Funny Dog eating habit

[Loremar]

Hi guys.....I wonder if anyone can explain why my daughter's dog does this before eating......Before she eats out of her dish she keeps going around it and with her nose appears to be covering her dish with imaginary soil. She does for a few minutes and then eats her food normally....Thanks for any replys

[frankiecat]

It sounds like she is confused! In the wild dogs bury their food for later.

My lady cat tries to cover her sweeties with 'soil' so that her greedy guts of a brother can't get her share. She usually manages to cover them in magazines - which gutsy Frankie moves aside easily.

I have just realised that I am logged in under my cat's user name. Doh!

Hope you and your dog had a good day.

[fredpuli47]

If a dog is not particularly hungry it covers its food, to return to it later.In the house it may do this by pushing whatever is conveniently nearby over it.That may be newspaper or card or a bit of blanket.And it uses its nose to do so. (This always seems odd, since you'd think its feet would be better).

One of mine does this trick by miming, just imitating the action of nosing, as much as to say 'I don't need this now, but I don't want you to let the others have it!' If I remove the food, she's happy enough.If I ignore her she will usually go on to eat the food but not in any great hurry.Of course, if one of the other dogs then appears she'll rush over and gobble it down.

[Loremar]

Hi Frank...Fred.... Good answers thanks for that, makes sense.....Have a nice Xmas...cheers