Why should I make my pet work for its food?
Most animals are genetically wired to spend a certain amount of time on activities that meet their requirements for survival. For most domestic pets, particularly dogs and cats, these requirements include opportunities to play, explore their environment, rest, socialize, acquire and eat food, and eliminate. Normally, opportunities for sexual activity and the ability to defend oneself from competitors or predators would also be survival requirements, but in the average family setting, these needs are not an issue.
Because food is one of the most basic necessities of life, each species must be programmed with or learn the appropriate skills in order to obtain food. To be successful, the animal must use a combination of genetics and observation of other members of their species to learn successful strategies for finding, catching and killing of live prey. Not only is food a motivating factor when the pet is hungry, but the acquisition of food is an activity that generally requires the expenditure of time and effort, and the use of both mental and physical skills.
"Acquisition of food is an activity that generally requires the expenditure of time and effort and the use of both mental and physical skills."
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