May 21, 2008

NEW YORK –- Still thriving after a century as a dog snack institution, Milk-Bone today hosted a party in Times Square to mark its 100th anniversary –- or 700 in dog years.

"It was very celebratory and fun," said Amy Hammerschmidt, senior brand manager for Milk-Bone. "A lot of people brought their dogs. We had dogs of all different breeds there."

The celebration was highlighted by the world's largest dog house, a 480-square-footer called the Milk-Bone Moments Dog House. It was covered with more than 100,000 Milk-Bones and featured autographed photos of celebrity dog owners and their pets.

More than 68,000 tons of Milk-Bone dog biscuits are consumed annually, making it America's largest-selling dog snack brand, according to Hammerschmidt.

"That's 15,000 tons heavier than the Titanic," Hammerschmidt said. "More than 7 billion Milk-Bone dog biscuits were made last year. That could cover every inch of Central Park 2.8 times. Or wrap around the moon 23 times."

Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, was on hand to help dedicate the giant dog house, as the brand signed up contestants for its Make a Milk-Bone Moment contest. Milk-Bone is searching for its first-ever "SpokesDog" and is soliciting pictures and videos capturing special times dogs have with their owners.

The contest will recognize the top 100 Milk-Bone moments, and the dog chosen for having the most memorable moment will win the Grand prize, a $100,000 contract as the Milk Bones SpokesDog. More information is available at milkbone.com.

During the anniversary celebration, Milk-Bone presented a $1 million donation in honor of its Milk-Bone Canine Heroes program. The longstanding national outreach initiative provides canine assistance service dogs to individuals with physical disabilities, as well as police dogs for law enforcement agencies.

The first Milk-Bone biscuit was sold on Manhattan's Lower East Side in 1908 by F.H. Bennett Biscuit Company, which was acquired by Nabisco in 1931. The brand has since been owned by Kraft and is currently owned by Del Monte Foods.

During the 1940s, the biscuits became available in small, medium and large sizes. Nowadays Milk-Bone makes a wide assortment of dog snacks.

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