# Girl Scouts Launch First Cookie for Dogs After More Than a Century of Sales
The Girl Scouts of the USA has announced its first cookie designed specifically for dogs, marking a novel addition to a fundraising tradition that began in 1917. Set to debut in January, the blueberry muffin-flavored treat called Patch Pals will feature four designs representing classic Girl Scout patches: a compass, a trefoil, a heart, and a ball.
The organization developed Patch Pals in collaboration with Bark, a New York-based dog toy and treat company. According to a GSUSA statement, the cookie was "inspired by Girl Scouts' deep love for their dogs" and intended to "celebrate the bond between people and their pups."
The cookie tradition itself traces back to 1917, five years after the organization's founding. The Mistletoe Troop of Muskogee, Oklahoma, sold cookies in the local high school cafeteria to raise money for gifts that were later sent to soldiers from the state. A sculpture of a Girl Scout and a small exhibit installed at Muskogee's Three Rivers Museum commemorate the troop and the tradition's humble beginnings.
In 1922, the first standardized recipe for Girl Scout sugar cookies appeared in the July edition of American Girl magazine. The recipe called for a cup each of butter and sugar, two tablespoons of milk, two eggs, a teaspoon of vanilla, two cups of flour, and two teaspoons of baking powder—enough to make six to seven dozen cookies. Each dozen sold for 25 to 30 cents. "Attention Scouts! Forward March! Bake! Sell! This is your chance to show how much Scouting means to you," read the message accompanying the insert.
Through the 1930s, recipes and designs were refined as the cookies gained popularity among both troops and consumers. Marketing and production were gradually streamlined, and the cookies evolved from being home-baked to produced by commercial bakers. Sales boomed following World War II. During the war itself, sugar, flour, and butter shortages forced Girl Scouts to sell calendars instead of cookies to raise funds.
By the 1960s, a consistent rotation of five cookies featured Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints), Savannahs, Chocolate and Vanillas, Scot-Teas, and Shortbreads. New varieties emerged in subsequent decades, some with regional names that sparked strong reactions. "The cookies sold by my daughter's Girl Scout troop are now called 'Caramel deLites' instead of 'Samoas.' Why?" Carrie Stetler wrote in a Star-Ledger op-ed in 2008. "I'm outraged—yes, outraged—that Girl Scout cookies have new names."
Alongside Patch Pals, the scouts will introduce Sparkables, the organization's first allergy-friendly cookie. According to the GSUSA statement, both additions were "inspired by Girl Scouts around the country who have advocated for expanding the cookie lineup to meet the diverse needs of their communities" and "offer new ways for more girls, families and beloved pets to participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program—while staying true to what makes the tradition special."
**Sources:**
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/girl-scouts-of-america-announces-a-first-for-its-iconic-cookie-lineup-one-created-exclusively-for-dogs-180989479/