet’

Wet Noses is an independent pet food company that has expanded from dog treats to jarred dog and cat food as well as toppers with a focus on sustainability and nutrition.

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Wet Nose Founder and Owner Jasmine Galligan, here with rescue pups Miguel and Lucy, focuses on eco-consciousness and quality as two of the company’s primary drivers. | Courtesy Wet Noses
Wet Nose Founder and Owner Jasmine Galligan, here with rescue pups Miguel and Lucy, focuses on eco-consciousness and quality as two of the company’s primary drivers. | Courtesy Wet Noses

Monroe, Washington-based pet food and treat company Wet Noses has a definite set of philosophies that make the brand tick — and they don’t mince words about where they stand.

“We are independent,” the company’s website says. “And we plan to stay that way. Because we don’t like people telling us what to do. We don’t want to compromise on integrity when it comes to our ingredients, our people or our footprint. We’re not here to make shareholders happy — we’re here to make the best damn dog food on the planet.”

Making superpremium products while taking care of the planet

Wet Noses closely controls everything from ingredient sourcing to production in its own kitchen, focusing on making everything good enough for human consumption as well as for pets. Part of that focus also goes toward being eco-conscious.

“We strive to be known for crafting the highest-quality food and treats available with the least amount of impact on the planet,” says Jasmine Galligan, founder and owner of Wet Noses. “It’s always been that way. We’ve always been a company that recycles every single thing or reuses things. If we can reuse, we do that first; if we can’t do that we recycle; if we can’t do that we compost.”

According to Galligan, quality is the driving force behind everything else that makes the company work. “That’s always the first thing in our minds, because that quality trickles down to the quality in dogs’ lives and our team’s lives and the planet,” she says. “So it’s not just about a very high-quality item, it’s quality as a whole concept.”

One of the most prominent examples of Wet Noses’ care for the planet is in its packaging. When the company recently released its new line of Cleary Good Food for Dogs (its first foray beyond dog treats and into nutritionally balanced pet food), it went with glass jars to showcase the product.

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Wanting to increase its nutritional presence in dogs’ daily lives, Wet Noses developed a wet food line for dogs with ingredients sourced in the USA, no wheat, corn, soy or dairy, and no artificial ingredients. | Courtesy Wet Noses

In addition to the obvious (being recyclable, resealable and reusable), Galligan says the packaging makes them stand out.

“We don’t want to do something that someone else is doing and that’s always been something that’s really important to us — to provide value through innovation,” says Galligan. “Our food is so clearly good that I really wanted to make something that you can see.”

Innovation is another primary component of what makes Wet Noses run.

“Our growth has been dependent on our ability to innovate across all aspects of our business and the responsibility we feel to bring truly healthy, made-in-the-USA, good-enough-for-humans-but-made-for-dogs products to market,” says Galligan. “It also takes a ton of grit and a lot of good karma.”

Beyond treats: offering dog and cat food and toppers

Wet Noses was initially known for its crunchy dog treats, which are organic and human grade. Flavors include combinations like Apple & Ginger, Carrot & Sweet Potato and Hemp Seed & Banana, and the two most popular flavors (Peanut Butter & Molasses and Pumpkin & Quinoa) also come in “Big Bones,” grain-free 2-ounce bone-shaped treats. But the company wanted to do more.

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Wet Noses started off as a dog treat company with a mission to provide premium products for dogs that focused on the well-being of the animals, their owners and the planet. | Courtesy Wet Noses

“Really, a treat is just a treat and you don’t have to feed it,” says Galligan. “I wanted to make an impact on the lives of dogs with daily nutrition, being able to do the full day of consumption.”

So, Cleary Good Food for Dogs was born, holding to the same standards of 100% organic ingredients and non-GMO Project verification that the treats tout. Wet Whiskers Food for Cats joined the jarred food lineup with four simple recipes: Beef, Chicken, Fish and Turkey.

Wag Soup is the Wet Noses line of dog food toppers, meant to pour over kibble or serve on its own as a snack. In keeping with the company’s philosophy of taking care of pets, the product works well for dogs with food allergies, sensitivities, an upset stomach or one who just doesn’t feel well.

“We have consistently hit our growth goals and are thrilled to see Clearly Good Food for Dogs and Cats, as well as Wag Soup, growing at a rapid pace,” says Galligan of the new lines. “We are invested in the success of these product lines and focused on developing strong distributor and retailer partnerships to support them.” 

Wet Noses has also expanded into frozen dog food, which comes in fully cooked patties that pet owners can thaw and feed directly to their animals. Like the company’s other products, the frozen line is sourced and made in the USA, free of artificial ingredients and has a human-food flair with recipes like Beef & Barley, Chicken & Rice, Chicken & Oat and Turkey & Rice.

“Our challenge right now is to capitalize on the success we’re seeing and grow quickly enough to keep up with demand, while still staying true to the values and culture that define Wet Noses,” says Galligan. “We are a creative, gritty, fun-loving bunch of dog (and people) lovers who want to make the best damn dog food and treats on the planet, and we never want that passion to change.”

 

Fast Facts

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Headquarters:  Monroe, Washington, USA

Officers: Jasmine Galligan, founder and owner

Brands: Wet Noses

Website/Social Media: www.wet-noses.com, @wetnosesinc on Facebook and Instagram

Notable: The nose on Wet Noses’ logo is that of Dooce, a rescued mutt who belonged to Jasmine when the company was founded.

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