We’ve seen it in movies, and as pet owners, we’ve witnessed it happen in the real world: dogs burying bones.
The burying of bones may be a staple of canine behavior, but it’s one that’s puzzled (and irritated) humans for as long as dogs have been man’s best friend. The fact is, dogs don’t just bury bones; they bury all sorts of things, from tasty snacks, to their favorite chew toys, to the TV remote. You might find it cute the first time you catch your beloved furbaby doing it — not so much after they’ve dug their sixth or seventh hole and your backyard starts resembling an excavation site.
So why do dogs bury bones? Read on to find out!
1. The instinct to preserve food
As responsible pet owners, we make sure our dogs have plenty to eat. Before they evolved into their modern counterparts, however, ancient canines spent thousands upon thousands of years fighting to have food in their bellies. Even today’s wolves and wild dogs — which our pets are closely related to — have to toil to enjoy a meal.
To survive, our dogs’ distant, wild ancestors had to catch prey to eat. Unfortunately, prey was rarely available, and not all hunts ended in success. The scarcity of nourishment taught these creatures not to waste any meat they obtained. This meant gorging themselves on fresh kills, then storing excess food their stomachs no longer had space for.
To preserve this extra food for future consumption, the ancient canine therefore buried said food. The cover of dirt shielded food from direct sunlight so that it didn’t spoil so quickly. In addition, the deeper the hole, the cooler the temperature, which also helped in keeping food fresher longer — kind of like a natural refrigerator. The soil’s organic content even improved the taste of the meat.
Whenever the canine was starving due to a lack of fresh prey to dine on, the canine returned to its buried treasure and dug it up. Burying food thus became essential to the survival of ancient dogs.
This behavior of storing or “caching” food for later retrieval has been inherited by modern canine species, resulting in the natural instinct to bury bones and other consumables. And because instinct is hard to ignore, the powerful urge to bury food remains even if there’s lots to eat. In the absence of soil to dig, dogs may even try to dig a hole in your couch!
Interestingly enough, modern canids from the domestic dog to the gray wolf aren’t the only creatures to cache food. Researchers have also observed the behavior in other animals, including birds and mammals such as lions and squirrels.
2. The instinct to protect food
In relation to the first point, ancient canines also buried leftover food to safeguard it from the competition.
Burying a fresh carcass deep under the earth masked its scent from other hungry creatures’ sensitive noses, thereby preventing other animals — including members of the individual canine’s own pack — from accessing and stealing said food. Burying food even kept its future meal safe from certain insects.
Because burying food significantly boosted the ancient canid’s survivability, the behavior has carried over into modern species, including domestic dogs, wild dogs, wolves, foxes, and more.
This heightened desire to keep valuable possessions from being plundered by greedy competitors is also why your pet dog is prone to burying non-food items, especially when there are other pets in the household. So if you’re wondering where they’ve hidden that new, expensive stuffed toy you’ve just bought them, you might want to check under your yard!
3. An excess of resources
As discussed in points #1 and #2, ancient canines had a tendency to bury excess food. If your pet has far too many resources than they can handle, they are more likely to bury whatever they can’t currently eat or use.
Do you have a habit of giving your dog so much food that they can’t eat it all? You might one day find your doggo digging a hole in your backyard and storing the surplus food underground. If you have several pets, your dogs may even be encouraged to do this more often due to the fear of competition.
And if your dog enjoys an overabundance of toys, treasured items such as chew toys and stuffed animals may also end up under a mound of earth.
4. Your dog’s breed
The modern dog’s instinct to bury bones is stronger in some breeds than others. Hunting breeds are more likely to cache than non-sporting or herding breeds.
This makes more sense in light of the first two points. The prevention of food wastage and theft via caching is strongly linked to hunting. As such, breeds that are bred for their strong hunting drive also retain a predisposition towards burying bones and other food items for later retrieval.
Some of the most popular hunting dogs include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, Irish Setters, Jack Russel Terriers, Boykin Spaniels, Norwegian Elkhounds, and Beagles.
Other breeds that sniff out, pursue, and flush out small prey also have a natural urge to dig and store resources. Examples of such dogs include Dachshunds, Miniature Schnauzers, and Cairn Terriers.
5. Boredom
Dogs, like people, need physical and mental stimulation to live a happy life. If left with nothing to do, a dog will therefore find a way to entertain itself — sometimes at their humans’ expense.
A bored dog is more likely to exhibit destructive behaviors such as ripping up your shoes, chewing on your TV remote, or eating your child’s homework. Of course, they may also dig up your garden or yard. Those freshly dug holes may then end up becoming storage spaces for their favorite things.
Also, bored dogs, especially those that don’t get enough love from their humans, will engage in behaviors, even unwanted ones, just to get your attention. So whether your pet decides to bury toys in the garden or tear the laundry basket apart, know that they’re possibly feeling neglected.
Thankfully, there are many ways to prevent your dogs from getting bored enough to transform into miniature whirlwinds of destruction, as you’ll see further below.
6. Enjoyment
Dogs are constantly seeking their humans’ approval. If you positively reinforce something your pet does via praise or a treat, your pet will likely see this as license to keep on doing it.
Therefore, while it’s common behavior for dogs to hide things they love under your yard, it’s essential you don’t reward such behaviors with positive reinforcement. Otherwise, they’ll see the activity as some sort of game and even learn to enjoy it due to the anticipated reward.
7. Anxiety
A stressed-out pooch can be a destructive one. Some dogs bury bones and other items because the activity calms them. If they’re worried about competitors, digging and burying gives them the peace of mind that their valued things are safe from theft.
Canine stress usually has multiple causes and is quite common among animals with a history of neglect or abuse. If your dog seems to be suffering from anxiety, seek the guidance of your veterinarian and dog behavior expert.
Stress may also be alleviated through play and other activities your dog may find meaningful, as you’ll see below.
Preventing burying due to excess
In relation to point #3, it’s vital you don’t give your dog too much food to eat. If you notice your dog leaving behind some food after feeding, immediately store or throw away the leftovers. Then, for their next meal, provide them with the appropriate portion size. Determining the right amount of food to give your dog will depend on their size, age, and breed, and will take a few days of observation on your part. Your veterinarian should be able to help you figure out how much your dog needs to eat. In households with multiple furry friends, giving each dog just the right amount of food will also prevent the fear of competition and thus inhibit digging and burying.
In addition, it’s a good idea to hold off giving your dog a bone immediately after their meal; a full dog may see that bone as excess food and attempt to bury it.
You should also avoid offering your dog too many toys to play with. One or two toys should be good enough in most cases; any more and you could be asking for trouble. Again, you’ll need to observe your dog’s behavior when it comes to burying non-consumables to find out how many toys is too many.
Preventing burying due to boredom and anxiety
As previously mentioned, a bored, unhappy dog is more likely to engage in destructive behavior.
The most reliable way to keep domestic dogs happy is to take them for daily walks. Ensure these walks aren’t hurried; it’s vital you provide your furbaby ample opportunities to stop and smell their surroundings, as experiencing new scents will enrich their mind. Walking, jogging, or running will also allow them to expend all that pent-up energy as well as keep their muscles healthy and strong.
If possible, have your pooch meet new people or other dogs. Consider regular visits to a dog park if such an amenity is available near where you live. Trips to a doggie swimming pool, a pet-friendly beach, or any place where you can camp, hike, and enjoy nature are also highly recommended — just make sure you’re appropriately prepared for such excursions.
Training is also important. Not only will it satisfy your dog’s mental and physical needs, but it will also strengthen the bond between human and dog while giving them a sense of their place in their pack. Even if your furry friend has already mastered a particular trick, regular practice sessions will reinforce the lessons they have learned and keep their mind and body active.
Lastly, spend quality time with your dog. Play fetch and tug-of-war. Chase each other around the yard. Give them belly rubs and let them cuddle with you. Such activities will nourish the dog in all the ways that matter, ensuring their every day with you is joyful.
Satisfying your dog’s natural instinct
All dogs bury things. Make no mistake — the urge to make holes in the ground for storage purposes comes naturally to them, so even if your pet hasn’t done it yet, they’re very likely already thinking about it. Another way to satisfy this need is therefore to simply allow them to dig and bury their possessions.
This, of course, doesn’t mean giving them the leeway to transform your yard or garden into an archaeological dig site. With positive reinforcement, your pooch can learn to dig up only a small section of your yard. You can choose where they’re allowed to dig and bury stuff, and even fence off that section.
When a dog’s access to soil is limited, they may “bury” things in a pile of pillows, couch cushions, or blankets. Use this to your advantage; provide your dog such soft items to do with as they please so they stop wrecking your yard. You can even turn the activity into a fun game by rewarding your pet when they “bury” items in or retrieve them from the pile.
If you have space, you can also give your dog their own dirt box where they can bury everything from their prized bone to their favorite chew toy. This will satisfy your dog’s urge to dig and hide things without destroying your property.
Summing it up…
The burying of edibles and other prized possessions is a common canine behavior born of a combination of several factors, including a natural instinct passed down from ancient ancestors, boredom, and anxiety.
Thankfully, the solutions to this issue are rather simple and can be as fulfilling for humans as they are for dogs. As long as you provide your furry friend the right amount of food and toys, ample mental and physical stimulation, and enough love to last a lifetime, you can guarantee your dog’s happiness — as well as the safety of your garden and backyard.