Goofy eating behavior

[G-Diddy]

Whenever my German Sheperd decides she is going to eat she always approaches her bowl and sniffs the food. She will then take between 1 and 4 kibbles, turn around, walk away from her bowl (sometimes a few steps, sometimes a few rooms) and chew up the kibble. She then walks back to the bowl and will generally repeat this one more time before deciding that it is time to eat in "normal" dog fashion.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any guesses as to why she does this? She is not frightened, walks very casually away as if it is some routine, and does it in any setting that she eats.

[micki76]

Don't know why, but Chester has always done this, too.

[robinh]

A couple of our dogs will take a few pieces and step away. They go back get a few more and step away again. They continue doing this the entire time they eat. We call it rove munching.

Don't know why they do it - looks like a lot of work to me (all that walking back & forth), but they always have!

[lovemyshiba]

I don't know why, but my mother in laws dog, Cody, does the same thing. He takes it away (usually under the table) and eats a few pieces, goes back for more, and repeats it for a while.
My dog, Kito, sometimes sniffs the food, and walks away--I tell him "sorry, that's what's on the menu today" and he looks at me like I am from Mars, but if I throw a few pieces on the floor (in a trail over to the bowl) he'll eat those, and then get to the bowl and eat the rest!!

[rizzy]

that is very odd
i dont know any dogs who do that
usually dogs will eat right there so no one can take their food
i might be that they dont want anybody watching them eat

[tomkatzid]

rove munching thats a good one. Tico, my friends Dalmation, has always done it too.

[lizbud]

My pup Moki eats like that. Never had any other dog who
did it though. When Moki was a tiny pup he always ate
everything quickly out of the bowl, but started this rove
snacking thing a few months ago.(He's almost 8 mos now).

Tonight, just for fun, I scooped up the kibble he left in his
dish & we practiced his class lessons of downs/stays/stands,
etc. with the kibble as the only reward & he did Great. Guess
he wants his mealtime to be a bit more interesting. LOL.