Our Story

Lily & Ryan Whitaker — The Couple Behind WhisperPaw Songs

A music teacher, a golden retriever named Bailey, and a custom pet song written from the heart — this is how WhisperPaw Songs, a Montana custom pet song studio, began.

Where It All Began

Lily playing guitar and Ryan writing in their Montana studio, surrounded by Scout the Border Collie, Moose the rescue mix, and cats Luna & Shadow

Lily & Ryan in their Montana studio with Scout, Moose, Luna & Shadow

Lily Whitaker grew up in a Montana town where the piano was the heart of the house. She became an elementary school music teacher — but her greatest student wasn't in any classroom. It was Bailey, her golden retriever, who seemed to understand every chord she played.

When Bailey fell ill, Lily wrote him a song called Waiting by the Door. After he crossed the rainbow bridge, that song healed her family — and revealed a truth she couldn't ignore: every pet family deserves a song that tells their story.

She shared that dream with Ryan, her husband and a former Nashville sound engineer. Together they built a quiet studio on their Montana farm, surrounded by Scout, Moose, Luna & Shadow. Today, over 1,200 songs later, they still review every song as carefully as the first.

Every song begins with a story only you know: custom songs for your dog, songs for your cat, Rainbow Bridge tributes, birthday anthems, and gifts for pet parents who have loved without reservation.

Credentials

About Lily & Ryan

A family-run pet song studio in Montana. Every song is reviewed by Lily & Ryan.

  • Lily holds a degree in Music Education from the University of Montana and taught elementary school music for 8 years before founding WhisperPaw Songs.

  • Ryan spent 6 years as a professional recording engineer on country and Americana productions in Nashville before returning to Montana.

  • Together they have created over 1,200 custom pet songs, including 200+ Rainbow Bridge memorial songs for families across all 50 US states.

  • 13 of our featured customer stories. Every song is personalized from the family’s story and reviewed by Lily & Ryan.

  • Reach them directly at hello@whisperpawsongs.com

Meet Lily & Ryan

Two people. One small farm studio. Every song is built from the pet family's story, and Lily & Ryan review every finished song before it is delivered. No template lyrics.

Co-Founder · Stories & Memorials

Lily Whitaker

Lily grew up in a small Montana town where her parents' upright piano sat in the center of the living room. She completed a Music Education degree at the University of Montana and taught elementary school music for eight years before founding WhisperPaw Songs in 2022.

She cares about the details only a family would know — the chewed slipper, the head tilt, the favorite trail — and makes sure every finished song sounds like the pet, not like a template.

Lily reviews every Rainbow Bridge memorial song with extra care — gentle language, no jokes unless invited, always following the family's tone.

  • Education: BA in Music Education, University of Montana
  • Prior career: 8 years as K-5 music educator
  • At WhisperPaw: Co-founder; 1,200+ custom pet songs delivered since 2022
  • Specialties: Memorial songs, gotcha-day songs, child-narrated pet birthdays

Co-Founder · Sound & Final Review

Ryan Whitaker

Ryan spent six years engineering country and Americana sessions in Nashville before returning to Montana. He brings that ear for sound to the final review of every song.

Every WhisperPaw track gets a final listen before delivery. Standard delivery files are mastered to broadcast-friendly loudness so the song plays at the same volume as anything else on the customer's phone or speaker.

Genres are matched to the occasion: Folk Lullaby for memorials, Heartland Rock for adventure dogs, Gentle Pop Ballad for first-birthday surprises.

  • Prior career: 6 years recording engineer, Nashville (country / Americana)
  • At WhisperPaw: Co-founder; final review on every song since 2022
  • Specialties: Sound quality, genre-matching to occasion

Why this matters

Most personalized-song services route orders to rotating contractors or template engines. WhisperPaw does not. Every song is built from each pet family’s story, and Lily & Ryan review every finished song with the care that started with Bailey’s tribute.

"We never set out to build a business. We simply followed what made our hearts happy — writing songs for the animals who make our lives whole. Bailey taught us that every pet has a story worth singing. Every family we serve becomes part of ours."

— Lily Whitaker

What We Believe

These aren't company values on a wall. They're the convictions that guide every song Lily and Ryan create.

Every Pet is Family

There are no 'just pets.' Every dog, cat, rabbit, and bird carries a story worth telling — and a song worth singing. They're not animals we own. They're family we get to love.

Music Captures What Words Can't

A melody can hold joy and nostalgia at the same time. It can say 'I love you' in a way that transcends species — reaching the heart of both the human and the pet who inspired it.

Songs That Last Forever

Long after paws stop padding across the floor, the song remains — a timeless keepsake of the love, the laughter, and the life shared. That's why we pour our hearts into every note.

1,200+

Custom Songs Crafted

13

Featured Customer Stories

7 Day

Standard Delivery

How Lily & Ryan Create Your Pet's Song

It's a deeply personal process — and it starts with your pet's story.

01

You Share Your Pet's Story

Their name, their quirks, their favorite moments — the things that make them uniquely yours. The more you share, the more your song feels like it was written just for them. Because it was.

02

Your Song Takes Shape

Every detail you've shared shapes the lyrics, the genre, and the voice of your song. Lily & Ryan review each finished song before it is delivered.

03

Your Song Arrives in 7 Days

A complete MP3 song with full music and vocals, delivered to your inbox — ready to play during car rides, cuddle sessions, or any moment that deserves a soundtrack. A keepsake you'll treasure forever.

Ready to Begin?

Let Lily & Ryan Write Your Pet's Song

Join 1,200+ pet families who have turned their companion's story into music.

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