National Dog Biscuit Day

Talk about "ruff!" Today is going to the dogs! Literally! Today is National Dog Biscuit Day also known as International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. While the origins of this annual "howliday" are unknown, Feb. 23 pays homage to man’s best friend. Dogs really do get their day today!

Canines have enjoyed treats for centuries, although earlier versions were quite a bit different than today’s variety. Dog treats used to include stale, moldy bread, rotting leftovers and rock-hard biscuits made out of grain. Pretty "ruff", right? But American James Spratt changed all that on a trip to England in the mid-1800s when he saw hungry, stray dogs scavenging for leftover food. It wasn’t long before he developed a cake-like biscuit comprised of meat, grains and vegetables called “Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes” and the rest, as they say, is history. Then in 1908, the F. H. Bennett Biscuit Co. of New York developed hard-baked, bone-shaped biscuits comprised of various minerals, cow’s milk and meat products, the Milk-Bone.

Doggy treats have come a long way over the years. Today’s treats come in a slew of flavors, shapes and sizes. Whether you buy them in a box or at a gourmet pet food store, nothing gets more tails-a-waggin' than a little treat to eat. Doggy treats not only taste good, they can help clean dogs’ teeth and be used as a reward for good behavior too.