Hiding Food

Sizzler

Just got a dog, hes a little terrier cross and we rescued him as he was an unclaimed stray. Hes a grand happy little chap but hes started to hide food...in his bed and in the garden in little holes :eek:

He gets fed well and often leaves food in his dish but why is he doing this? Anybody experience this before?

SuzyS1972

I think it's just terrier behaviour - If it isn't a problem for you then I wouldn't try to analyise it too much. Dogs instinct is to bury / hide food You should see whats behind my garden shed - pigs ears , bones , bread and all sorts.:p

Hellrazer

Ive noticed this with rescue dogs in the past specially if they were strays--Its like a mindset of them not knowing where their next meal is coming from so they hoard a little for the "bad" times.


He`ll get out of it once he realises he has a source of food forever.

Sizzler

Hellrazer wrote:

Ive noticed this with rescue dogs in the past specially if they were strays--Its like a mindset of them not knowing where their next meal is coming from so they hoard a little for the "bad" times.


He`ll get out of it once he realises he has a source of food forever.

Thats exactly what I thought. Im sure once he settles in he will be reassured that hes going to be well looked after and wont have to worry about the next meal

FlutterinBantam

Das Royatt.... terrier (as you probably know) comes from the French..earth... likes to dig.... earth dog.... so he is just obeying his genes in the hiding respect... He will get out of it if you treat him well...

Lexie

I have 5 dogs, 2 terriers and 3 german shepherds. Out of the 5 only 1 was rescued. 3 out of the 5 dogs dig holes and bury bits of food. One of the terriers trys to dig holes in our wooden floors.

So I dont think it has anything to do with rescue dogs. I think its all dogs instinct to hide/bury food. Some do, some dont.

Alfasudcrazy

We had a terrier once and he used to do that too. Its amazing I forgot all about that till I read this. He often forgot where he burried it and used to get a bit frustrated but I was always able to show him where it was.

smallpaws

My dog lacks for nothing and still buries food for later in between the couch cushions, under the carpet fringe, beneath the bed, etc.. It always cracks me up as when I find it (she buries her treat food only, chicken/turkey meat shavings from the deli) they have solidified into tiny shards of dried treat origami--it's sort of like some kind of homemade, thin, leathery jerky product. She pushes it around with her tiny nose and concentrates really hard, like it's pirate treasure, she is so intent on saving it for later.

gypsygirl

We rescued a badly treated 5yr old Rott from Travellers six years ago and right until the end she (Calm) always hid some of her food away, we reckoned it was because she wasn't sure when she'd get food again. It was quite endearing really, we'd find an old bone shoved into the laundry basket under the clothes or a crust of bread crammed into a corner and when you'd find it Cammy would look all shy n bashfull, sometimes we'd watch her hiding food and she was so carefull to make sure it was well hidden she'd even hide food behind the sofa if she thought you weren't watching her. Calm died 18 months ago and two weeks after she'd gone a family friend found a bone hidden under the pillow of the bed in the spare room (Cammy used to go in there a lot) Boy we laughed n cried when we found it. Your dog may grow out of this habit if he's young enough and has a regular food supply, otherwise just accept it as part of his individual personality.