Whenever I give my Husky mix, Sitka, a high-value treat or one she is not interested in eating right then, she whines and stresses over where to hide it. She carries it around the house, shoving it under sofa cushions, burying it under the bath mat, or sliding it deep under the bed. She’s often not satisfied with the first hiding spot, so has to retrieve it and find a better one. 

My husband and I laugh over this curious behavior. “No one is going to take your bone!” we tell her. There are no other dogs in the house. I shake my head, chuckle, and think how silly she is. Until I realized I behave in much the same manner. 

How so? A few things I noted in common: 1) Sitka’s high-value treat is like my guest towels, or my special bottle of wine, or anything else I’ve deemed to good to use just for me. Like a demented squirrel, I’ve stored away a trove of “nice things” to be used or eaten at some later, undetermined time. What does that say about how much I value myself? Sure, keep some things nice for special occasions, but when they rot in the pantry or get moth-eaten in the linen cabinet, who are they serving? I’ve made a point to start enjoying nice things for me, too. 

Another thing: 2) Sitka hoards treats she doesn’t feel like eating at the moment. No, I don’t bury food to dig up later and enjoy, but I do recognize a certain “scarcity mentality” that drives my stinginess at times (if I’m being perfectly honest with myself). Instead of sharing my abundance, I am more tempted to store it up “just in case.” In case of what? The one-in-a-million chance disaster headed my way? When a food drive rolls around, what am I reaching for in the cabinet to donate? Yup, more likely things I don’t want to eat, lower value items, or food I can easily spare. It’s not a good look and I’m working to change it. 

Lastly: 3) When Sitka searches for the perfect hiding place, she whines in distress and anxiety. What is she afraid of? That some other creature will take it from her? That she will be left with nothing? Not likely since she is a very spoiled dog. Are my stingy, miserly attitudes likewise driven by some (irrational) fear? Perhaps. I remember money always being a source of tension growing up and in my family the message was clear that we never had enough. But now my circumstances are better and I’m in a position to enjoy some sense of security and comfort that basic needs will be met. Yet… Old instincts die hard. I have to remind myself that I am not a Siberian husky in the harsh tundra garnering scare food resources… I am a (rational) person who knows she has to shrug off those old insecurities and trust more in the future.

See—we have a lot to learn from our animal companions. 

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