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! 🐾
When THE man iss dun with his Flame Thrower may wee borrow it pleese?? Seereussly! Wee are so dun with this Winter!! Just when it “heetss” up to 37-38 F; tempyture dropss like a stone an freezess an snow fallss…
CATFISH! Where oh where iss Spring Miss Monika an Wilson?!?
THE recipess sound deelish-uss. Inn fact, a certain purrson (BellaSita) started drooling! FORE REEL…
Did youss’ nose BellaSita eated sum Milk Boness back inn THE day? MMM hmmm….
Her 2nd Poochie Bogart Sam (Shepherd/Husky cross) did not nose what Milk Boness were. So BellaSita bit innto a plain one. Gave Bogart Sam THE rest. Shee did it with a veggie green one an a cheeze orange one! Shee said THE cheeze were furry guud! Iss she part Poochie??
Mew mew mew BellaDharma an **burpss** (xcuse me) BellaSita Mum
{Snicker} You betcha! Spring will be here in a few weeks but we hope old man winter starts pumping the brakes on winter for you guys. And soon!
3 weekss wee hope two Wilson an Miss Monika!!!This Winter has been ruff ruff ruff!!!!! 😉
Oooo, those treat recipes look yummy! Will be sharing with my FiveSibes readers!
And yes, after more snow last night, we are so ready for spring! It’s been a long winter this year! While the snow is so peaceful and pretty, I think over two feet now, we’ve had enough! I may have to borrow that blowtorch as my driveway is once again covered! ☃️
Thank you, Dorothy! I hope your readers enjoy making those healthy treats. Elsa was a big fan (actually so were Norman & Sam but they were especially good for Elsa with her epilepsy).
It’s hard for me to wrap my head around two feet of snow. We’ve received zilch for the most part and what few flakes have fallen since December have been so negligible we don’t even count it. It was 70F yesterday! We’ve never had that before in February that I can ever remember so this new normal is pretty scary for the West. You’re more than welcome to using a blowtorch on your driveway! Stay safe and warm.
Java Bean: “Ayyy, what?! It was International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day and we missed it? I didn’t get a single biscuit!”
Lulu: “Neither did I! Do you think we can sue?”
Wilson has offered to represent you at the Hague’s International Court for Abused Pets. We hope you at least got some fish skins.
Golly those cookies ALMOST make me wish I was a doggie! Tee Hee
Hugs, Teddy
I can actually say they aren’t half bad, taste wise. Probably because there’s no addictive sugar in them! LOL
Happy Dog Biscuit Day! The recipes sound great and thank you for researching the history of these treats.
Many thanks. Years ago I had a custom dog biscuit business and curated a bunch of recipes in a cookbook to benefit a rescue. I’ve had a good time sharing recipes to owners who wanted homemade, healthy recipes for their fur babies.
We need one of those blow torches…not right now, but sooner or later! It would be handy for some of the nasty weeds around here, too, LOL!
Those treats sound yummy! If I made any, they would have to be wheat free and with limited ingredients, since Dalton seems to have allergies.
We have a new snowy blanket over everything, and that came after all the old snow had melted, even a lot of the piled up snow…winter can’t be over soon enough, but then we’ll likely find other stuff to grumble about in the weather dept. Thankfully we are not in the blizzard area, Phew!
Yes! I think most of the upper part of your state needs blow torches to go with power generators. 😊 The treats are from the cookbook I wrote to benefit the rescue. I often used coconut flour for those pups with allergies. Just know that using cute cutters were challenging. Simple shapes like squares, circles and hearts were easier.
More snow?? What the heck! Mother Nature is definitely hormonal. Hopefully she will relent soon and let spring arrive on schedule. Hang in there and stay safe and warm.
Happy Monday! Woof!! Abbi says thank you for the dog treat recipe. She can’t wait to try them! 😊
Interesting history!
Thanks for the comic smiles! Yes, winter just keeps on coming! We didn’t get hit as hard as they thought we might this weekend, though, so that is good. I can appreciate watching the snow fall when it doesn’t add up to too much. But Wednesday its going to try and hit us again. 🤦♀️
You’re most welcome. Hope sweet Abbi enjoys the treats. So sorry about the east coast storms. I am simply dumbfounded that nature has taken such a hard line on your guys. Poor Rhode Island! Stay cozy and safe.
YES! Poor Rhode Island!! Thankfully we don’t have it nearly that bad and the forecast changed for Wednesday! No snow! Yay! 🙂
Bravo!
I had no idea as per the history of dog biscuits, but I did know that line from Norm, an all timer. But hey, how did you get my pic?
Here’s to Wilson’s favorite day. Hope he got a belly full.
Thanks, Marc. Norman was such a great spokesperson for the cookbook I wrote with Sam and Elsa before he arrived. My custom dog cookies were such fun and I still have dozens of breed shaped cutters that I reminisce about often. Good times. As the resident Barn taster these days, Wilson gets first crack at any new recipes and is always patient and diligent helping in the test kitchen. 😉
Norman, what a lovely soul he was.
Wilson has a lot of work on his paws but I know he’s up to the task.
He was a truly special guy and I miss his gentle ways every day. He was such an ambassador.
A beautiful soul.
I remember going with father to the pet shop to buy biscuits for my first ever dog, Sandy. He loved the green – supposed to be cabbage flavoured – ones and the kind owner used to load our bag up with more than our fair share of them.
He also had a mynah bird who would greet regular customers by imitating their voices…. I was as pleased as punch the day he greeted me in the same way!
Thanks, Helen. I hadn’t realized the UK connection with respect to biscuits. Kinda of fascinating. I can almost hear the shop mynah bird greeting customers. How cool was that!
We can tell you really and sincerely appreciate those biscuit treats Wilson, yum! That flamethrower is a wonderful idea!
Thanks, Terry. I think folks on the east coast would find flame throwers quite useful this week. Meanwhile out West, we’re still almost 20 degrees above normal with no snow in sight. Sigh. We keep hoping for a wet spring or we’ll be in deep stuff this summer.
I’m sure Wren could get behind this special day! PB and pumpkin? Yum!
Wren would love these treats…of that we’re sure. When Sam’s K9 Kitchen was open, no dog objected to them. I had a whole bevy of tasters and those two flavors were the most popular. Plus they’re easy and fun to make, especially on a snowy day. 😉
Great Recipes, Monika. Thanks for sharing. Thanks also for the back story on dog treats. 😊
Happy to be able to share in National Dog Biscuit Day. Hope the pupsters get their fair share today. Happy Monday!
BOL! I’m glad we don’t need a flame thrower! It’s gotten quite cold here again, but the sun is shining brightly.
Instead of coconut flour, you might consider casava flour (or a mix of the two).
Sunshine, even on a cold day, makes it easily to accept. Glad you don’t need a blow torch.
We used coconut flour because it was better for Elsa’s seizures but I’ll have to check out the casava flour next time. We hope you have a wonderful Monday!
That’s very interesting that foods affected the seizures. Never knew that.
Certain foods can make a difference. Epi-dogs do better on a high protein diet and coconut oil products always seem to work well since it’s gluten-free, high-fiber, and a high-protein alternative to wheat. That’s not to say that she didn’t get the occasional gluten treats. Her pill pockets were always made with coconut flour.
Mom is pretty happy with the Olympics this year. Lots of athletes are from our state and did well which is fun. One actually works for the real estate company Mom does her business with. He and his partner got silver in curling. Mom remembers 1980 and Herb Brooks who was from here and died tragically in a single car accident in 2003. The Miracle on Ice was a big deal here and he would love to have seen this team win. The women beat the Canadians too. All in all, fun stuff to watch but after two weeks we have seen enough. Enjoy your cookies today!
Every player on Mum’s hockey team scored a goal and six of the eight players sent to the Olympics are bringing home a medal. Pretty cool, huh?
Mum was heartbroken when Herb Brooks passed. He was such an inspiration to winter athletes everywhere. We enjoyed the actual competition but the broadcasting…not nearly as much. Have a wagnificent Monday!
I couldn’t agree more on the homemade element. Yes, you guys have really received a bunch of white stuff as well as the cold. Hopefully it will mean you’re going to have a terrific spring. 🤞🏼
Blow torch the snow… There’s an idea 😀 😀 😀
With the kind of snow some folks have received, it could be quite a terrific solution (sadly we haven’t received it and just hope for a nice wet spring)! 😂 Happy Monday, Paul
Here’s my go to recipe for dog cookies: open browser to Amazon Prime. Place order. Have a beer.
Bwahahaha, what an excellent idea. Owner and pup win. I like it. Happy Monday. 🍺
Yum….we are going to have to get Mama busy and making us home made treat!! Thanks so much for the recipes!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
You’re most welcome, guys. That PB recipe was Sam, Norman and Elsa’s favorite but they enjoyed all the treats I made for them. Happy Monday!
wow that is interesting… and there is something about us, that people tried to spoil us since so many years …
Glad you enjoyed the history behind dog biscuits. Wilson says there’s nothing wrong with spoiling dogs…be it with treats or extra attention. I think he even said he could use more of each. 😂
Happy Monday!
That last meme–spot on.
Thanks, Jacqui. I only wish we would have received enough snow to be able to use a blow torch. Have a fabulous Monday!
All smiles are welcome and I love the back stories for everything. Happy Day, Wilson. I hope those treats turn out well.
Thanks, Dan. Glad you enjoyed the back story about dog treats. I had no idea who Milk Bones came to be although I prefer homemade treats to those little bricks that have no preservatives and are actually good for the dogs. Hope you didn’t get too dumped on. Stay warm and safe-have a super Monday.
We’ve managed to dig out. Our dogs loved Milk Bones.
Glad you’ve managed to dig out. Most dogs enjoy Milk Bones. Some of the amounts are staggering. Poor Rhode Island!
I’ve never made treats for my cats unless you count deboning a rotisserie chicken! Wish I could send you some snow. We got 6 inches which isn’t bad. It’s less than predicted and when it comes to snow I don’t like to be an over achiever!
We’d happily accept any snow that could be doled out.
Yes, I do believe deboning Rotisserie chicken is totally a homemade treat! LOL
Stay warm; I hope the storm passes quickly and melts even faster. Happy Monday, Kate.
That’s interesting, I would have thought that commercial or processed pet treats would have appeared later than the early 1800s!
Thanks Lisa. I too was more than a little surprised about this history of dog treats. Hope you have a wonderful Monday!
Love the funnies. I laughed out loud.
I linked this post to Awww Mondays.
Have a fabulous day and week. Big hug to you and lots of scritches to handsome Wilson. ♥
So glad you enjoyed today’s smiles, dear Sandee. We snorted when we saw the blow torch pic! Thanks for linking us to your Monday blog post. You’re always so kind-we appreciate you! Happy Monday from me and Wilson.
Thank you for the good laugh. Yup, sick of winter big time. We were lucky and only got an inch of snow, on the back end of the storm, I guess. I’m not complaining. But Gracie, with all her feathering, came in from morning potty break with about a zillion small snow balls handing from her belly and legs. I wish I’d had my camera handy.
Glad you enjoyed today’s smiles. We’ve had basically no snow this winter and other than a few cold days, winter has been mostly a no-show.
When Elsa was still with me, she loved the snow and always came back in the house with frozen snowballs around her ankles and chin. She loved eating snow and hated me trying to remove those snowballs. But she always bouncing around in the snow and used to make me laugh. I’d give anything to be able to remove them again. ❤️🩹 Have a ‘furbulous’ Monday and stay safe and warm.
I think we’ve had your snow this year – much more than usual. You can have it back if you want.
Gracie is so low to the ground that her entire underside and legs were covered with the snowballs. Just too funny. Unlike Elsa she didn’t appreciate them and worked hard to shake them off. Snow is definitely not her thing.
I’d be more than happy to take it off your hands! 😊
I could not read your post aloud to the girls this morning due to all the mentions words cake, treat, and bones. They would have stampeded me! Seriously thanks for sharing the history. I would not have guessed crafted dog treats have been around so long. Thanks for the recipes too! I’m not a baker but I think I could tackle these, so long as Holly is nearby to bail me out if needed. 😉
As far as winter, yeah we only had one week of it so far and I’m done with it! I finally got us dug out over the weekend. One of the many trade offs for living in this beautiful area.
Have a great week and Happy Int’l Dog biscuit appreciation day Wilson. Enjoy!
Hahaha…yup…most canine foodies need to have those words spelled in order to keep them from losing their minds. 😂 Those recipes are super simply to make and healthy and always well received.
Happy Monday to you and the Golden Girls. I only wish we would have had some winter (we’re down 54% to date). It’s beyond bone dry in the 303 and the summer fire season is shaping up to be horrid.
Yeah I know we need more winter in many areas (but not the North East)! I just love to complain about any day that’s not dry and over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We need the water and snow pack and our regional ski operators need the biz. So I’ll take one or two for the team. As if I have a choice…🙃
I know what you mean, Mike. We all like to complain about the weather…I think it’s human nature to want whatever we don’t have but I can’t help but worry about the watershed. With Lake Powell being at historic lows, we in the West can’t help but be concerned.
I used to make pumpkin peanut butter treats for Zeke!
And haha!! That’s a tad overkill 😉
I dunno, with the winter that some folks have experienced, it seems appropriate. LOL Certainly not us, we haven’t received anywhere near the usual amount of snow but I know folks in New England are sick of it.
Homemade treats were always welcomed at the Ranch. And I enjoyed selling treats to folks who wanted well made and healthy treats. I have jillions of cookie cutters for all sorts of breeds. I’m sure Zeke loved your treats.
Have a wagnificent Monday!
Lemme tell you, our winter has been friggen cold and quite a bit of snow. Mind you, it has toughened me up some…
Nothing beats homemade when it comes to food.
And you as well!!