WHY DO DOGS LOVE FALLEN LEAVES?
During the days of raising Rookie, Suki and Lucky, we noticed that in the fall leaves they seemed to forget all their worries, only happiness, and the happiness of that moment infected each of us.
Dogs are naturally curious animals, and they are often attracted to novel sights, sounds, and smells in their environment. Fallen leaves can be particularly intriguing to dogs for several reasons:
1
Scent: Leaves carry a wide range of scents, from the smell of the tree they fell from, to the earthy aroma of the forest floor. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and they may be drawn to fallen leaves because of the
interesting scents they contain.
2
Texture: The texture of fallen leaves is very different from that of other objects dogs encounter in their daily lives. They are often crunchy, soft, and crinkly, and dogs may enjoy the sensation of stepping on
or pawing at them.
3
Movement: When the wind blows, fallen leaves can move in unpredictable ways, which can be exciting for dogs. Dogs are naturally attracted to movement, and the rustling sound of leaves can be particularly stimulating.
4
Instinct: Finally, some dogs may have an instinctual drive to explore and interact with natural objects, such as fallen leaves. Dogs are descended from wolves, who are natural scavengers and hunters, and their behavior may reflect this evolutionary heritage.
A study published in the journal Animal Cognition in 2016 found that dogs are more likely to investigate leaves that have been moved or disturbed by the wind, suggesting that movement is an important factor in their attraction to leaves.
Another study, published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science in 2014, looked at the
behavior of dogs in a natural environment and found that they were more likely to interact with natural objects (like leaves and branches) than with human-made objects.
A review article published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science in 2020 looked at the ways in which dogs interact with their environment,
including their interest in natural objects like leaves. The authors suggest that dogs' interest in leaves may be related to their natural scavenging and exploration behaviors.
In 2022, our multi-year research with Switzerland and Poland begins to show that dogs probably have a relative preference for a dozen types of fruits and plants. These include the blueberry, raspberry and deciduous flavors we have online this time. Meanwhile, the percentage of deciduous flavors closed at about 18%, which is quite high in a dozen categories and nearly three dozen fruits/plants.