For All You Dick Van Patten Fans

[Dravyk]

I know you've all been wondering what Dick's been up to lately ... why he's eating dog food.


Dick Van Patten eats dog food

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- For "Eight Is Enough" patriarch Dick Van Patten, some dog food is good enough to eat.

Van Patten is lending his name and likeness to a new dog food formula that claims to be indistinguishable from a home-cooked meal for humans.

To prove his point, he recently sampled the "Irish stew" recipe at a media luncheon.

"Not too bad," the 76-year-old actor said before offering a bite to his canine dining companion.

"Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs" also comes in such flavors as spaghetti and meatballs, hobo chili and Chinese takeout.

The product is designed with the health of pets in mind and marketed as an alternative to feeding them table scraps, said Natural Balance President Joey Herrick.

"Eight Is Enough" aired from 1977 to 1981