International Dog Biscuit Day

If every dog is to have his day, Feb. 23rd is the day. Why? Because it’s International Dog Biscuit Day and every pup wags his tail for treats!

Here at Wellness, the pups are especially fond of flavors like Chicken and Cheddar Cheese and Peanuts & Honey. As a pet parent, you know there’s a treat for every taste and age range – training treats, grain free treats, treats with glucosamine for joint health and much more.

But it wasn’t always like this….

A Short Story About Dog “Cakes”

Commercial dog food is thought to date back to the mid-19th century when an electrician named John Spratt is said to have been inspired upon seeing a pack of hungry strays ravage a barrel of ship’s tack in London.

Back then, “tack” was created as a hard biscuit that passed for sustenance in the days prior to refrigeration. Made of flour, water and baked into a “biscuit,” “hard tack” as it was known, was virtually tasteless but provided seafarers, soldiers and anyone else who needed a portable food substance a way to reduce the hunger pangs.

And while we can’t imagine tack was anything the dogs (or humans) looked forward to –unlike today’s variety of treats, many dogs subsisted on a diet of meager scraps. Which means anything they could get was welcome – even an unguarded store of tack.

At WellPet, our own history of introducing dog biscuits dates back over 90 years. Our sister brand’s classic recipe of Old Mother Hubbard Biscuits was originally developed as a wholesome snack for fisherman while out at sea. One day, a sailor threw a biscuit to his dog who happily gobbled it up.

Over the years, these dog “cakes” morphed from a primary food source into dessert and then into a healthy treat with the flavors and shapes we have today.

Which is your dog’s favorite Wellness biscuit? Why not share your pooch enjoying his favorite Wellness flavor on our social media pages? You can use the hashtag #NationalDogBiscuitDay.