Why do dogs hide their bones under the ground
Burying bones, like barking and chewing is a common behavior of dogs. In movies, in cartoons and in children’s books dogs are always depicted as bone-burying animals. Dog owners are also exposed to the inclination of the pets to bury bones.
A dog that has a bone on its mouth will have a sneaky look while looking for a the best spot to hide the bone. Once found, the dog would frantically dig – carefully lay the bone on the hole and then cover it with dirt and soil. Do you know why your dog is burying bones Does your pet know why it is hiding the bones? Dog experts believe that dogs don’t really know why they bury bones as this is done instinctively by canines to survive.
Dog experts believe that almost all of the behaviors and habits of modern day dogs are deeply rooted from their past. Dogs bury bones to survive thus this habit is as old as the dog’s existence. Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years but these animals have been in existence for millions of years. Primitive dogs have lived harsh lives in the wild and the habit of burying foods has been a great help to survive. The ancestors of modern day dogs have had difficult lives. Dogs in the wild constantly need to be on the lookout for predators and to safeguard their food from other animals that would want to have a share of the prey.
We humans make sure that the pantry is fully stocked. Squirrels work long hours to fill their coffers with acorns and nuts. Ants are acclaimed for being industrious as they make it a point to fill their anthill with food. Dogs are hoarders too. In the wild, dogs would not know when the next meal would be. A dog that has been lucky in finding a large prey that cannot be consumed in one sitting would have to hide the food from other animals. What was hidden will be uncovered when hunting is nil. The dog will unerringly find the buried prey although it is possible that what will remain are the marrow-rich bones.
Dogs nowadays don’t go hungry. Dogs need not bury bones to survive but they do because it is an instinctive behavior. Dogs still have the inclination to hide not only bones but other food as well. Dog owners would just be surprised to find treats and bits of food hidden on the dog’s bed. Because digging and burying bones and other food is instinctive in dogs, pet owners just have to take in stride the inclination of the pet to rearrange the garden to bury its “treasures”.
robbie on July 19th 2011 in Dog Ownership, Dog behavior, training Tips
