While you may think that dogs have always been the center of attention in families, the history of dog treats tells an entirely different story.
Today healthy dog biscuit recipes for homemade dog treats give you a fun way to show your dog that you love her!
Have you ever wondered exactly what a dog biscuit is? I have. Knowing exactly what a dog biscuit was, became especially important when I started Natural Pet Bakery and began to create recipes for dog treats.
I simply needed to have a way to distinguish dog cookies from dog biscuits, so that customers could easily find the kind of treats that they wanted.
What I found is that, the definitions for biscuits are a bit fuzzy. For example, Webster’s Dictionary says that a canine biscuit is hard and contains ground bones and meat. Yuk!
And, as you probably already know, many people use “dog treats” and “dog biscuits” interchangeably.
A quick look at the history of biscuits for dogs can give you some more insight…
Brief History of Dog Treats
Dogs were not always the center of a household, nor were they always treated like family members.
Before the middle of the 19th century, canine pets mostly got table scraps and bones instead of dog food. And some had to find food where they could, on their own. Nobody even considered giving a dog a treat.
However, gradually dogs became more important to their owners.
The first commercial or patented dog treat product appeared in England in 1860, and was developed by James Spratt. His “biscuits for dogs” were made of wheat, beetroot, vegetables and beef blood.
For awhile, Spratt was the only game in town.
However, a few other small companies soon developed products of their own, and in 1907, F.H. Bennett, started making his biscuits in the form of a flat bone—he named them Milk Bones.
Bennett’s company was later purchased by Nabisco, and you’re probably familiar with their dog bones.
Today we think of dog biscuits as hard, dry dog snacks that help to keep our dog’s teeth clean and healthy.
They are not a primary dog food, but a supplement to your dog’s diet.
I hope you enjoy making my dog treat recipes for your dog.
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