Why do dogs hide food?

My fiances chihuahua hides food everywhere. We always thought it was because she was stocking up in case she ran out and didn't have any. Packrat. When he brings her to my house and she hides food my chihuahua goes and finds it and eats it. That really makes his mad. I think it's funny.

My dog did it for a while, just started feeding him less. When animals hide food they basically want to keep it for later, he still does it with chewy bones and such after a while but no longer with his dog food and meat. I guess you can just try giving her half a cup less of food and see if she'll do it still to hide part of it.

It is thier natural survival instinct. All of the dogs I have ever had have done this with thier food. It doesn't bother me.

Basically it comes from them being wild, and survival. They do it to protect it from other preditors getting it. It is an inate trate they have. Some of them have grown out of it by being demosticated, but others return to their roots.

I think this is an instinct in dogs. They usually live in packs and to stop the others eating their share, they would hide it - like burying a bone to go back later and get it when their more hungry and the others are not around. If Gypsy lived alone with you, she may not do it, but there again, you would be part of her pack, so perhaps she would. Might be a good idea to see if she retrieved the food later, but there again, you couldn't leave it lying around too long or it would start to smell bad. How does she act when you find it?

Why your dog is hiding food? The same reason you put your surplus money in a bank or piggy bank. You are hiding your leftovers then because you consider the money valuable. Your dog does the same. Food is precicous, valuable for your dog. Nice if one has money or food for a rainy day.