

The habit could be a sign of a health problem, being overfed, or boredom. This may stem from living with another dog who takes things away, among other reasons. It could indicate stressĭogs who hide or protect their possessions may have underlying anxiety or stress issues. When it comes to domesticated dogs, hiding items prevents other pets in the house from stealing them,” states Naito. “It’s believed that hiding a surplus of food in the ground is a canine survival strategy where the food can be preserved and protected in the cool ground, and then eaten later. Just as squirrels stash nuts and humans put valuables in a safe, dogs hide their most treasured items, so they stay safe and don’t end up lost. “Although we may not want our dogs hiding a half-eaten bully stick between the couch cushions or digging up the back yard to bury a bone, we have to understand that this is nature, not naughtiness,” explains Naito.

“Most of the time when dogs hide things, they do so because they have an instinct to hoard or guard their food and possessions,” says Fenton.
HOW TO HIDE OBJECT BORDERS IN DISC COVER 3 HOW TO
Animal Behavior College Dog Trainer Deborah Fenton and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Kate Naito discuss why dogs hide things and how to address hiding behavior so you can keep track of all your favorite things. But why? There are several explanations for why your dog has this somewhat annoying behavior. Training, creating a controlled environment, and positive reinforcement can help curb item hiding.Habitual hiding habits can become problematic if off-limits items keep disappearing.

