A brief history of dog food

It can be hard to imagine a world without pet food, but believe it or not, it’s a relatively modern concept. Let’s take a trip back in time and discover the history of dog food, from the 1800s to the present day.

Until the mid-1800s: draft animals

Before we started to think of dogs as part of our family, they were used primarily as working animals. When not working, they lived outdoors and survived on a diet of table scraps such as potatoes, cabbage and bread crusts. In short, anything not eaten by the family was fed to the dogs. At this point in the history of dog food, the nutritional content or quality of the ingredients in our pet’s meals was not a major concern.

Mid-1800s: The Industrial Revolution

Our relationship with dogs began to change in the mid-1800s during the Industrial Revolution. With the rise of the middle class, families were able to afford to keep dogs as pets, which marked the transition of dogs becoming pets rather than just working animals.

1860: The first commercial pet food is produced

Now that dogs were brought into the family home as pets, there was a growing demand for specific dog foods. This England-based businessman, James Spratt, inspired the creation of the first commercial dog food, a wheat-based biscuit he called the “Patented Meat Fibrin Dog Cake”.

1890: Commercial pet food arrives in the United States

Production of Spratt’s Dog Cakes may have started in England, but it wasn’t long before they were acquired and operations expanded to the United States. Over the next 30 years, other companies began to develop their own lines of dog food as demand continued to grow.

1922: Canned dog food is introduced

In the 1920s there were a number of brands of kibble available to pet owners, but it was not until 1922 that a wet canned recipe was available. Known as the “Ken-L Ration”, the main ingredient of this wet food was horse meat, which was a common ingredient at the time.

Early 1960s: The first puppy food is produced

By the 1960s, dog-specific foods were a big part of the market, with families choosing them over leftover food for their dogs. However, it wasn’t until the early 1960s that pet owners were offered foods specifically designed for puppies. This marked a turning point in the history of dog food, as companies and consumers became increasingly aware of the importance of proper nutrition for a dog’s life stage.

Mid-1980s: nutritional needs of pets are created

The introduction of specific puppy foods was a milestone in the history of dog food, but an even bigger milestone came in the mid-1980s when the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science of the United States has published the nutritional requirements for dogs and cats. This publication provided pet food producers with nutritional recommendations based on physical activity and life stage, which we now know are major factors influencing nutrient requirements.

2006: Nutritional requirements are updated and Freshpet is created

In 2006 the original nutrient requirements were updated to better reflect the better understanding of animal nutrition. Coincidentally, that was the same year that Freshpet was created! In October 2006, we set out on a mission to revolutionize the way pets are fed, moving from shelf-stable kibble to recipes using fresh, natural ingredients.

2006 – today: More variety than ever

When Freshpet first appeared in local pet store refrigerators, our recipes were only available in rolls. Over time, however, we have expanded to offer different formats, including bagged meals and ready-to-serve patties, to cater to a wider range of preferences. We have also started adapting our recipes to meet different needs by introducing specific recipes for small breeds, puppies, skin and digestive issues, as well as an all-vegetable range.

Today, we are proud to offer several product lines straight from our Freshpet kitchens:

The history of dog food may not be very long, but it has certainly been turbulent. Pet parents have more choices than ever – especially when it comes to Freshpet – and we, for our part, can’t wait to see what lies ahead for the future of dog food!