Has your dog ever buried his favorite food on a blanket, sofa or in a secluded place as soon as he got the chance? People are always surprised to see this and start thinking – “Is my dog hoarding food out of fear of some impending crisis?” But the truth is not so mysterious. In fact, it is their old, innate nature that still influences their behavior today. Before understanding this interesting habit, let us know why dogs do this and what effect it has on the owner.
‘Caching’- Old and interesting habit of animals
In scientific language, this behavior is called caching i.e. keeping food or goods hidden in a safe place for later use. This behavior is seen not only in dogs, but also in many wild animals like squirrels, crows, foxes, wolves. There are two types of caching-
1. Larder Hoarding
For example, squirrels store a lot of food at one or two places for the cold season.
2. Scatter Hoarding (Small stores at many places)
Foxes and wolves hide small stores of food in many places, so that everything is not lost at once.
Dogs still repeat these same natures in modern life, the only difference is that instead of the forest, they now use the house.
Why do dogs hide food, toys and things?
Dogs are not afraid that they will not get food in the future. Rather, it is an old habit that they have inherited, which they use to survive. They rely on their excellent sense of smell and flash memory to remember where something is hidden. When your dog hides a bone in a blanket, buries a toy behind the couch, or buries food in the yard, it’s his natural instinct, not fear.
Is this behavior a sign of a problem?
People associate this behavior of animals with a sign of problem, which is absolutely wrong. Sometimes this is completely normal and healthy behavior. But if your dog hides a lot of things, looks restless, or becomes aggressive, it can also be a sign of mental stress. In such a situation, take your animal to a doctor or animal behavior specialist. The next time your dog lovingly hides his toy or food in a corner, don’t worry, he’s not preparing for some apocalypse! He is simply carrying on the habits of his wild ancestors and behaving perfectly normal, naturally.
