Have you ever seen your Shih Tzu bring their food to the carpet to eat? I know that my Shih Tzu, Sammy does it all the time. She goes to the food bowl and gets a couple of kernels of food out of it and then walks over to the carpet, lets go of the food and then picks them back up one by one to eat it. It is kind of funny to watch, but why do Shih Tzus bring their food to the carpet to eat?
Whey Do Shih Tzus Bring Their Food to the Carpet to Eat?
There are a few reasons dogs do this and it makes complete sense to them even if it seems a little odd to you.
1. Protection
Many of your dog’s behaviors go back to the days when dogs lived in the wild.
These learned behaviors might have meant the difference between life and death.
A good deal of time could lapse between meals, so when one was available, dogs wanted to make the most out of it.
It made a good deal of sense to grab some food and take it elsewhere to eat.
This would keep the other dogs in the pack from grabbing it away from them.
No one wants to go hungry, so these dogs did what they could to keep that from happening.
2. Sometimes They Want Company
Chances are, you feed your dog in the kitchen or some other room away from your living room or main room of the house.
I know that I use my craft room, which used to be a kitchen, for that purpose.
Their dry dog food and water are in that room all the time.
Even so, I’m rarely in there unless I am working on one of my favorite crafts.
I’m usually in my office or living room.
Most likely the same is true of you.
You might be watching TV in the living room while your Shih Tzu is eating.
But Shih Tzus, and all dogs, are pack animals.
And you are their pack.
They want to be with you as much as possible.
And eating in a room alone can make them feel lonely even if it is their favorite food.
So, instead of eating alone, they grab a bit of food and bring it to where you are, so they can have some company.
This can really depend on the type of food you feed them.
Pet foods come in wet and dry formulas, of course, and most of the time your Shih Tzu will bring dry food into another room instead of wet food, but that can happen as well.
3. Avoiding Food Fights
Even though wild dogs lived in packs and were attached to their pack, when it came to dinner time, it was each dog for themselves.
If the food supply was pretty scarce, this could leave to more aggressive behavior among the dogs.
When a smaller or weaker dog was attacked over food, not only would they lose their dinner, they could be severely injured.
This would lead to them being even weaker than they were and would most likely and very quickly lead to their death.
So, it made a lot of sense for them to grab their food and eat it elsewhere to avoid getting into a fight with another, stronger dog.
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What About Having More Than One Dog At Home?
If you have more than one dog at home, or more than one Shih Tzu and only one dog exhibits this type of behavior, pay close attention when they are eating.
Does one dog dominate the food bowl or keep the other dog from eating?
If so, you will need to feed them in separate rooms to keep this from happening.
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Why Does My Shih Tzu Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
Why Are Shih Tzus Afraid of Vacuums?
Why Do Shih Tzus Lick so Much?
To Sum it All Up:
When dogs were wild animals they had to fight to survive. That could mean taking their food away from the group, so another dog wouldn’t steal it. These same behaviors are engrained in your little Shih Tzu. Even though they may understand on some level that their human family is not going to steal their food, the instinct is too hard to resist.
Please Note:
This article is informational only and does not substitute for veterinary advice. Always check with your veterinarian if you are concerned about your Shih Tzu. This article should not be considered in any way as veterinarian advice.
