If your husky has been hiding its treats or bones you might want to know why and what you can do about it.
In this post, I will show you a number of reasons why it does it and what you can do about it.
So, why does my husky hide its treats and bones? The most likely reason is that it does it naturally and that it is an inherited trait. However, it could also be due to anxiety, nausea, being fed too much, possessiveness or you might have inadvertently rewarded the behavior.
There are actually a number of reasons why your husky might be doing it and it could be a combination of reasons. However, there are also a number of things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason. There are also a number of options you have when getting your husky to stop doing it.
Why your husky hides its treats and bones
The different reasons why your husky hides its treats or bones will likely come with some clues in the way that it does it.
Below are a number of possible reasons why it does it and what would make them more likely.
Nature
The reason why your husky does it is likely to be that it is in its nature to do it (source). When its ancestors would catch food they would sometimes stash the food away since it would allow them to have food available to them if they were unable to find any more. This is a trait that dogs still have today and it could be why your husky hides its treats and toys.
Anxiety
The cause could be that something is making it become anxious. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being anxious such as by hiding. I have written more about why your husky might be anxious and what you can do about it in the past here.
Nausea
The cause could be that it has nausea which would be more likely if your husky has been “air burying” its food and if it has been eating less. It would also be more likely if it has been doing other things such as vomiting, being fatigued or pulling to the side on walks.
It is being fed too much
The cause could be that it is being fed too much and it feels like it should stash the food it doesn’t need away for later. Generally, it is recommended for huskies to eat between 860 and 1290 calories per day but it would help to confirm exactly how much your husky should be getting with your local vet.
Possessiveness
It might be the case that your husky does it because it is being possessive which is where it does not want other people or animals to go near its things. This would be more likely if your husky also has other possessive tendencies such as by guarding its food when eating or protecting its spot on the sofa.
You have inadvertently rewarded the behavior
It could also be the case that your husky has learned to do it since you give it things that it likes when it does it. If you tend to give your husky more treats when it hides its food it might be doing it more in order to get more treats.
Instead, it would help to avoid giving it rewards when it doesn’t behave the way you want and to follow the other tips mentioned below.
Things to consider
When it started doing it
It would help to consider when your husky first started doing it since it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.
If it started doing it suddenly it would be more likely to be due to things such as being fed more, becoming anxious or possibly becoming ill. It would help to consider what else changed at around the same time that it started doing it.
If it has always done it then it would be more likely that it does it naturally.
When it does it more
It would also help to consider whether or not there is a time that it tends to do it more since the timing could have something to do with it.
If it hides its treats more when another pet is nearby then it might be the case that it is trying to hide its treats from that pet.
Whereas, if it does it at random times then it could be doing it for any of the reasons mentioned above.
What to do about your husky burying its treats
Below are a number of options you have when getting your Siberian husky to stop doing it. You will likely find that using a combination of them will work best.
Avoid negative reinforcement
As mentioned above, it could be the case that your husky has learned to do it more since it gets rewards when it does it.
Instead of giving your husky things when it hides its treats try to reduce its ability to do it and to only reward it when it is well behaved.
Reduce its ability to dig
It would help to reduce its ability to dig. You could do this by sectioning off parts of the backyard where it is easier for it to dig. Another option would be to cover the area that it tends to dig with rocks.
Take it to the vet
If you cannot figure out why your husky has been doing it or your husky has been showing signs of illness then it would help to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular husky and to rule out the possibility of it being due to a medical condition.
Nothing
It is not uncommon for huskies or other dogs to hide their food or bones so as long as it is not showing signs of being possessive, ill or anxious you could allow it to do it if you want to.