Why Does a Dog Bring Some of His Food to Another Room After Finishing Eating?

Historically, dogs buried or hid food they did not eat from canine competition, saving it for a later time. When they were hungry or could not find fresh food, dogs would dig up the buried food and eat it. Although food is plentiful for modern dogs, some food hiding behavior may stem from instincts.

Sometimes, dogs may take some food to another room to eat it there or hide for later because they feel uncomfortable. If something changes just before your dog changes rooms, this may be the cause. Has another pet entered the room? Did you enter or leave the room? If you can isolate the factor that led your pooch to take the food with him, you may be able to curb this behavior.

Ambience affects your dog's appetite and his mood just as it does your own. If the food bowl is in a dark corner of the room -- even if you placed it there to avoid tripping on it -- your dog may feel isolated when eating. He may move food to find a more suitable location. If the family is having a rowdy dinner near his food bowl, he may try to get away from the noise and finish eating in peace.

While there's nothing wrong with your dog saving food for later, if you suspect that anxiety or discomfort is causing the food hiding, reevaluate your feeding schedule. Change up the time and location of your dog's meals to see whether your pet feels more comfortable eating under different circumstances.