Katie McCarron started making dog food using human-grade ingredients when her 14-year-old poodle Rosie was struggling to eat. The food got Rosie eating — and she lived to be nearly 17.

Hoping to help other dogs, Katie founded the Portland Pet Food Company in 2014. She decided to create dog biscuits next.

“I started thinking about what would be unique to Portland and thought about all the breweries we have and thought, ‘Well, I could go repurpose the spent grain,’” Katie said.

Brewer's spent grain (which doesn’t contain hops or alcohol) from Ruse Brewing, Hopworks, and other local breweries is mixed with all-natural peanut butter, Bob’s Red Mill flour, and other locally-sourced ingredients like bacon and pumpkin. Real talk, we’re tempted to eat them ourselves.

City Editor Cambrie’s pups wolfed down the Rosie’s Beef N’ Rice meal. They even got to try (and devour) the company’s new mint biscuits made with mint from a farm in Clatskanie (look for those in February 2023).

Katie McCarron is the bone-afide "top dog" at Portland Pet Food Company. | Photo by PDXtoday