I noticed that every time I give Sunny a tasty treat,he has the habit of carrying it out of his bowl,running over to his favorite mat,doing a little celebratory dance,and then fully immersing himself in enjoying the food.After seeing this happen repeatedly,I stopped putting anything other than regular meals in his bowl.Instead, I give treats by hand,and he still carries them to his “spot” to enjoy.Anyone who’s had a dog has probably experienced this:when feeding a dog, it often picks up the food from the bowl and carries it away.But do you know what might be behind this behavior?
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Instinctive Food Guarding
Dogs’ wild ancestors needed to protect their food from being stolen by others,and this instinct has carried over to modern dogs.Even in a home environment, a dog may carry food away if it fears other pets or humans might “steal” it.If your dog bares its teeth or growls when you approach its food,that’s a classic case of food guarding—and it needs to be corrected.
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Hiding Food
Some dogs may have been strays in the past,constantly facing uncertainty and hunger.Even now with a home, the fear of going hungry can remain deeply ingrained.So whenever they have food, they might want to stash some away for later.If your dog does this, make sure to feed it on a consistent scheduleto provide a sense of security.
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Unsuitable or Smelly Bowls
The wrong dog bowl can make eating uncomfortable—too deep or too small a bowl can be a problem.For example, short-nosed breeds do better with shallow bowls.Sometimes the issue is leftover cleaning detergent,which dogs’ sensitive noses can easily detect.
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Seeking Attention or Interaction
Some dogs carry food out of their bowl simply to get your attention,especially if they feel lonely.They may want you to interact with them.In this case, spending more time togetheror using commands can help break the habit.
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Health Issues
If a dog has dental pain, oral problems, or even digestive discomfort,it may avoid chewing in the bowl and prefer to carry food to a position where eating is more comfortable.
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Pure Picky Eating
When a meal includes meat or vegetables,a dog may pick out foods it doesn’t like and leave them behind.
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Enjoying the Food
Just like people sometimes want a perfect spot to enjoy a meal,dogs also seek a comfortable place or posture to savor their treats.For example, I used to mix chicken breast, egg yolk, and some vegetables into Sunny’s kibbleto make it more appetizing.I thought, “With all these goodies, you’ll definitely finish it all!”While he was focused on eating, we tried not to disturb him.But when I glanced over, I noticed kibble scattered on the floor.At first, I thought he was just eating too fast.Later I realized Sunny had carefully carried out the treats,and while eating, he separated the kibble from the tasty additions, leaving the plain pieces on the mat.
To help him break this habit, I started giving the meat and vegetables at lunchtime,and saving the kibble as a separate dinner,served around 8 PM after our evening walk.Now he’s much calmer and more disciplined.For Sunny, carrying food out was purely due to picky eating.What about your dog?Why does it carry food out of the bowl?
