If you have had or have a dog under your care, you will probably agree that these faithful companions have the ability to surprise us in our daily lives with them, performing all kinds of unusual behaviors that can even seem funny to us.
Surely, if you observe your dog you must have many questions about why they perform some of these strange behaviors. An example of this is the behavior that we will deal with in this article on our site, that is, if your dog hides food, either behind furniture, burying it, etc.. For this reason, if you want to learn or have doubts about whether or not this behavior is normal, we invite you to read this article where we will solve this question.
Why is my dog hiding food?
That a dog hides his food is something completely normal, since this behavior is part of his instinct and the dog carries it out due to various reasons that we will explain below:
- To protect the food from othersThe most reasonable cause that explains why your dog hides the food is that he sees it necessary to hide it from other animals with which he lives. Frequently, this is due to the fact that he lives with more dogs or animals which, either due to lack of supervision or because they do not feel satisfied with their own food, steal the other's food. It is also common in these cases to see that the dog eats very quickly, to prevent the other from taking it away, being detrimental to its long-term he alth.
- It's great value food. Your dog may hide the food only when he punctually gives him some delicious treat, like a treat or a bone to gnaw, so he puts it away for later enjoyment.
- Inappropriate environment If the environment in which your dog is eating is not entirely comfortable for him, it is natural that he feel stressed and move to another place to eat. For example, if his food bowl is in a very noisy place, in a busy space or, on the contrary, in one that is too isolated, it is normal for him to seek to feel better in another place in the home. In these cases it is when we can observe that the dog takes the food to his bed. Not all dogs want to eat alone or all accompanied, the important thing is to understand what yours needs. If your dog is one of those who doesn't eat if you're not around, don't miss this other article: "Why doesn't my dog eat and I'm not with him?"
- he is not eating properlyThe reason your dog is hiding food may be that he is not eating enough daily that he needs. By not eating enough, he is hungry and needs to dose it during the day, in addition to saving it to ensure that he can eat later. See the article on Amount of daily food for dogs.
- Negative past experiences When a dog has gone hungry due to a difficult and stressful past (for example, if it was abandoned), for survival he may have developed this habit of hiding food to make sure he has food for later.
- Play or boredomLastly, your dog may hide or bury food because he simply finds it entertaining. In addition, if your dog spends a lot of time alone or does not get enough activity in his day to day, he may find himself bored and seek to have fun in this way.
Should I be concerned if my dog hides food?
If your dog occasionally hides or buries food, such as when he hides some tasty food, you should not be alarmed. However, it is recommended that you find the food later to prevent it from rotting and eating it in poor condition.
Now then, as you have seen, some of the reasons why your dog hides food can indeed be a cause for alarm, since the fact that he keeps or buries the food shows thatfeels insecure regarding a resource as important to him as food. Whether it's because he's afraid that others might take it from him or because he's experiencing or has experienced hunger in the past, you should look for the cause and treat it.
Also, if you notice that your dog is weird since or before he started this behavior, that's also cause for concern, it can be a way of expressing that he feels stress or boredom Therefore, check if your dog's behavior is normal or if he shows other symptoms of stress, such as nervousness, excessive barking…
What to do if my dog hides food?
If you recognize any of the causes we have mentioned, don't worry, as you can solve this problem by following the proper guidelines:
- Separate the animals at feeding time Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable if you always had someone by your side who didn't let you eat in peace? If this is the situation your dog is experiencing, that is, living with a companion who keeps stealing food from his bowl, the simplest solution is to separate them at me altime. In this way, you will ensure that everyone takes their corresponding part, as well as overcome this stressful situation for everyone.
- Find a comfortable zone. If the area where your dog eats is not pleasant for him (especially if he has a rather insecure character), try placing your furry's food in a quiet area away from surrounding stressful stimuli.
- Change the diet and schedule If you doubt whether you are giving your dog enough food or whether he has a proper diet based on of its size and daily exercise, the best thing you can do is consult a veterinarian to advise you on a suitable change in diet. In the same way, in order not to generate anxiety in your dog, which impatiently waits for his food, you should try to comply with a feeding schedule.
- Environmental enrichment If your dog lives in an environment poor in stimuli, without objects or elements to distract him while he is home alone, it is natural that you seek to have fun in your own way. Therefore, apart from making sure you spend enough time with him daily (walks, games, etc.), look to enrich your home by adding durable toys such as the kong, prizes hidden around the house or to gnaw on.
