Happy Monday. Today is Wilson’s favorite day. Not because it’s Monday but because it’s International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day (also known as National Dog Biscuit Day). Woof, woof! What’s the story behind this special day? We did some digging and hope you enjoy the back story. Plus, in honor of the House Pony’s favorite day, we’re sharing a few recipes from our dog treat cookbook that you can make for your own dog’s favorite day.
So here’s what I discovered about how dog treats came to be a billion dollar business. I learned that the term “dog’s bread” had been around since Roman times. It was frequently labeled “bad bran bread,” with the term being associated with treating people poorly.
Back in early 1800’s England, dog biscuits began to show up that resembled what we are more familiar with now. Made with vegetables, grains, and bran, the mixture was baked together and sold as a treat, with claims made that they would improve a dog’s coat and skin.
The first mass-produced dog biscuit was created by American, James Spratt in London when he began manufacturing his “Meat Fibrine Dog Cake” around 1860. Ingredients were wheat meal, vegetables, beetroot, and meat.
These “dog cakes” were originally marketed to the English gentry for their sporting dogs. Spratt’s Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes began to show up in the U.S. in 1881, and were considered a luxury item and were marketed at dog shows. They appeared on the cover of the first journal of the American Kennel Club in 1889. Spratt’s Patent, Ltd. also supplied army dogs with hundreds of millions of the biscuits during WWI.
Not to be outdone, American F. H. Bennett began to compete against Spratt by making the first bone-shaped dog biscuit, known as “Milk Bone.”
A fascinating side fact that I learned was that a box of Milk-Bone treats made an appearance in the 1924 silent film The Tomboy, and later was the basis for a line from the TV sitcom Cheers, spoken by the character Norm, who was played by George Wendt. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world and I’m wearing Milk-Bone underwear.”
So in honor of the Floof’s favorite day, here are two recipes from our treat making cookbook that you can make for your dog’s favorite day. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter & Pumpkin Dog Treats (Source-Maryland SPCA)
Prep time: 25 min. Cook time: 40 min.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (whole pumpkin only, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 TBS peanut butter (make sure your peanut butter doesn’t contain any Xylitol or other artificial sweeteners)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use much less-1/8 tsp as not all dogs like the taste of cinnamon)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
- Mix together flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, & cinnamon in bowl. Add water as needed to make dough workable but keep it fairly dry and stiff. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1/2″ pieces or use cookie cutters.
- Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.
- Enjoy 🐾
Peter Peter, Punkin Eater Treats *
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or another if your pup has wheat sensitivities. We experimented and use coconut flour because we were out of whole wheat-it was quite yummy but very difficult to use cookie cutters with the coconut flour which made it rather crumbly)
- 1 cup oats
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup plain pumpkin
- 1 cup water (I substituted The Honest Kitchen’s Bone Broth well…because I tend to tinker with recipes and in this case, and it was well received) by my official taster, Sam.
*We blogged this recipe way back when in October 2016. Original post can be seen here.
Mix all ingredients until well combined. Press into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Lightly flour surface and roll dough out to about 1/2″ thick. Use cookie cutters or a small glass to cut out the treats. Bake at 250º for 25-30 minutes and allow to cool before serving. This recipe received the 4-paw seal of approval. 🐾🐾 Nom, nom!
And even though it’s National Dog Biscuit Day, it’s still a Monday, which means we start the week out with a smile or two. The first is in honor of the historic win by Team USA in yesterday’s gold medal men’s hockey, overtime win on the exact day 46 years ago when the upstart US team beat the Soviet Union back in 1980.
Because we know the East Coast from Maryland to Maine is being hit with more severe winter weather, we hope they will appreciate today’s smile. Stay safe, warm and be comforted with the fact that Spring officially arrives in 25 days. Hang in there.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Greetings mates. While you’re reading this post, I’m at the vet’s office getting my teeth cleaned. Ugh. It may be Pet Dental Health Month but for me, like everyone else…I. do. not. like. to. go. to. the. dentist. Period. Come to think of it, I’m not much of a fan for going to the vet. Wilson here and through modern technology (aka Mum getting her bum in gear to post this), I am likely snoozing while my vet and his assistant are making me have pearly whites again, as you read this. As we always do on Friday’s, we’re joining Rosy and Sunny from the 
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