http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-dogs-bury-things.html
Why Dogs Bury Things
Does your dog bury his bones, or even his favorite toys, in the backyard? Or even worse, does he sometimes dig them up and bring the muddy mess back inside…smiling and wagging his tail all the while? According to pet expert Arden Moore in The Dog Behavior Answer Book (Storey, 2006), thousands of years ago, dogs did not know where their next meal would come from, so after a kill they would bury any uneaten food to hide it from scavengers. When they were hungry again, they would return to their cache and dig up their leftovers. The dirt also helped keep their food fresher longer by protecting it from sunlight. Your dog is just following that ancestral urge. Even though you feed your dog every day, you can’t take that “must stash food for a hungry day” mentality out of him. The same goes for those extra toys he stashes away. He may even take other household items like the TV remote or your wallet–both have been known to disappear from many a home!
If the burying urge becomes a problem for you, keep in mind that dogs tend to bury extras, not essentials. Patrol your house and pick up any spare dog bones or toys. Limit his access to one bone and one toy at a time. Vary the type of dog bones and toys from time to time to keep him interested. By limiting the quantity and providing variety, you may lessen his motivation to take his treasure out to the backyard. Make his favorite digging spots less attractive by covering them with chicken wire or bricks or other objects that are not paw-friendly. And try offering your dog a less-destructive indoor option: Show him how he can bury his favorite toy under a blanket instead.
Does your dog bury treasures? Has he or she buried anything surprising? Share your stories in the comment field below.
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42 comments
add your comment »i´ve never heard real storys of dogs burying their toys! :D My dog digs but doesnt bury anthing ;)
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I have a Yorkie that buries food in the house in blankets and such. I also had toy poodles that did this. I'm wondering if smaller dogs do this more than larger dogs-possible because they once had a harder time finding food?
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My dog has buried food only two times. I don't know why: certainly he has no problem of hunger. He eats almost always.
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When I was little, I had a dog that would take clothes (mostly underwear) off the line and bury them in the back yard.
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I was wondering what was happening to many of my socks because I could only find one of each pair. Later in the year while gardening I discovered where they had disappeared. My dog Lady had been burying them each day while I was away at work.
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May I ask why they roll themselves in dead animals and poo? I am presuming to smell good.... ??
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May I ask why they roll themselves in dead animals and poo? I am presuming to smell good.... ??
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When I was a kid we had a Boston Terrier (smartest little dog we ever had), and she would bury bones under couch cushions! Sometimes she would pull the cushions off the couch, and cry until she got some "assistance" putting the cushions back, thus covering up her bone. She hated getting dirty, so she'd never did in the yard.
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Our German Shepard started burying our hiking boots, remote control, bras, Ug boots, address book, $400 fly reel etc, after we had someone pet-sitting for three weeks. This person lived on the land with us and our dogs knew her well. It seems obvious that something happened between her and our dogs while we were away and we will never know what.
We chose to have someone we knew stay with the dogs because we did not want them to be in a kennel. They are used to coming and going as they please on the 40 acres we live on. We did find out later that this friend has OCD among other things and with the help of a social worker, is now in special housing under medical care for her mental health.
Even though that happened about 6 years ago, we still have to lock the main part of the house when we go away or something we CARE about will be gone.(There is one room with a dog door just for them.) It is usually something we touched last or recently and often just the right boot or shoe. (We have a row of unmatched LEFT shoes)
So far she does not take anything when we are home or someone is home with her in the house. It seems she is still hurting and trying to tell us about it.
The thing is that we are complete dog lovers, have a dog bed in the kitchen, the living room and both our bedrooms. Our dogs get lots of love, rarely a loud voice and get lots of play time with us in the river, the woods or at the ocean. This dog is healthy and seemingly happy. She does get somewha
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My dog tried to bury my 12 week old kitten! It was asleep and he picked it up and carried it over to the sand box where he had a hole dug. He placed the kitten in the hole and the little guy woke up as the dog began to nose dirt on top of him . The funny thing was the kitten just sat there staring at the dog and then hopped out and ran to me shaking his feet and his tail puffed out. That crazy pooch followed him and tried to pick up kitty again, but he wold have none of it and I do not blame him! I think this 13 year old Plott hound has finally gone round the bend! I am keeping these animals separated until I figure out this dog's motivations. Perhaps he doesn't want his little pal to grow up and go away? They were always playing together.
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