How Long Has Dry Dog Food Been Around?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The world’s first commercial pet food was developed in

1860

by an electrician named James Spratt. After journeying from Ohio to the United Kingdom to sell lightning rods, Spratt noticed dogs along the riverbanks in Northern London eating leftover hardtack, the dry biscuit sailors ate on long trips.

What is the oldest brand of dog food?

In 1922,

Ken-L Ration

, the first commercial canned dog food, used it as its main ingredient and horse meat remained popular for several decades thanks to its affordability.

When did canned dog food start?

Canned dog food began life as horsemeat and was introduced in

1922

by the Chappel Brothers and was called the Ken-L-Ration. They started off using excess horses left over from World War I and then by the 1930s they began breeding horses for the purposes of making dog food.

When did raw dog food become popular?

A reluctance to feed horse meat and supply problems led to the brothers changing their strategy and they began to produce dry dog food. In

the 1930s

, they started the first commercial production in the UK when they began canning a meat and ‘dry’ cereal food for dogs.

What did dogs eat 100 years ago?

People have started to believe that dry kibble is the norm and that giving dogs real, whole food is a fad because of Big Pet Food’s influence. In reality, dogs have been eating raw meat for as long as they’ve existed. Dogs have only been eating

kibble or highly processed food

for the last 100 years!

What did dogs historically eat?

In common households during the middle ages and through the mid-19

th

centuries however, little consideration was given to feeding dogs, as a dog’s diet was much like that of its owners, consisting of whatever owners could spare, such as

knuckles of bone, cabbage, potatoes, onions and crusts of bread

.

Do dogs prefer wet or dry food?

Pet owners generally prefer

dry dog food

because of its ease of administration but there are also many health benefits to dry food. One benefit of feeding your dog a dry diet is that it can support their dental health.

Is there horse meat in dog food?

In the 1920s, according to Nestle, slaughterhouses opened pet food companies to dispose of horse meat. It remained a major ingredient in pet food until at least the 1940s. Today, Nestle said,

most pet food companies do not profess to use horse meat

, partially for fear it would discourage people from buying the product.

Why is dry dog food called kibble?

So, what is kibble exactly? Let’s dive right into its history.

The first batch of kibble was derived from a crumbled biscuit

. The brain child of James Spratt, an electrician and salesman from Cincinnati, this crumbled biscuit was baked and transformed into a tasty treat for dogs.

What did dogs eat before they were domesticated?

But before the mid-1800s, dogs primarily lived outside and ate

raw meat or table scraps

. It was only after the Industrial Revolution that the growth of a more affluent middle class led to cats and dogs becoming house pets who were considered more “civilized” companions than their outdoor, working counterparts.

What did Romans feed dogs?

How long did dogs used to live?

“The mean age at death (all breeds, all causes) was

11 years and 1 month

, but in dogs dying of natural causes it was 12 years and 8 months. Only 8 percent of dogs lived beyond 15, and 64 percent of dogs died of disease or were euthanized as a result of disease.

Who invented dry dog food?

An American electrician,

James Spratt

, concocted the first dog treat. Living in London at the time, he witnessed dogs around a shipyard eating scraps of discarded biscuits. Shortly thereafter he introduced his dog food, made up of wheat meals, vegetables and meat.

Do they still make Ken L Ration dog food?

Ken-L Ration is of a brand of dog food that is

no longer produced

. In recent history, Ken-L Ration was owned by Quaker Oats, but the brand was sold to H. J. Heinz Co. in 1995.

What is dry dog food made of?

Kibble contains the following:

Meat Meal made from rendered meat by-products (livestock, seafood, horses and other dead animals) Cereals and Grains (except grain free kibble) Corn Gluten Feed (usually)

.

Is dog food made from dead dogs?

According to the pet food industry, meat can come from virtually any mammal

1

. So,

generic meat meal can be legally made from road kill, dead, diseased or dying farm animals — even euthanized cats and dogs.

Why does a dog eat grass?


Dogs need roughage in their diets and grass is a good source of fiber

. A lack of roughage affects the dog’s ability to digest food and pass stool, so grass may actually help their bodily functions run more smoothly.

Can a dog eat bacon?

4. Bacon, Ham and Fat Trimmings. Bacon, bacon grease, ham, and fat trimmed off meat or bones contains a lot of salt and/or fat and at the least

can cause indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea in both dogs and cats

. These foods can also cause pancreatitis, a serious, potentially deadly inflammation of the pancreas.

What would dogs naturally eat?

Dogs are carnivores and the primary component of their diet is prey. This could be small animals –

mice, voles, rabbits, birds, insects

and so forth – or it could be larger prey caught with the help of a pack. Either way, they eat everything – the internal organs, the meat, the bones… the lot.

What foods can dogs not eat?

  • Chocolate. Chocolate contains a very toxic substance called methylxanthines, which are stimulants that can stop a dog’s metabolic process. …
  • Avocados. …
  • Onions and Garlic. …
  • Grapes and Raisins. …
  • Milk and other Dairy Products. …
  • Macadamia Nuts. …
  • Sugary foods and drinks. …
  • Caffeine.

What kind of meat is dog food made of?

First, let’s define the word “meat”. According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), dog food “meat” consists primarily of

muscle tissue from cows, pigs, sheep or goats

.

Is it cruel to feed a dog once a day?

Most veterinarians (including myself) recommend feeding adult dogs twice a day. Some people feed their dogs once a day, but

dogs that are only fed once a day can get hungry and also sometimes can be prone to bilious vomiting (vomiting caused by an empty stomach)

.

How many times should dog eat a day?

The number of meals a dog eats per day depends completely on the family schedule. Dogs should eat

at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart

. But a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.

What does it mean when your dog bows?

The bow is a common body language gesture that dogs use as communication. This playful gesture

most often is their way of saying that they want to play

.

What happened to Alpo wet dog food?

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company today announced it is

voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes

.

Do people eat camels?


Camel meat is eaten in the Middle East and parts of Africa

. It’s no chicken, though. This is serious special-occasion food. The hump is the prized cut, offering the fattiest, most tender meat, according to the Syrian-Lebanese chef and author Anissa Helou, who has written about her experiences eating camel meat.

Does Taco Bell use horse meat?


Taco Bell has officially joined Club Horse Meat

. The fast-food chain and subsidiary of Yum Brands says it has found horse meat in some of the ground beef it sells in the United Kingdom. The British Food Standards Agency said Taco Bell’s products contained more than 1% (pdf) horse meat.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.