Animals sometimes develop curious habits associated with food that we can see as hobbies or mischief, however, in the same way that for human beings a correct diet involves having a healthy attitude when eating food, animals They are also denoting a problem when the hobbies that they display are counterproductive or do not seem to have a real relationship with the act of eating food itself. For this reason it is important that we monitor if our pet eats with enough rest, if it does not suffer from stress or if it uses food to eat and not to play.
My dog carries food
This is one of the most innocuous customs or hobbies of dogs when it comes to ‘playing’ with food and that denotes something very positive: that they feel integrated into the family. You have probably seen your dog take one or more grains of feed and move it to eat it once in another place.
If you look closely, the most common thing is that the dog is moving the food to an area where you usually eat, and it may even do it when you are eating. Either while you eat a snack on the sofa watching a series, or while you dine at the living room table, the dog will be able to bring his food to taste it while you do it.
This is a reflex act of sympathy and family cohesion, the dog wants to feel part of the family and the things that happen at home, and as a pack in which he integrates, eating together is a ritual act of uniting the group.
When a dog moves his food to eat next to you, he is giving you one of the most forceful signs of love, because it means that he feels balanced by your side, and that for him there is nothing better than enjoying food with your company.
My cat eats things that are not food
A cat’s compulsion to eat things that are not food is called pica. It is one of the most serious problems in domestic cats, because on some occasions this makes coexistence very complex and even dangerous. Cats that devour electrical cables, curtains or door frames. We are not talking about scratching playing, but eating.
Why is this happening? There are two plausible reasons. On the one hand, your cat may have a nutritional deficiency and his instincts ask him to look for different foods to satisfy him. This also happens to humans, as animals in full search for survival we are designed so that our brain warns us that we need more fruit or more meat, depending on the nutrients that our body will use to regenerate tissues of different composition.
Appetite is sometimes marked by this indication, and something similar happens to cats, but in a domestic environment they do not have the possibility of entering into a more complex search, they can only eat what they see in a very limited world, the of our house. If the cat chews on wires, he may be looking for some kind of thick, shiny-looking grass.
Another explanation for cats eating things that are not to eat is that they get bored, and look for an incentive beyond scratching, because eating is also a way to wear down their stress or boredom.
Whether the reason is one or the other, we must put an end to the cat’s habit of eating things that it should not, for this the first thing we can do is spray the cat’s favorite objects with vinegar or repellent sprays, specially designed for this purpose. On the other hand, the more entertained your cat is, the less likely he is to engage in doing this, play more with him.
Dogs that growl when eating
It is not a simple hobby but grunting while eating is really a defense mechanism for their survival. Dogs that growl when eating are making sure that what they have on their plate is only for them and that no one else will dare to take it away or share it.
Some owners of adopted dogs when they are adults have noticed that their dog growls especially at feeding time, and this is probably due to behavior acquired in another environment in which they lived or in the shelter itself, when they have been in trouble. to eat what he wants because other dogs took his food.
That a dog growls when eating is not a behavior that we should ignore if it is clear that in this environment no one will take away his food. It is not positive, as it denotes that the dog is alert.
Growling is always the last act ‘for good’ that the animal does before attacking. This does not mean that the dog is going to attack, but the mere fact that it is so alert when eating is not positive either for it (because it generates stress) or for coexistence, since it is implanting aggressive behavior in an environment that, a priori, it has no relation or reason to fear.
To prevent the dog from growling, you must create as safe an environment as possible around his food bowl.
Place it in a particularly quiet place in the house, and ensure that it never lacks food, or if it is very gluttonous, set exact and fixed hours in which the dog is fed. Dogs have an internal clock that works perfectly, and he knows exactly what time it is and whether or not you comply with the schedule.
On the other hand, to generate a healthy dynamic that removes stress from your dog’s feeding equation, your dog must learn to contain his anxiety, for this he must remain distanced from the bowl when you go to refill it.
I mean, it’s not a good sign if you’re putting food in his bowl and he’s rushing to eat and growling when you’ve barely finished feeding.
You must keep the dog at a sufficient distance while you put the food, and he must learn that when he waits (and does not growl) he has a greater reward. Once achieved, he will go to food with less anxiety, and it is necessary that you are not there: it favors that he can eat alone.
On the other hand, to end this habit, never touch his food bowl while he eats, nor punish or reprimand him for growling.
ORIGINAL LINK: Some hobbies that pets adopt at mealtime – Últimas Noticias (ultimasnoticias.com.ve)
SEE ALSO: https://entornointeligente.com/2023/01/bill-gates-advierte-que-los-paises-de-todo-el-mundo-deben-prepararse-para-la-proxima-pandemia/