Bend man’s Dawg Grog has world agog

Daniel Keeton’s doggie brew business has been years in the making. But until last summer, his only customer was his dog, Lola Jane. After we profiled Dawg Grog Sunday night, success came to Keeton — literally overnight.

“I had absolutely no idea this was going to be as big as it is right now,” Keeton said Wednesday.

Keeton currently sells his product only at two Bend retailers, Visit Bend and Muddy Paws Bathhouse on Bend’s Westside. But now, orders are coming in from across the country.

“Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, LA, Chicago and New York,” Keeton said, naming just a few.

Americans aren’t the only ones after some Keeton’s brew for their pups. He’s had calls from all over the world.

Unfortunately, right now, he can’t ship out of the States.

In fact, keeping up with orders all together has become a bit of a challenge, But Keeton isn’t complaining.

“I know where I want my business to go, which is not, too big too fast, just getting a quality product out to people,” Keeton said.

His product also happens to be “green.” One of the main ingredients in Dawg Grog is a byproduct from the brewery Keeton works at.

Boneyard Brewmaster Tony Lawrence explained what Keeton uses from the brewery.

“Towards the tail end of this process, we have leftover wort, and that used to go down the drain,” Lawrence said.

Not any more.

Keeton combines the brewery’s wort with water, vegetable broth and glucosamine to make his canine concoction.

Contrary to what Late Night host Conan O’Brien joked about on his show Tuesday night, the liquid treat does not contain alcohol.

Dawg Grog can be served alone as a treat or over dry dog food. One thing to point out: Keeton makes the brew on his own, it’s completely his own creation. Boneyard Brewery only provides the wort that goes into it.

Many people on Twitter can’t stop talking about Dawg Grog, some coining it the first doggie beer. We did some research and found out while it’s unique, Keeton’s creation is not the first brew for canines.

The founder of Bowser Beer in Washington, Jenny Brown, sent us a picture of her golden retriever with a six-pack of her doggie beer.

The Seattle-based company is behind the brews, which come in chicken and beef flavoring. Brown told us Wednesday over the phone about what she thinks of her new competitor.

“More power to them,” she said. “I mean, that’s what drives the American economy is small businesses competing with each other, and people can make their choices based on what they like.”

Brown sells Bowser Beer all over the world and told us it’s her full-time job.

For more information on Bowser Beer you can visit Brown’s website: www.bowserbeer.com and for more information on Keeton’s Dawg Grog you can visit his website: www.dawggrog.com.

One more time to be clear, Dawg Grog is non-alcoholic and non-carbonated. Keeton makes the liquid treat himself, Boneyard Brewery only supplies the wort that goes into it.