Why does my dog take their treat to the other room? 🤔

Why does my dog take their treat to the other room? 🤔

Hey there! You hand your dog a treat. One of two things happens. They eat it right there on the spot, or they grab it and immediately disappear with it like they've got somewhere very important to be. 

Both are totally normal, and they trace back to the same instinct playing out in different ways depending on the dog. Here's what's actually going on: 

  1. Confidence. Dogs who eat treats immediately are usually comfortable in their environment and not worried about anyone else coming for their food. 

  1. Old instinct. Dogs who carry treats away are tapping into caching behavior seen in wild canids, where taking food somewhere private meant protecting it from competitors. 

  1. It doesn't mean they're unsafe. Your dog knows they're safe. The instinct to secure something valuable before enjoying it just doesn't fully switch off, even in a comfortable home. 

  1. Value of the treat. The more exciting or aromatic a treat is, the more likely some dogs are to want to take it somewhere private before eating it. 

  1. It's rarely a sign of a problem. Unless it's paired with guarding behavior around other pets or people, this is just a normal quirk, not something that needs correcting. 

So if your dog grabs their Salmon Skins and heads straight for the corner of the living room, take it as a compliment. 

It just means they think what you gave them is worth protecting.Â