Dogs love to play and will often find ways to amuse themselves even with the most mundane objects. Playing with their food is something that many dogs enjoy, and it’s also a great way to help them burn off some of their excess energy and keep them from getting bored with their food – an issue that many dogs tend to struggle with.
Once you see your dog start playing with his food, the first thing that crosses your mind is probably “Why is he doing this?” There are a lot of different theories out there as to why dogs do this, and while they’re all just guesses, they’re also all worth considering.
Playing with one’s food can be an indicator of various things about a dog’s mental state as well as provide insight into their current diet or lifestyle. If you have noticed that your dog plays with his food quite often, take a look at these potential reasons why – it could help you better understand your pup!
Your Dog May Not Like The Taste Of His Food
If your dog is playing with his food and seems otherwise normal, it’s a good idea to go ahead and rule out taste preferences as a potential cause. While it’s generally not a good idea to feed your dog table scraps or other human food, many dogs who are fed a steady diet of dry kibble actually prefer the taste of the kibble.
If your dog is otherwise healthy and eating a balanced diet that meets his individual needs, and he still prefers to play with his food rather than eat it, it’s possible that the food just doesn’t taste good to him. One common complaint about dry kibble diets is that the pieces are too large for adult dogs and should be ground finer in order to be easier to eat.
If you have been feeding your dog kibble and find that he is playing with it rather than eating it, it’s possible that the kibble may be too large for him to consume comfortably. If you’re feeding your dog kibble, you can also try adding warm water to it in order to make the pieces even smaller and more easily chewable.
Your Dog May Have A Nutritional Deficiency
Dogs who are lacking in certain vitamins and minerals may find themselves unable to properly digest their food and will have to rely on playing with their food in order to get the nutrients they need.
If you have recently switched your dog’s food and he has started playing with his food more than usual, it’s possible that he is lacking something in his new diet and trying to get the missing nutrients out of his food by chewing it up and playing with it.
Some common deficiencies that may cause this include vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, and niacin. If your dog is playing with his food and seems otherwise fine, you may want to consider visiting your vet to rule out any potential nutritional deficiencies.
Your Dog May Be Trying To Tell You Something
If your dog has recently been sick or is going through some sort of change in his life, playing with his food may be a sign of stress. If you have recently brought home a new baby, added a new dog to the household, moved to a new home, or experienced some other major change, your dog may be trying to tell you that he isn’t comfortable.
Playing with his food can also be a sign of boredom, so if you’ve recently brought home a new baby, added a new dog to the household, moved to a new home, or experienced some other major change, your dog may be trying to tell you that he isn’t comfortable. If your dog has recently been sick or is going through some sort of change in his life, playing with his food may be a sign of stress.
If you have recently brought a new baby home, added a new dog to the household, moved to a new home, or experienced some other major change, your dog may be trying to tell you that he isn’t comfortable.
He May Just Be Playing
If your dog usually eats his food without any theatrics, but every once in a while he’ll start tossing it around, it’s likely just his way of having fun. Dogs love to play and will often find ways to amuse themselves even with the most mundane objects.
Playing with their food is something that many dogs enjoy, and it’s also a great way to help them burn off some of their excess energy and keep them from getting bored with their food – an issue that many dogs tend to struggle with.
There’s really no way to know for sure if this is the reason for your dog’s antics, but playing with his food is a healthy way for dogs to let off steam and it’s unlikely to cause any harm as long as they aren’t eating the food.
If your dog has recently gone through a stressful situation, such as being spayed or neutered, or if you have recently brought home a new baby, he may find relief in playing with his food and the stress may subside.
He May Have Dental Problems
If your dog has started playing with his food, especially if he is also drooling or chewing on his paws, there may be something wrong with his dental health.
Eating and chewing on one’s food is completely normal, but if your dog is doing this excessively and there is no way to satisfy his urge to chew without resorting to playing with his food, he may have dental problems.
Dogs with dental issues will often find ways to alleviate their pain, including playing with their food or chewing on their paws.
If your dog has recently been eating a lot of kibble and has started playing with it or chewing on his paws, it’s possible that he has a dental issue such as tartar buildup or gingivitis and may need to be seen by a vet.
Bottom Line
Playing with one’s food is often a sign that something is wrong, but it can also be a friendly and harmless way for dogs to have fun and relieve stress. If your dog is playing with his food and seems otherwise normal, don’t worry about it too much – it’s just a harmless quirk that many dogs have!
As long as your dog is otherwise healthy and eating a balanced diet, you really shouldn’t worry about him playing with his food. Once you see your dog start playing with his food, the first thing that crosses your mind is probably “Why is he doing this?”
There are a lot of different theories out there as to why dogs do this, and while they’re all just guesses, they’re also all worth considering.
