Why is it called dogfooding?
The term dogfooding comes from the phrase eating your own dogfood, which refers to the practice of testing your own products before you release them to the public.
The term dogfooding is said to originate from a 1970s Alpo dog food commercial. The face of the commercial, actor Lorne Greene, claimed that he fed his own dogs Alpo. He tried to show confidence in the product by telling the audience it was good enough for him to use for his beloved pets.
The term was allegedly coined by Microsoft manager Paul Maritz when he sent an email with the heading “Eating your own dogfood” in which he motivated his team to use the company’s product.