Understanding history develops critical thinking skills by allowing us to learn from past victories and mistakes, enabling better future decisions. It fosters awareness and empathy while helping to recognize patterns, develop reasoning skills and build toward future success.
I started collecting pet food advertisements years ago and have dozens of marketing pieces and ads dated from the 1890s through the 1980s. This article will cite many of these advertisements and advancements. Many of the brands were large and commonplace but are now no longer in existence. Yet, these brands set the foundations of the pet food industry with nutritional and product advancements.
Today, the pet food industry is often criticized by internet “experts” who know little about food development, yet they are eager to point out faults. Millions of pets have lived longer and healthier lives with ever-improving pet products.
Where did it all begin?
For centuries, pets were fed food scraps or mixtures of milk, chopped meat, eggs and broth. There were no nutritionists focused on dogs, cats, rabbits or other pocket pets. In fact, there were less than 10 trained nutritional scientists focused on pets when I first started at Ralston Purina in 1979.
Fans of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS will see signs for Spratt’s Dog Food in some of the small English towns. Spratt’s was created by James Spratt, an electrician, around 1860, building the first food reminiscent of sailor hardtack. These were called Spratt’s Patent Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes and were made from wheat, beetroot, vegetables and beef blood. Many B-vitamins weren't discovered until between 1910 and 1950, so these early pet foods relied on "healthy" ingredients to deliver the then-unknown natural nutrients pets needed. These products were expensive for common households and sold primarily to the aristocracy in England.
During World War I, over a billion Spratt biscuits (ovals) were eaten by military dogs. Ultimately, Spratt’s was established in the U.S. around 1890 and became a principal food for show dogs. Spratt’s went on to develop a dog cake for exotic breeds called Spratt’s Mollicoddles made of milk, wheat and meat.
Also in the 1890s, a brand was started in the U.S. called Austin’s Dog Bread, by Austin & Graves, which was in a graham cracker form and sold in wooden crates. Austin’s advertised as the “safest food for hot weather” with added meat, cereals and vegetables. Austin's claimed to promote healthier digestion, arguing that dogs shouldn't be fed like pigs with scraps and waste. Nutritionally, the brand emphasized supporting bone development, muscle growth and overall health. During this same period, Kellogg's was launching its human health brands and, ultimately, its breakfast cereals.
Austin’s advertised as the best and cheapest dog food on the market with the purest materials that led to good nutrition and digestion. It was used by kennels all over the country and sold by grocers. The company claimed: “Give your dog a square meal.” This message grew, showing the family dog as a playmate with statements like “love me — love my dog” with a little girl hugging her pet dog. Austin’s published the first feeding directions and encouraged keeping your dog in shape.
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Austin’s Dog Bread played to consumers’ growing affection for their pets and desire for more nutritional feeding options. | Courtesy Dr. George Collings personal collection
Still in the 1890s, Dr. A.C. Daniels launched medicated dog bread to compete with Spratt’s patent and focused on pets with various ailments. It was developed with “nutritional science” using superior ingredients like winter wheat, rice and fresh meat.
Pet food in the 1900s
In 1907, American inventor Carleton Ellis, a chemist, developed an idea for making these biscuits in the shape of a bone. Made from milk, these bones became known as Milk-Bones.
More companies emerged in the 1920s offering canned pet foods, including Chappel Brothers, which launched the Ken-L Ration brand. The main ingredient was horse meat, which was widely available given the prevalence of horses in society at that time. By 1949, Ken-L Ration claimed it contained "all the food elements" for dogs in the proper proportions.
By 1951, the brand emphasized its use of U.S. government-inspected horse meat — a designation implying human-food standards — along with added vitamins and minerals. Other meats such as lamb, pork, mutton and wild game also became popular ingredients during this period.
Chicken didn't appear in pet foods until the 1950s and 1960s, when large-scale poultry farming made it commercially viable.
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Ken-L Ration pet food’s primary ingredient was horse meat — as shown on this can of product from 1923. | Courtesy Dr. George Collings’ personal collection
In 1926, Ralston Purina launched Dog Chow in small squares known as “checkers” through their many feed stores. The food included meat, wheat germ meal, buttermilk, cod liver oil, barley malt, molasses, oats, corn and wheat bran. An advertisement from 1945 spoke of completeness, economy and taste, but most of all a good mixer to blend into other meats with water.
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This 1957 Purina Dog Chow ad promotes a “real meat meal” where only a little water is needed to entice the family pet. | Courtesy Dr. George Collings’ personal collection
In 1939, Ken-L-Ration advertised the discovery of Vitamin B1 for dogs and how Dr. J.W. Patton “became the savior of 100,000 dogs a year.” For the first time, there were before and after pictures showing healthier dogs with these new nutritional discoveries. By 1949, Ken-L-Ration spoke of enrichment of their canned foods with Dog Health vitamins along with lean, red meat that your dog will answer the call for.
By 1944, the growing Gaines Meal brand promoted its ability to nourish dogs comprehensively, emphasizing body- and strength-building protein, energy, sleek appearance, glossy coat and essential vitamins. The company coined the term "Viactron" for its proprietary blend of nutritious foods formed into granules, which it claimed supported bone growth and heart health while remaining economical.
By 1948, Dr. Mark Morris, Sr., partnered with Hills Packing Company to build a health remedy for dogs with kidney failure. Further advancements followed.
In the 1950s, Quaker Oats pushed their oven-roasted food for dogs called Ken-L Biskit, which brought aroma, texture, calories, proteins, and vitamins and minerals in a concentrated form. This expanded to treats in the shape of bones, fish, triangles, milk bottles and hearts that were the “toothbrush for your dog.”
Swift launched Pard Meal in the 1950s, describing the extra meat fat that was added for good taste, super energy and more complete nutrition. One advertisement spoke of the “golden antibiotic” added to promote healthy growth keeping your dog “pardey.” This antibiotic was aureomycin. They also added chlorophyll from chlorophyllin to combat doggy breath and body odors based upon scientific studies.
In 1950, Kellogg’s launched Gro-Pup Ribbon Complete Dog Food with ads on how to provide a complete dinner leading to a “bouncy pup.” Their food was stated complete for all ages, sizes and breeds. In advertisement, this was the first “all life stages” claim.
By 1951, Gaines started to describe another scientific improvement to feeding dogs through homogenization, which spoke of uniformity of the blending process. These would then be combined into crunchy nuggets providing more protein from meat, milk and fish with vitamins and minerals, leading to stronger bones and overall vitality. Quotes from breeders and veterinarians focused on better body condition, digestibility and nourishment. Ultimately this was taken to the breeders focusing on healthy generations.
Gaines was an innovation leader with gravy on dry extruded food, called Gaines Gravy Train, in 1960. Pour water on top of food and a thick rich gravy would form — this would be the first topper. Gaines continued to innovate with soft-moist foods in the shape of hamburger called Gaines Burgers in 1963. Two burgers were equal to the nutrition of a canned food without the can. Ads stated, “Healthiest Dog on the Block — Runs on Gaines Burgers.”
In 1957, Friskies’ ads from Carnation Company spoke of trim, good health. The secret was in real meat, properly balanced. By 1958, Friskies offered a dried extruded cube in six colors and flavors bringing meat, liver, milk, fish, vegetables and chicken into one recipe. The crunchy texture was good for their teeth and gums. Friskies started the push toward puppy nutrition in 1963, announcing food just for puppies that provided 15 vitamins and minerals necessary for puppies.
A breakthrough in pet food manufacturing occurred in 1957 when Ralston Purina inventor Doug Hale developed the extrusion process for blended food ingredients. This innovation enabled improved safety, nutrition and uniformity, benefits that remain fundamental to pet food production today.
By the 1960s, dozens of major brands competed in the pet food market, many of which have since disappeared. Canned cat foods were also gaining traction. Quaker Oats' Puss 'n Boots brand addressed what it characterized as confusion in the cat food category during the 1950s, arguing that feeding cats meat from the butcher was inferior to their formulated products.
The brand emphasized its use of whole fish, which provided calcium and phosphorus for bones, protein for growth and liver and other organ meats for vitamins and minerals. Its marketing claim "Only Whole Fish has Natural Life Balance" promised "sparkling beauty" for cats.
In the 1980s, pet food was sold mostly in grocery stores (about 90%) until the birth of superpremium brands like Science Diet and Eukanuba that helped push sales to pet stores, feed stores and veterinary clinics.
By the late 1980s, a major shift occurred in pet food marketing, what I've called the "demonization of ingredients" in previous articles. This tactic, often employed without scientific evidence, became an easier path to reaching consumers.
Virtually every ingredient among the top 20 edible crops has been demonized, along with every protein source. This has led to entire ingredient classifications being criticized based on hypothesis and social media amplification (e.g., legumes and heart health). Why? It's easier to market what you don't have than to educate consumers about the nutritional balance and fortification you do have.
Today’s pet food landscape
Today there are many preferences, choices or options to feed pets. Canned foods have expanded to pouches, trays and bowls. Dry foods come in many formats. Foods can be delivered in all forms including frozen or refrigerated plastic bags. In all cases, nutrition and health should be the primary focus of bioavailability, balance, fortification and energetics to keep pets healthy — no matter the form and delivery.
There are still many challenges we face in the future:
- How we feed pets to keep them trim and healthy for longer life.
- How we build new, peer-reviewed nutritional, food and genetic science between industry and university.
- How we identify genotypic health disorders linked with nutritional solutions.
- How we build safe products while approving new, innovative ingredients.
- How we build a consistent, level playing field for all products while having efficient regulatory paths.
As we look back and smile, there is much to learn in the future.
