Dog biscuits – or dog bread as it was known during Roman times – was once considered poor-quality bread that was unfit for humans. According to oneofakindpets.com, James Spratt, an American, developed dog biscuits after watching stray dogs scavenging for food on a trip to England in the mid 1800s.
His cake like biscuit was made of meat, grains and vegetables called “Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes.” 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.
Today there are hundreds of dog biscuits on the market and in all different sizes, shapes and flavors. They can contain vitamins and minerals, help to keep teeth clean, maintain a dog’s weight and hide medicine or pills.
Teddy’s favorites are mini works of art and look more like people cookies than dog biscuits.
In 2012, Deanna Bloomer of Indianapolis was contemplating the best way to tackle her beloved Lab mix, Beth’s, food allergies. She started searching online for grain-free dog treat recipes. After a year of testing and tweaking, Mrs. B’s Gourmet Biscuits & Bones was born.
Mrs. B’s treats are registered with the Indiana State Chemist Office & Seed Commissioner. Deanna must apply for the designation each year. This includes sending samples of the treats for analysis of things such as moisture content and protein. Each wrapped item, whether a single cookie or bag of nuggets, is labeled with the ingredients clearly listed per the Chemist Office’s instructions.
Deanna’s family’s four dogs – Beth, a now-11-year-old yellow Lab mix; Dexter, an almost-2-year-old yellow Lab; Zoe, an 11-year-old black Lab mix; and Georgia, an almost-2-year-old black Lab – are her eager taste testers.
Teddy loves all of Mrs. B’s treats. He gobbles up her peanut butter nuggets with gusto. When a treat box comes in the mail, his tail rotates like a helicopter propeller in flight, so fast you can barely see it. When the canine hears the words “Mrs. B’s” he heads straight to the kitchen and the cupboard where the treats are stored.
Deanna uses a yogurt icing to create whimsical designs on each treat, keeping up with popular people cookie designs. Each holiday has its own shaped cookies. This past year a red pickup truck with a tree in the back was popular in country decor. When Deanna saw that same pickup design in a cookie cutter she knew she had to use it.
When I open a wrapped a cookie I always marvel at her craftsmanship.
“Look at the cookie, Teddy. It looks like a real truck. Isn’t that cool?”
Teddy stares at me impatiently. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s not the Mona Lisa. It’s a yummy cookie.”
Children … no appreciation for the arts.
EASY DOG BISCUITS
2 cups flour
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
¼ cup water
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mix flour, peanut butter & eggs until slightly combined.
Add a little bit of water until the mixture becomes wet enough to roll out as dough.
Roll out dough & cut shapes with cookie cutters.
Place on cookie sheet.
Bake about 15 minutes or to desired crunchiness
SOURCE: puppyleaks.com/pb-dog-treats/
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