By Robin Hawn, Senior Brand Manager at PetSafe
It’s National Dog Biscuit Day! Dog biscuits are basically snack food for dogs. Dogs love treats, and we love to treat our dogs, but does the Dog Biscuit really deserve its own day with national recognition? While I feel that some of my favorite snack foods should have a day of celebration based solely on their mouth-watering status, the Dog Biscuit may be more deserving of recognition than just any ole snack.
This was an ad for the first dog biscuits! Where would we be today without James Spratt?
The Dog Biscuit has played a key role in the civilization of our four-legged friends. In 1860, a man name James Spratt developed patented scientifically blended dog food, which he formed into “dog cakes.” Out of wheat, beetroot, vegetables, beef blood, and hard work, Spratt essentially developed the dog biscuit market.
Spratt’s effort is recognized as the first attempt to lift dogs above the class of scavengers which dogs had occupied since dogs began their journey toward domestication in caveman times. Spratt created and marketed a simple way for dog owners to give their dogs healthier, better food than scraps as well as motivate their dogs to complete specific acts.
The birth of the dog biscuit market represents an early step in dog training and the first major piece of pet industry of today. Spratt dominated the U.S. market for nearly 50 years until Bennett's Milk-Bone began making their biscuits in the shape of bones. The world of products, including treat, to pamper and care for our dogs has exploded ever since. The status of dogs in our culture has continued to rise. Dog biscuits and treats are more elaborate than ever and go well beyond simple snack food in rewarding our favorite fuzzy friend.
So why not sit down with your dog today, maybe grab a biscuit, and celebrate the doggie snack food that helped us get here – where our lives are so enriched by our dogs. Hopefully, our dogs feel the same way about us. So, treat your dog today and celebrate
ABOUT ROBIN Robin Hawn is the Senior Brand Manager of the PetSafe Family of Brands for Radio Systems Corporation, head quartered in Knoxville, TN. She works to build a brand of products designed to give consumer more of the best moments they can possibly have with their pets. She has a MBA with a Marketing Emphasis, a B.A in English, and 10 years experience developing and launching marketing plans, brand strategy and PR campaigns across a variety of diverse industries. Her French bulldog Buckley typically logs the same hours at the office as Robin. She volunteers with the Most Pet Friendly Community initiative that has a mission of making Knoxville, TN the most pet friendly community in America.
