Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Dog Food

Have you ever wondered about how dog food came to be?  Grocery stores didn't always have whole aisles devoted to food for man's best friend.  Come to think of it, not too long ago there weren't any grocery stores like we know them now, and if we go back not a whole lot further in human history, there weren't any grocery stores at all! 

So, what did dogs eat back in those days?  Well, it appears that until about 1860, dogs ate table scraps, grain, rotten meat that humans couldn't consume and sometimes even the flat, hard-baked bread that people (in olde England, anyway) used in place of dinner plates!

Then, in 1860 a man named James Spratt, an electrician from Ohio, took pity on dogs and concocted a biscuit made of wheat, vegetables and beef blood.  Spratt's biscuits became popular, and the rest is history.  A history you can read about here here,  and here.

I don't have any photos of Darby and Bonnie eating dog food to help illustrate this history lesson.  But, I do have these photos of them chomping on each other:

Yes! Darby does have a nice grip on Bonnie's flabby cheek!
Yes!  Bonnie is sinking her teeth into Darby's neck!

Yum!


P.S.  I continue to put Pumpkin pressure on Glenn. "Little drops of water wear down big stones." ~ Russian Proverb

3 comments:

Kelly said...

Very interesting! I wonder if dogs back then were healthy or not..

Becky said...

Hi! Darby, it's me Buddy,
I didn't know that! Interesting! I'm usually just concerned that I get fed.
And now, getting a little fluffy, I've been cut back. I really don't have much love for the Vet.
Like you and Bonnie, my next favorite thing is playing. I'm glad it isn't fattening!
Luv,
Buddy

betty said...

ouch with poor Darby!! Bonnie must have really been upset about something

interesting about dog food. Of course with corgis, all food is their food, labeled dog or person, it doesn't matter to them :)

betty