Keto And Kibble: The History Of Dog Food

When you feed your dog raw meat, you often get asked:  

Isn’t raw meat just a fad? Haven’t dogs always eaten dry dog food?

Nope. 

Big Pet Food would like people to think that the “trend” of raw feeding is a recent occurrence. People have started to believe that dry kibble is the norm and that giving dogs real, whole food is a fad because of Big Pet Food’s influence. 

In reality, dogs have been eating raw meat for as long as they’ve existed. Dogs have only been eating kibble or highly processed food for the last 100 years! 

 

SKEPTICAL? HERE’S A QUICK TIMELINE OF DOG FOOD 

  • Dogs phenotypically diverged from gray wolves to become human companions between 10,000 – 33,000 years ago. This is a debated topic and scientists are still researching exactly when wolves and dogs diverged. (source

  • During this early period of domestication, dogs mostly ate scraps of meat and bones given to them by humans.

  • 1860: James Spratt in England created the first commercial dry pet food by creating a dog biscuit out of wheat, vegetables, beetroot and beef blood. (source)   

  • 1920’s: The industry of pet food really began. Kibble + canned dog foods were introduced made out of dehydrated meat and grain mill scraps.

  • Great Depression (30’s - 40’s): Canned pet food became 90% of the pet food market.

  • WWII (1939-45): “Non-essential” pet food was not a priority during wartime and rationing. Dry pet food + dog biscuits became the food that people could afford.

  • 1950’s: The first kibble was created (in the way we think of it now). They used a process called extrusion, where they boiled meat, scraps and fat together, then added vitamins + minerals, and blended in starch to create kibble.

  • 1950’s to now: Since this time, the Big Pet Food Industry has been using similar kibble-making processes to make “dog food” by rendering it in huge manufacturing facilities and then selling it to customers, labeled as “dry dog food”. 

WHAT THIS HISTORY OF DOG FOOD MEANS 

Looking at this timeline we can see that dogs, for tens of thousands of years, have been eating a diet of scraps, meat and bones alongside their human guardians.  

Up until the last 100 years, we’ve always fed our dogs appropriately. It’s only been in the last 60 years or so where kibble has become the new norm. Before this, it was common sense to feed dogs what they are biologically meant to eat (meat, fat, and bones). Even the Romans knew this! 

The point is: we are tired of being told that dogs are “just fine” eating kibble.  

  • We know that somewhere along the way, we strayed from our path and started trading our dogs’ health and well-being in for convenience.  

  • We know that kibble is a new phenomenon and that ketogenic raw dog food is an old science. 

  • We know that the current way we feed our dogs in the mainstream is not a revolution, but a catastrophe.  

That’s why B&C is determined to educate people about pet nutrition.  

We are fighting a battle against huge corporations with deep pockets pushing the “kibble is just fine” mentality. With history and biology on our side, we have no doubt that we will win this battle.  

That’s how we differ from everyone else: we don’t think the food we give our dogs should be “convenient” or “easy”, we believe the food we give our dogs should be good.  

Why? 

Because our best friends deserve the best food. Always.  

 

LEARNING FROM THE PAST TO CHANGE THE FUTURE 

The current way that we feed our dogs kibble is an emergency situation that needs to change right now. 

Learning from history, we know that we haven’t always fed our dogs kibble...for a good reason. We need to get back to basics, giving our dogs food that they biologically require instead of food that is convenient.  

If you’re tired of hearing that dogs are “just fine” eating kibble, JOIN US IN SPARKING A DOG FOOD REVOLUTION.  

Together, we will give dogs what they deserve: better food for a healthier life.  

Power To The People // Power To The Paws,

Your B&C Tribe


Have specific questions about your dog’s health? While B&C cannot give medical advice, we recommend seeking advice from a Holistic Veterinarian for your best furry friend (BFF). B&C is here to be a resource for you while you learn more about raw food, Keto, and dog nutrition!

Bones & Co.