[zimpenfish]

> I can think of no other explanation

Well, just because you can't think of one, doesn't mean your explanation is correct, surely. This could easily be explained by an instinctual "hide food remnants to avoid attracting bigger things".

[interfixus]

In some formal scheme yes. In the actual situation no, it could not easily. Or we can reduce the question to a squabble of semantics: Alright, the dog's actions were not conscious and actively planned, but then neither are ours. I fail to see the fundamental difference, and have never really heard a coherent case made that there is one. You are of course right that argument from own lack of imagination is no proof of anything.

[randallsquared]

> Alright, the dog's actions were not conscious and actively planned, but then neither are ours.

Well, some of ours are. At least a few. It's not clear that any of the dog's actions are consciously planned, is it?

[interfixus]

I should think it fairly clear, unless you propose some definite, qualitative difference between the dog and the rest of us. It's not clear that such a difference exists, is it?