The History of Commercial Dog Food: From Scraps to Kibble
If you’re like most pet parents, you probably already have a go-to brand of dog food for your canine companion. You may have also decided between dry and wet food, or even a mix of both. This just goes to show how much the pet food industry shapes our choices and, ultimately, our dogs' lives.
Have you ever wondered who created the first commercial dog food or what animal nutrition was like in the past? The origins of the pet food industry are filled with intriguing questions, and we’re excited to explore some of them with you. Along the way, we’ll also share new insights into how this industry has evolved.
That's why we've put together this blog post. As both an animal homeopathy expert and a devoted dog mom to our golden-doodle, Westin, I’m passionate about providing the best possible nutrition. But making informed choices requires digging deep into the facts. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the commercial pet food industry, so you can understand its impact on your pet’s health and well-being.
The importance of understanding the history of commercial pet food
At Zumalka, we’re passionate advocates of innovation, using natural methods to enhance the health and quality of life of our pets. We don’t follow conventional paths. Instead, we continuously seek new ways to elevate the use of natural food in pet care.
We believe that studying the history of commercially prepared pet food offers valuable insights into how past events have shaped the current industry. Surprisingly, these historical influences also play a significant role in your dog's overall health and wellness. Ready to dive in and explore how it all connects? Let’s get started.
For The Love of Man’s Best Friend
As part of our mission to promote your dog’s health and well-being, we’ve put together a useful backgrounder on raw pet food and manufactured dog food. This guide is especially valuable for those considering starting their pet on a raw food diet.
We're not here to convince anyone to do something they don’t want to do. Instead, our goal is to provide you, our readers, with the information you need to make smart decisions for your beloved pets. After all, when it comes to pet parenting, we’re all on the same page, right?
There’s nothing wrong with feeding your pet canned or other commercial dog foods. However, this article aims to explore how natural pet foods can be a viable alternative—offering comparable nutrients and taste, all without breaking the bank.
We all love pampering our pooches, but how confident are you that you're providing your canine family member with the best dog food possible? Whether it’s dry or wet, there’s so much more to discover about commercial pet food.
Wondering Where Canned Dog Food Came From?
The modern dog food market is the product of decades of trial and error, ongoing searches for viable ingredients, and a focus on safety and protection for our dogs, as highlighted by the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. But why not take a step back and explore how it all began—back when pet food companies didn’t even exist?
Pet food practices over 2,000 years ago
During ancient times, the concept of pet food was vastly different from what we know today. Domesticated dogs were typically fed leftovers and scraps from their human caregivers. It’s important to note that these dogs were viewed more as workers than as companion animals.
The most common "dog food" in ancient times consisted of bread, bones, and meat scraps. Dogs in agrarian societies often had some grain mixed into their meals as well. In his farming manual, the Roman philosopher and poet Marcus Terentius Varro recommended feeding farm dogs the bones of dead sheep along with barley bread soaked in milk. Not exactly the most appetizing meal, right?
Human food played a significant role during this time since it was essentially the only option available. However, as the concept of "owning" dogs evolved and our relationship with them changed, so did the idea of what constituted dog food.
The Middle Ages and dog food
During the European Middle Ages, from 500 CE to 1500 CE, scribes kept records for royalty, noting that it was common for grand houses and royals to keep hounds. These hounds were often given their own kennels, and unlike working dogs, they were not considered laborers. Instead, they were seen as valuable gifts, so cheap food was certainly not on the menu.
The dogs kept in these kennels were fed stews made from meat by-products like lungs, livers, and hearts, along with various grains and vegetables. This was a far more balanced diet compared to the scraps and leftovers their ancient ancestors were given. The "stew of the day" was typically prepared by the kennel cook. In fact, a royal dog’s diet was often better than that of the common folk at the time.
On the other hand, dogs living with common folk during the Middle Ages were often kept as companion animals. In typical households, these dogs were fed whatever table scraps their owners could spare. While these meals might not sound particularly appetizing, they consisted of natural foods with a mix of both wet and dry ingredients.
This means that the typical domestic dog back then ate a mix of cabbage, root crops, grains, potatoes, chopped meat scraps, bean broth, bones, crusts of bread, and whatever else their owners could spare. This natural and resourceful diet is a far cry from the processed "dog foods" you find in pet food aisles today.
Dog food in the 18th century
Farm dogs are becoming the norm and are often loved and valued by their owners. These dogs are typically fed a mixture of lard and grain to keep them healthy and able to perform their duties. Even so, they are still somewhat classified as working animals during this time!
Dog food took a new turn with the advent of people making a living by scavenging dead horses on city streets, cutting up the carcasses, and selling the meat to wealthy dog owners. Yes, cheap horse meat was indeed on the menu for dogs.
But should this be considered the first instance of "specialized" dog food? Not exactly. During this time, even beef blood was commonly served as dinner for canine companions, long before the arrival of commercial pet food.
From Working Dogs to Status Symbols: The Transformation of Extravagant Dog Food
Throughout written history, the wealthy and aristocrats have always fed their pets exceptionally luxurious foods. There are records of dogs being fed better than most humans of their time. One notable example is the Pekingese dogs of Empress Tzu Hsi of China, who were known to dine on delicacies like antelope or goat's milk, quail breasts, and shark fins.
Not to be outdone, the dogs of European nobility were treated to indulgences like candies, buttered eggs, liquor, roast duck, and even cakes. How’s that for dog treats? This was a time when animal nutrition was still in its early stages, and these extravagant diets were common for both dogs and cats owned by royalty.
While it’s likely that these dogs and cats were exposed to health issues like kidney and liver failure due to their rich diets, they were undeniably living the high life. Although their nutritional needs weren’t fully met, their meals were unquestionably grand!
Extravagance somehow sparked the pet food industry
The early beginnings of pet foods took a drastic turn in the mid-1800s when the Industrial Revolution created a growing middle class. These "new rich" embraced luxury and had more leisure time, often treating dogs as "luxury items" and "status symbols." As a result, there was increased scrutiny of what pets were fed, laying the groundwork for the development of more specialized types of pet food.
"Civilizing" Dogs: The Cultural Shift That Shaped the Dog Food Market
As people lavished more affection on their pets, spending in the pet industry surged. This growth spurred the expansion of veterinary medicine, which in turn closely influenced the booming pet food industry. Surprised?
It may be surprising today, but the profession of veterinary medicine was born out of our love for dogs and cats! In fact, a formal platform for animal science was established in the United States in 1895. Around the same time, raw diets began to be scrutinized as "uncivilized."
The unexpected beginnings of dry dog food and similar products
Around the same time as the founding of veterinary medicine, self-proclaimed "experts" began offering advice on how to properly feed dogs. These individuals also commented on dog behavior, with the prevailing belief of the day being that dogs needed to become more "civilized."
This is when the strong preference for cooked meat as dog food began, serving as a precursor to canned canine food. People believed that only wild and "uncivilized" dogs would eat raw meat, a mindset that heavily influenced the pet food industry for nearly a century.
The Evolution of the Dog Food Market: Shifts in Ingredients and Consumer Trends
Would you believe that the story of how dry kibble became the "standard" dog food worldwide began in the 1850s? It all started when James Spratt, a young electrician from Cincinnati, traveled to London for his lightning rod business—only to stumble upon an idea that would revolutionize the pet food industry.
The revolutionary idea behind the first dry dog food
While in London, Spratt witnessed crew members from his ship tossing leftover ship biscuits to waiting dogs at the dock. This simple act sparked an idea in Spratt’s mind, leading him to create the first dry dog food—a product that would eventually become the standard diet for dogs around the world.
Spratt knew that hard tack, another name for ship biscuits, was a staple for sailors due to its long shelf life and ease of production. Made from just salt, water, and flour, these biscuits were mixed, baked, and allowed to harden and dry, making them both cheap and durable. Recognizing these qualities, Spratt saw the potential to create a similarly practical food for dogs.
The result is the dry food for dogs we know today
Spratt recognized that his dog biscuit’s extremely long shelf life—especially valuable in an era without refrigeration—presented a unique opportunity. He believed he could easily produce and sell these cheap, convenient biscuits to urban dog owners, and he was right! The public loved his dog food, marking the start of a new era in pet care.
Spratt’s Patent Fibrine Dog Cake: The Birth of the Pet Food Industry
Did you know that the first dog biscuits were made with a mix of vegetables, beetroot, and wheat, combined with beef blood and then baked? Dogs loved them, and so did pet parents back then, making Spratt’s Dog Cakes a big hit in England when they were introduced to the market in 1860.
Spratt established one of the earliest companies in the history of commercial pet food. His success in England led him to introduce his product to New York in 1870, marking the birth of the American Pet Food Industry.
The Rise of Modern Pet Food: Pushing the Raw Diet Aside
You have to understand that all of this happened during the Industrial Revolution, a time when convenience was heavily exploited, and science was far less advanced than it is today. Remember, there were still no federal regulatory bodies or the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) to oversee pet food production and safety.
Pet nutrition was relatively basic during this time. Pet owners often fed their dogs human food or raw meat, and there was no established standard for what constituted cat food either. However, as cities grew and people equated convenience with progress, they began to move away from feeding their canine companions raw meat, increasingly opting for convenient options like dry kibble.
How Dog Food Evolved: A Timeline Following Spratt's Fibrine Dog Cakes
In the 1880s, A.C. Daniel’s Medicated Dog Bread was introduced by a veterinarian from Boston, Massachusetts. As one of the earliest forms of veterinary diets, it offered a healthier alternative to meat scraps, marking a significant step forward in pet nutrition.
In 1908, the F.H. Bennet Biscuit Company began producing bone-shaped biscuits and introduced the first dry food specifically for puppies. The idea of creating different-sized kibbles for various dog breeds and ages quickly caught on, as it allowed for better satisfaction of pets' nutritional requirements.
The arrival of the first canned dog food
In 1922, Ken-L-Ration, introduced by the Chappel Brothers from Rockford, Illinois, became the first canned dog food on the market. Made with horse meat, the product quickly became a favorite among dogs, especially after the Chappel Brothers began sponsoring events and advertising on popular radio shows like "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin."
The canned food product became so popular that the company had to start breeding horses to meet the growing demand, resulting in the slaughter of around 50,000 horses a year by the 1930s—all for their brand of dog food. In those years, "horse breeding" came to signify something very different.
In 1931, Nabisco (The National Biscuit Company) purchased the Bennet company and rebranded its dog biscuits as "Milk Bones." Determined to make Milk Bones the "standard" dog food of the era, Nabisco launched an aggressive campaign, even hiring 3,000 salesmen whose sole job was to ensure that Milk Bones were stocked in every food store across the nation.
The Milk Bones campaign was so successful that dog biscuits quickly became a regular part of grocery shopping for every dog owner. It’s worth noting that the concept of dry kibbles and biscuits is less than 100 years old, whereas feeding dogs real food and raw diets has been the norm for millennia.
Dry dog food was falling behind in the market
Canned dog food outshined kibble in popularity during this period. Why? Pet owners noticed that their dogs preferred the taste and texture of commercial wet food over dry biscuits and kibbles, leading to a surge in sales. This trend continued for a few years—until something big dramatically altered the dog food market landscape.
And Then Dry Food Took Center Stage for Dogs
In 1941, 90% of the dog food market was dominated by canned food, and pooches loved it! However, things changed dramatically with the onset of World War II. The scarcity of metals, which were needed for the war effort, led to a downturn in canned dog food production. Additionally, government rationing of food items like meat made dry dog food popular again.
In 1950, The Ralston Purina Company began making their Chex cereal using a cooking extruder. This device pushed a mixture of cereals and other ingredients through a tube, where they were cooked under high pressure and puffed up with air. The result was the Chex we know today, which stays crispy even after milk is added. But what does this have to do with dog food?
Around this time, many pet parents were complaining about the digestibility, texture, and appearance of their dog’s dry food. In response, Purina’s pet division decided to experiment with an extruder from their cereal division to create a better dog food—and they succeeded.
This innovation marked the first appearance of extruded food products for dogs on the market, offering improved digestibility and texture that quickly gained popularity.
Three years later, Purina introduced their now-iconic Purina Dog Chow, a brand and formulation that remains popular to this day. Over time, they expanded their offerings to include specialized varieties for senior dogs, puppies, and juvenile dogs and cats, catering to the unique nutritional needs of pets at different life stages.
So there you have it. Not only was cat food introduced to the market, but pet food companies also played a crucial role in bringing processed foods into the mainstream commercial business. These innovations have had a lasting impact, shaping the way we feed our pets today.
What Happened to Raw Food for Pets?
In the 1950s, Ken-L-Ration began advertising their canned dog food on television, capturing viewers’ attention with phrases like: "This dog food uses only USDA government-inspected horse meat!" Their commercials aired during popular shows such as "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," prompting viewers to embrace the product.
Starting in 1964, the Pet Food Institute launched a campaign to persuade pet parents to exclusively feed their dogs packaged dog food. They funded reports and worked to have them published in magazines and local papers, shaping public opinion on the benefits of commercial dog food.
Some of these sponsored reports even warned about the dangers of table scraps and feeding dogs raw meat. When you think about it, the Pet Food Institute played a major role in casting a negative light on raw diets. Surprising, isn’t it?
That’s the power of aggressive marketing and advertising! We’re sure many of you are familiar with it, especially in today’s world where we’re constantly bombarded with ads on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms.
Did you know that as far back as 50 years ago, the dog food industry was spending an incredible $50 million a year on advertising alone? That was more than five decades ago, so just imagine how much they’re spending now—even with the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 in place!
Is Processed Food Really the Only Option for Dogs?
The thing is, many competing pet food companies claim that their dog food is made with "pure beef"—all in the name of advertising. However, these claims have often been proven to be just that: claims, far from the truth.
Did you know that Purina even acquired the American Crab Meat Company as a division for cat food manufacturing? The company claimed to make cat food fortified with crab meat. However, when their brand was tested, not a single trace of crab was found.
Ask yourself, wouldn’t you rather give your pet REAL beef? Just think about the benefits…
Processed foods may not provide the full nutritional value your pet needs
Today, manufactured dog food is a huge part of the $11 billion pet food industry, and that industry is still growing—but in which direction? Will we continue feeding our dogs GMO corn, wheat, and soy, or will we change the course of history by returning to the basics?
The answer to all that is in your hands, as is the future history of dog food. So, what are you going to do?
Why Immunity Matters as Much as Choosing the Best Cat or Dog Food
Regardless of the dog food you choose for your canine family member, it’s important to remember that supporting their immune system is key to keeping them as happy and healthy as possible. Even if you have the most technologically advanced and balanced food, does it provide the right support for their immune system?
Zumalka's IMMUNOPET is designed to boost your pet's immune system, helping to keep them clear of disease and illness. Composed of a broad-spectrum formula that strengthens immune response, this premium natural product also increases hemoglobin levels and purifies the blood and lymph nodes, contributing to your pet's overall well-being.
Giving your dog (or cat) the quality of life it truly deserves isn’t just about picking the best food option. Whether you choose wet, dry, canned food, or another feeding routine, ensuring your pet's immune system is thriving is absolutely crucial.
Isn’t it time to ensure your dog’s long-term health? With IMMUNOPET, supporting your pet’s immune system is easier than you think.
Conclusion
Managing our dogs' diet is a top priority for responsible pet care. Whether it’s canned food, kibble, wheat meals, or a raw diet, it's essential to ensure that our canine family members receive a balanced and healthy diet. By doing so, we provide them with the quality of life they truly deserve.
As pet parents with varied perspectives, there is one thing we all agree on: the health and happiness of our dogs. Though our opinions on diet, grooming, and exercise routines may differ, we are united in prioritizing their overall well-being.
I hope you found this blog post informative. I’d love to hear your insights, questions, or suggestions in the comments so we can start a discussion. If there’s anything you’d like to add, please share it—we can all learn from each other.
I hope you'll join me for my next blog post, where I’ll continue sharing my experiences as an animal homeopathy expert. This journey of helping pets lead healthier lives is incredibly fulfilling, and I’m grateful to share it with you. Remember, if your pet shows any signs of health issues or irregularities, it’s crucial to consult a vet or pet wellness professional right away.
About the author
This post offers a fascinating dive into the evolution of dog food! It’s intriguing to see how our approach to feeding pets has evolved from simple table scraps to a multi-billion dollar industry. The history and insights into early dog diets, like barley bread and meat by-products, provide a unique perspective on how far we’ve come. I look forward to learning more about raw feeding and future trends in dog nutrition. Great job, Zumalka, for shedding light on such an important topic!
I congratulate, what necessary words…, a brilliant idea
I ran out of dog food 2 weeks ago and just cooked up some rice seeing how I was too lazy to go to the store. I mix in our scraps from dinner and whatever food my infant didn’t finish throughout the day, rotisserie chicken, meat trimmings from whatever I’m cooking. Like tonight they had rice, rotisserie chicken, broccoli, potato skins and hard boiled eggs. I no longer fight with them to eat there food, now I’m fighting them off begging for more. Its only been 2 weeks, but I’m noticing more energy and better stools. I no longer trust these manufacturing companies telling me I’m a bad parent feeding my human and furbabies homemade food. They are both only getting that from now on.
Hi Estefania, Thank you for your excellent question. According to the pet food institute: Businessman James Spratt introduced the first commercially-prepared pet food in England in approximately 1860. After seeing dogs being fed leftover biscuits from a ship, Spratt formulated the first dog biscuit: a mix of wheat meals, vegetables, beetroot and beef blood.
What was the first ever made dog food???
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