Why does my dog push her bowl when I feed her?

One of the primary reasons dogs push their bowl and not eat their food is that they are trying to “bury” it. You might see them use their nose to “cover” it with something to save their food for later. Another reason is that they might not like the food given to them and want something else.

Why do dogs bury their food?

Dogs bury their food for several reasons. These are mostly related to increasing their chances of survival since dogs used to live in the wild and compete with other animals.

Survival instincts

As mentioned above, your dog’s ancestors lived in the wild.

Because of this, they had to develop skills and other techniques to live longer and protect their resources.

One of the ways they do this is by hiding their food and burying it under the ground. This way, when the harsher days come, and they won’t have a lot of prey to hunt around, they can still survive.

Overfeeding

Another possible reason why dogs try to “bury” their food is because there’s an excess of it.

While some dogs overeat and empty their bowl whenever there’s food, some know how to control their portions and hide the rest for later.

It’s best to check whether your dog is being overfed by consulting your vet. The right amount to feed your dog will vary based on:

• Sex.
• Age.
• Breed.
• Weight.
• Activity level.

Controlling their food is also better for dogs since their food is less likely to get spoiled, especially if you’re giving them wet food.

If you’re a busy pet parent, then it’s best to buy an automatic smart feeder for your furry babies so you’ll have more control over their eating habits.

Protecting against spoilage

Part of a dog’s instinct to save their food is to keep it from getting spoiled.

In the wild, your dog’s ancestors used to bury their food underground to cool it down and avoid spoilage. The ground used to be their natural fridge!

There’s also a lesser chance of their food getting infested with bacteria, germs, and insects that might bring microorganisms that will cause their food to spoil.

What to do if my dog buries their food?

Generally, dogs don’t get harmed by burying their food. After all, it’s an instinct that has kept their species alive for thousands of years.

However, if you find it disruptive, or worse, if it has been affecting their health negatively, here are a few things you can do.

Give them a clean sandbox

If you can’t stop them, why not let them indulge in what comes naturally to your dogs?

Since a sandbox is something you can clean and control, it’s better if your dog buries their food here.

Use interactive feeding puzzles

Another way you can help your dog stop “burying” their food is by stimulating them mentally using feeder toys.

These feeding puzzles typically give out a few pieces of food after they “solve” the puzzle, meaning they will eat slowly.

These puzzles also help control their eating habit and make food seem scarce, which in turn will lessen their habit of burying their food.