Thursday, February 19, 2009

Man's Best Friend


Dog lovers and the things they will do for their dog's is not a new phenomena. Yes, people may go over board with trust funds and diamond studded collars for their dogs, but overall people, even our ancestors, have had dogs as pets and have given them something special.

As I was unloading the groceries today I noticed that the Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits I bought had a history of the company on the back of the box. It states:

"Back in the early 1900's, there was a little bakery on the Lower East Side of New York City. Although it was known as a biscuit company by trade, the bakers there began to develop a snack that catered to the tastes of all dogs, both large and small. From the starts, the recipe for their bone shaped treat was made with only the most nutritious ingredients for a dog: meat products, minerals and milk. Eventually, as derived from the recipe, the name Milk-Bone naturally came into being and has remained since. Now after 100 years, the Milk-Bone continues to bring the joy of snack time to dogs everywhere."

You can read more about the Milk-Bone history at http://www.milk-bone.com/history.aspx.

Our ancestors also had to obtain dog licenses for their pets. These licenses were issued by cities as a way to acquire funds, just like now. But back then it was not uncommon for dogs to attack livestock, thus leaving angry farmers wanting reimbursement. Thus the idea of charging dog owners for a license.

As you research, check out city records for dog licenses, they may provide some information on your ancestor and his/her best friend.

1 comment:

Julie said...

You've been awarded the KreativBlogger award!