Dog & Whistle

Dog & Whistle, a “one-of-a-kind startup,” focuses on providing human-grade treats and meals to dogs while eliminating food waste at the same time.

Eric Adams, founder and CEO of Dog & Whistle, started the business in 2019 after working in both back-of-house (BOH) and front-of-house (FOH) kitchen management for years in notable restaurants around Las Vegas. A dog lover and owner himself, Adams always made a point to give his fur-baby only the highest quality ingredients. 

After working with a company that created a sustainability program, he saw a lot of food thrown out and wasted. Combing his dedication to the environment and dogs, he set out to address pet food safety issues and eradicate food waste through his very own startup company.

Setting up the business, the biggest obstacle was presenting the brand’s idea to potential distributors, partners, and consumers. Another obstacle included explaining the mission to redirect and upcycle excess food from farms and turn it into human-grade dog food.

“Once explained, Dog & Whistle created a lot of great partnerships,” Adams said. The business, he added, has a huge support system. 

Dog-gone Good Ingredients

Starting out, Adams deferred to the experts on the recipes. The Veterinary Nutritional Consultations Inc., based out of North Carolina, curates every recipe. Founded in 1989 by Dr. Rebecca L Remillard, VNC provides professional consultation to veterinarians and pet owners to make pets’ nutritional decisions. 

Every treat and meal prepared is made with the same types of fresh food that Adams and his own family consume. 

“Our motto is that if we can’t eat it, then we won’t feed it to our furbaby!” he said. Adams also taste-tests every product made, but his “Chief Puppy Officer,” Rocket, holds the final say in the matter.

Specializing in single-ingredient treats, D&W offers tantalizing flavors like sirloin beef, chicken breast, turkey breast jerky, salmon jerky, banana, apple, and sweet potato. Vegan ‘Pawtit’ fours are also available locally at Mothership Coffee Roasters and Sunrise Coffee. 

D&W also provides meals offered as a monthly subscription ranging from $85-$180 per month. The meal costs depend on the pet’s size, weight, breed, age, etc. Those interested in giving their dog the best possible ingredients and meals can get started here. 

Meal options currently offered include ‘Hen Solo’ (roasted chicken breast, brown rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, apples, summer squash, canola oil); ‘Gobble ‘Til you Wobble’ (turkey breast, quinoa, sweet potatoes, spinach, cranberries, pumpkin, canola oil); and ‘Sir Loin’ (sirloin beef, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, walnut oil). 

During the holiday season, D&W rolled out their signature advent calendars for dogs, which Adams called “a huge hit.”

Dog & Whistle currently ships anywhere in the U.S. It’s available locally at Market in the Alley and the Wandering Wyld Market up in Reno.

Those interested in sponsoring D&W or placing their products in their own business can contact Adams. Email him at eric@dogandwhistle.com.

Impacts of the Pandemic

Having launched at the beginning of 2019, a year before the pandemic, D&W overcame many obstacles this past year. 

“Our business thrives off of personable interactions [such as] farmers markets [and other] events, so with us not having the ability to have the personal interaction, it was hard to promote with the brand [being] fairly new,” Adams said. 

In response, D&W partnered with other businesses able to stay open during the pandemic. As a pet food provider, D&W qualified as an essential business and continued its growth despite the hindrance.

Moving forward, Adams is optimistic about the business’s outlook, stating that “it’s looking bright!” 

“We have some amazing things that will happen in 2021 and can’t wait to announce.”

Dog & Whistle Goals

Regarding his current company goals, Adams said that his focus this year is expanding the brand and creating jobs. 

“The ultimate goal is to have my startup become one of the few Black unicorn startups! A unicorn is a term used in the venture capital industry to describe a privately held startup company with a value of over $1 billion.” 

D&W also has a big focus on the community, working with several local partners and businesses in Vegas and Reno. They also have a partnership with the organization 1% for the Planet. They donate 1% of their revenue donated to nonprofits focusing on environmental issues. 

“We joined 1% for the Planet to formalize our commitment to giving back to the natural playground that we so love,” Adams said, adding they support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

He went on to explain that The Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) involve a collection of 17 interlinked global goals. These goals act as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.” The SDGs were set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by 2030. 

Besides giving back to the world, Adams said his favorite part about what he does is connecting with people. 

“When I see a posting about our brand and the dog loves our treats, it just solidifies what is important – Doggie Health. And making the world a better place one treat at a time.”

#GetinMotion with Dog & Whistle

Through his work, Adams said he’s learned that consistency is key.

“I have built tremendous business relationships with amazing people and the confidence that I have instilled in myself to drive this company forward.”

Adams concluded by saying, “Every single one of us was put on this earth for a reason, and I believe it is to do something amazing in the world. I’m a huge fan of living in the moment, so as an African-American male, I want to make a positive impact in the world! Live in the Moment!”

Learn more about D&W and get updates by following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit their website and order treats and meals at www.dogandwhistle.com, or call (702) 829-0271.