International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day Date in the current year: February 23, 2024

Dog biscuits are biscuit-based dog treats and dietary supplements. They are basically a canine equivalent of human snack foods, the main difference being that dog biscuits are healthier than most processed snack foods such as potato chips or candy.

Mentions of “dog’s bread” made from bran date back to ancient Rome. In later centuries, the expression “dog’s bread” was used to refer to particularly bad bread. Modern dog biscuits originated in Britain in the early 19th century; they were originally made from meat, and the term “dog biscuit” was sometimes used synonymously with dog food.

The first dog biscuit factory was opened by American entrepreneur James Spratt in London. As the story goes, Spratt came up with the idea of manufacturing dog biscuits when he saw stray dogs eating scraps of discarded biscuits. He concocted dog food made up of whole-grain wheat flour, meat and vegetables and set up its commercial manufacture in the 1860s. By 1890, Spratt’s had opened factories in the United States.

However, Spratt wasn’t the first to produce bone-shaped dog biscuits that are so popular today. The first bone-shaped dog biscuits were manufactured by the F. H. Bennett Biscuit Company based in New York City in 1908. Bennett came up with the idea of making dog biscuits in the shape of a bone when he was looking for a way to beat the larger competitor. In 1931, Bennett’s company was acquired by Nabisco; the Milk-Bone dog biscuits were the only product not discontinued by the new owner.

Today, dog biscuits are produced by many dog food manufacturers and come in various flavors such as bacon, beef, cheese, chicken, lamb, liver, and turkey. Dog biscuits are similar to human biscuits, but they tend to be much harder and drier in order to help clean the dog’s teeth, and their ingredients are dog-safe. Since most dog biscuits are marketed as dietary supplements, they usually contain minerals and vitamins that dogs need to be healthy.

The history of International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day is murky. It seems to have originated as National Dog Biscuit Day because some holiday websites still refer to it this way, but dog lovers from outside the United States adopted it at some point, and the holiday became known as International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day.

There are many ways to celebrate this amazing holiday. You can get your dog its favorite dog biscuits, teach your pet a new command or trick using biscuits as a reward, try making your own dog biscuits, meet up with other dog owners for a play date and discuss various dog biscuit brands while your pups are busy playing, or donate some dog biscuits to your local pet shelter. And don’t forget to post about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #NationalDogBiscuitDay and #InternationalDogBiscuitAppreciationDay.