Why do dogs take their food out of the bowl to eat it?

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   To Start Againposted 10 years ago

   Why do dogs take their food out of the bowl to eat it?
   
   Both of my dogs will get a mouth full of food and then carry it to the tile floor to eat it. Why do they do this?

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   JThomp42posted 10 years ago

   My dogs do this as well, for a number of reasons. One is that my dog is insecure about her food, she worries it will be taken away. So she grabs a bunch and takes it somewhere else to eat alone. Another part of this is that she wants to keep an eye on me--if I put her dish in the kitchen and go sit in the living room she'll grab a mouthful and take it into the living room where I am. She also likes to eat a bit at a time and this allows her to get just a bit at a time and work at it. Sometimes she does it because she likes to eat off of a flat surface and will also like to eat off a plate.

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      To Start Againposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I wonder if mine likes the flat surface part of it, too. The puppy just recently started doing this, maybe because he saw his big sis doing it?

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   LCDWriterposted 10 years ago

   Some dogs and cats will take food out of their bowl and move it to another location to eat it .  Find out possible reasons for this behavior and what you can do about it. read more

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   Theophanesposted 10 years ago

   This *might* have something to do with the fact dogs evolved from wolves who live in a hierarchical pack. The dominant male and female will eat at will but lesser individuals are forced to take chunks of meat when they can, dragging it a small distance away so the dominant male and or female won't fight them over it, or wait until every one else is done eating and just gnaw on the bones. Either way I do think it's instinctual to many.

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      To Start Againposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      so does that make me the alpha then? lol

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      ChrisJawalkaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Actualy yes, the owner is in fact the alpha. When you add even one more dog... what you have becomes a "pack". The owner being the alpha, but the dogs will work it out among themselves the rest of the hierarchy..

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   ChrisJawalkaposted 10 years ago

   Splendid question! One, I have asked myself. I've found the answer to be... not at all what I had thought it would, and now, seems so obvious.
   
   I have two dogs. Both of whom, take food from their bowl in the kitchen and head straight to the dinning room, where they immediately go under the table to enjoy. So, I did a little research into this. As it turns out, the majority of veterinarians have also been posed this question a number of times by confused and bewildered owners. And, from what I've read, they all seem to think it's because they see us take our food out of the kitchen (or where ever) and eat it elsewhere. So, naturally they think that's what your supposed to do.

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      To Start Againposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Makes sense! Especially since she eats it in the floor beside the dining room table! Never even thought of that!

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   Melissa A Smithposted 10 years ago

   Theophanes and JThomp42 are correct. Some dogs have very strong natural instincts. My dog is protective of her food and does this sometimes. She especially does it with a raw bone that will take time to eat. When animals exhibit portions of embedded instinct like this it doesn't necessarily have to be 'conscious' (i.e, your dog being afraid of you). The situation triggers the response almost like a mental reflex.

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   alexadryposted 10 years ago

   Interesting question...it can be due to several reasons in my opinion. is your bowl metal or plastic? It could be the dog doesn't like the food bowl for some reason, I have seen dogs get scared of metal bowls, because it perhaps fell or moved one day making a loud noise that scared the dog. I have seen dogs take food out of the food bowl if the food was hot, and then they perhaps got into this habit thinking it's safer to get the food out. Some resource guarders may take the food out of the bowl because they want to go eat the food in an area away from other dogs and people. I have seen dogs who hate to hear their tags jingle against the metal bowl as they eat. Some dogs plain and simple like to eat from a flat surface. Try switching type of bowls or feeding them a bit more far apart and see if the behavior changes, but it may have become an ingrained habit.

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   duffsmomposted 10 years ago

   Well, I have to say we have 3 dogs and none of them take their food out of their bowl to eat.  They gobble it up right in the bowl.  We've always had dogs over our 43 year marriage and only had one that would do that. In fact, he would bring his bowl into whatever room we were in and then eat next to us.

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   WalterPoonposted 10 years ago

   I have seen both dogs that eat from the bowl, as well as those that don't. I think it all depends on how comfortable the dog is, while eating. If they feel safe that no one will snatch the food from them, they will slowly eat from the bowl, otherwise they will take the food elsewhere where they feel it is safer. Just my two cents... I've never been a dog before, so I can only guess.

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