Why do dogs bury their bones

After all, he's driven by thousands of years of survival instincts. As always, consult your vet about any questions or concerns regarding your pet's behavior. Why Do Dogs Bury Bones? By Jennifer Nelson.

Save FB Tweet More. Consider giving your pooch only one or two toys at a time. That way they won't feel like they have a surplus that needs to be saved. Avoid excess treats, chew sticks and bones right after meals when a dog isn't as hungry and instead may choose to bury or "save" their treat for later. You can also encourage them to "bury" bones in a designated spot like a doggie blanket or pillow pile or designated area in your yard.

Bonk says you can use a small kiddie pool with some sand in it to be the burying spot. This is a normal behavior for them. Dogs need stimulation and outlets for their energy every day and when humans do not provide it for them, they will find their own ways to occupy themselves. An example may be the fun game of stealing a tv remote and burying it to get your attention an attention seeking behavior and to add some variety to their routines.

Stress and anxiety can play a part in this behavior as well. Some dogs that are feeling anxious may bury items to calm themselves since digging is a self-soothing behavior.

If a dog does not feel safe at the moment or in the area they are fed in, they may bury their food to eat in a more comfortable place or time. You may also see more of this behavior in multi-dog households, or among dogs that grew up in situations where they had scarce resources, such as in a puppy mill. This behavior may improve once your dog feels safe and is fed on a consistent schedule, but if not, it is suggested to seek advice from your veterinarian and behavior professionals.

Remember, burying behavior can occur for a multitude of reasons and motivation can include boredom, anxiety, and the natural urge to hide things in safe places. It's a normal behavior. Keep fun toys out to keep your dog busy when you are not around. Kong toys filled with treats or puzzle toys work especially well. Be sure to rotate the toys to keep things interesting. You can also convert the whole act of burying into a fun indoor game that you play a few times during the week with your dog.

This is recommended because it's your dog's natural instinct to bury, so you are providing appropriate opportunities for your dog to bury what you ask him to rather than your tv remote controller. This game will enrich your dog with a new learning of what is okay to hide and what is not. Related: Are dogs really smiling at us? The act of burying bones is a type of "food caching," that is, storing available food supplies for the purpose of later access.

It's a common behavior in many species of birds and mammals, including in the canine ancestors of domestic dogs — gray wolves — which is where dogs inherited their burying instincts. While wolves, which are known for their cunning hunting skills, tend to stay in a scavenge area long enough to devour their prey entirely, they will occasionally carry and bury the remains of a kill, according to a study published in the journal Ethology.

Wolves and other canids are known as " scatter hoarders ," meaning they stash their leftover food in hideaways located over fairly large areas. This same study showed that even wolf pups cache, and will move their cache to keep it from being discovered by a sibling. So, when dogs exhibit this seemingly unusual behavior in your backyard, rest assured — they're simply following their instinctual "inner wolf.

Most dogs today don't need to store food because they have doting pet parents to feed them, but that doesn't mean their natural urge to squirrel things away for later doesn't still exist. Sometimes, the instinct to bury things has nothing to do with storing food or protecting it from scavengers.