Joseph Roetheli, PhD
Highlights:
Dogs may hide treats due to boredom, from being overfed, or as a sign of stress.
Deterring your dog from hiding treats can be accomplished with a few proactive steps.
Offering your dogs Yummy Combs® dental treats and ensuring they immediately consume them can help prevent your dog from treat stashing behavior.
Many dogs become excited when they receive a treat. Some dogs become so joyful they gleefully accept the treat and immediately run away.
Most pet owners are never really sure if their dog ate the treat, although that’s the assumption. Days later, you may accidentally step on the sharp corner of a dog biscuit protruding from the edge of a bed or under a rug. This leads to the discovery that the treats you’ve been giving your dog are being hidden away.
Like Jock, the spunky terrier in Lady and the Tramp, your dog may appear to be saving their treats away for a rainy day. While this behavior may seem harmless, there is usually an underlying reason why a dog hides its treats, and some of those reasons may need addressing.
At Yummy Combs, we want to ensure treats make it to your dog’s tummy. We’ll give you some reasons why your dog may be hiding treats and tell you how to discourage the behavior.
Dogs may hide treats or toys, but the underlying reasons are usually the same. We may think it’s a funny game, but usually, your dog isn’t playing hide-and-seek with you. There are probably causes for treat-hiding that can be addressed.
Hiding food for survival dates back to your dog’s ancestors, who hid food when it was scarce so they could find it when they needed it. That ancient thread of DNA is still present (at least to some degree) in your own pet, which is one reason your dog may hide treats.
Some breeds (like miniature dachshunds, beagles, and terriers) are more prone to digging and hiding treats and toys. If your dog lives in a home with other dogs or animals, hiding their treats may be their way of preventing another pet from consuming them.
Anxiety in dogs can be hard to diagnose. Symptoms often include panting, whining, tucking the tail between the legs, flattening the ears, and yawning. If your dog is stressed, they may also hide treats. This can be common if another animal (or a small child) often takes the treats or toys from the dog.
Although it is rare, hiding treats could indicate a larger health problem. If your dog has no appetite and they are given a treat, they may hide the treat instead of consuming it. Dogs that are being overfed will also hide treats instead of consuming them.
Dogs need stimulation just like humans. Dogs that don’t get regular exercise or stimulation may hide treats out of boredom. This is also true of other undesirable behaviors like destroying your favorite shoes or emptying all of your bathroom trashcans.
It may seem innocent enough, but treat-hiding can become problematic if left unchecked.
Treats are a way to reward your dog, but if they are stockpiling them in a secret spots, problem can arise that can be harmful to your dog.
Thankfully, there are a few ways to help curb your pet’s desire to hide their treats.
If your dog is hiding treats, there are a few ways you can help dissuade them from doing so. First and foremost, remember that this is not an act of disobedience for your dog. Addressing the underlying reason may eliminate the problem altogether.
In the meantime, here’s how to approach your dog’s treat-hiding habits.
Your dog’s treat hiding should not be punished. By the time you discover your dog’s hidden treats and attempt to punish them, they won’t understand why they are being punished. Instead, just relocate the treats by placing them back in their treat bin or into the garbage if the treats are spoiled, and ensure you watch your dog consume treats when you offer them.
If your dog cannot eat a treat because it is too large or tough for its mouth, they may be hiding them. Be sure to only offer treats that are specifically sized for their breed or weight.
To tell if a treat is too hard for your dog to chew, use the fingernail test. If you can easily indent the treat with your fingernail, your dog should be able to safely chew it. If not, the chew may be harmful to their teeth and gums and result in dental damage.
Giving treats is already a positive experience, but if your dog doesn’t readily eat the treats you can try to encourage them to by offering positive reinforcement. When you give your dog a treat and they consume it immediately, offer plenty of praise and pets to encourage them and support their behavior. If they do not eat the treat right away, take it away and offer it again.
If your dog runs away with the treat, follow them, retrieve the treat, and offer it again. Keep doing this until your dog consumes the treat, and then offer positive reinforcement cues like praise and petting.
Anytime you offer treats to your dog, it is considered a part of their diet. As such, you’ll need to dial back their daily kibble intake to account for the calories in the treats.
If you are overfeeding your dog, they may be more likely to try to stash their treats because they are simply not hungry. If your dog is at a healthy weight, use the kibble guidelines available from the dog food manufacturer to lower your dog’s kibble intake by the caloric content of the treats you offer.
Keep in mind that the treats will need to account for the nutritional value your dog will be missing from their kibble, so high-quality, nutritious treats are best. One way to ensure you are giving your dog healthy, delicious treats they’ll love is by offering them Yummy Combs.
Dogs and their owners love Yummy Combs because they are great tasting, nutritious, safe, and effective.
Yummy Combs’ unique honeycomb design deters gulping, and the thin walls help treats dissolve easily. Our proprietary Slick’M™ ingredient helps Yummy Combs dissolve quickly once your dog consumes them to help avoid blockages.
Yummy Combs are the only treats that are scientifically proven to remove hardened tartar from your dog’s teeth. Tartar buildup can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to systemic illness and even organ failure.
The unique design of Yummy Combs scrubs and flosses each tooth on all surfaces, ensuring your dog’s teeth are getting the care they need between professional cleanings with their veterinarian.
Your dog’s treats will account for a portion of their diet. Yummy Combs ensure that dietary gaps are filled with 44% chicken protein and 12 wellness-based ingredients to keep your dog satisfied and their nutrition goals met.
When you choose Yummy Combs, you’ll be giving your dog so much more than a great-tasting reward. You’ll be proactively taking care of their teeth and supporting their overall health and wellness.
Your dog may hide treats for multiple reasons, but continuing to allow them to hide treats isn’t a great idea. Making some slight adjustments to how you reward your dog with treats can help them avoid this behavior.
Offering your dog Yummy Combs as a treat encourages dogs to eat treats slowly and carefully and also checks the boxes of keeping your dog’s teeth clean and their tummies happy.
Sources:
Why Is My Dog Hiding Things? | American Kennel Club.org
Using Food and Treats for Training Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals
Why Your Dog Is Bored and How to Stop It | The Spruce Pets.com
Is Your Stress Stressing Out Your Dog? Here’s What a New Study Says | Readers Digest.com
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Always feed the right treat size for your dog’s weight category. Always supervise your dog when feeding treats. This product is an adult only dog treat. Always provide ample fresh water for your dog.
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