Have you ever seen a dog focused on nuzzling their expensive treat under a blanket, behind a couch cushion, or into a freshly dug hole in the backyard?

You might think they are behaving like a paranoid doomsday prepper, but dogs aren't stockpiling their food due to anxiety about impending disaster.

Instead, they're revealing how their evolutionary past still shapes modern behaviors. This forward-thinking strategy offers us a unique window into how we can help them live well.

Why do dogs cache food, treats and toys?

You might have heard of "caching", the scientific term for storing food in hidden places for later use. This behavior is widespread across the animal kingdom, from squirrels, to crows, and wolves.

Caching behavior generally falls into one of two categories.

One is known as

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