Burying Food

[Mineeputs]

Can anyone tell me why my black lab pup wants to bury her food? We feed her raw, which is usually chicken or turkey parts. She'll leave one piece, take it out of her bowl and try to bury it in her bed. She tries to push every toy she has with her nose to cover the food. It's bizarre to watch and we can't figure out why she does it.
Thanks.

[Prin]

I've heard that burying means that the dog has no fear of not having enough food so it doesn't need to scarf down everything in one meal. The doggy knows there will be a steady flow, so when she's full, she can stop eating. I'd take it as a compliment, but I'd switch to cooked meals... (germaphobe)

[Mineeputs]

Thanks Prin, that makes me feel better! As far as the cooked meals goes, I've researched this and can find nothing but good when feeding raw food. I always take the necessary precautions as I would for our own consumption. I know it's a very touchy subject, but one worth looking into. Only time will tell once our pup gets older, but so far, so good. Our decision to switch to this method of feeding was due to the fact that we lost a 9 year old lab to cancer this past summer. We want to give our new pup every advantage for a long and healthy life by feeding natural foods. An interesting read on this subject is by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a vet from Australia.

[Prin]

For sure raw is excellent for doggies. I just wouldn't be able to live with my doggies burying raw chicken around the house. Then again, I have trouble when my boyfriend does the dishes...