Top News

Finding a bone buried in the garden or a favourite toy tucked beneath a sofa cushion can be amusing, but this behaviour has a purpose. Dogs often hide food, toys and other prized possessions because of instincts passed down from their wild ancestors. However, the habit is not always about saving food for later. Anxiety, competition with other pets, and simple boredom can also encourage a dog to stash its belongings. Understanding what is driving the behaviour can help owners decide whether it is harmless or something that needs attention. Here are three common reasons dogs hide and bury things.

Caching Food And Toys

Dogs have inherited a natural tendency to store valuable items for later. Leslie Sinn, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA, and owner of Behavior Solutions in Hamilton, Virginia, as quoted by Daily Paws, describes this as caching, a behaviour also seen in wolves, coyotes, and red foxes.

"Canids are scatter hoarders, meaning they hide things for later consumption throughout their range. The thought is that dogs take after their ancestors and hide things (primarily food) for later consumption or retrieval," says Sinn. For a dog, a chew, bone, or treat may be worth saving rather than eating immediately. Burying food can also help conceal its smell from other animals.

Occasional hiding is usually not a concern. But if your dog constantly buries food, refuses to eat around people or other pets, or appears worried while eating, observe its behaviour more closely. Make sure it has a quiet, comfortable place to eat and that other pets are not taking its food.

Stress And Anxiety

Hiding prized possessions can also happen when a dog does not feel secure. A newly adopted dog may take time to settle into an unfamiliar home, while one with a history of having food or toys taken away may become protective of its belongings. This can become more noticeable in homes with several pets. If a dog expects another animal to take its treats, bones or toys, hiding them can become a way of keeping them safe.

In some cases, this behaviour can develop into resource guarding, where a dog becomes defensive when someone approaches something it considers valuable. If your dog growls, snaps, becomes tense, or aggressively guards food and toys, professional help from a qualified canine behaviourist or veterinary behaviourist may be needed.

Boredom And Lack Of Stimulation

Sometimes, your dog simply needs something more interesting to do. Dogs require both physical exercise and mental stimulation, and a lack of either can encourage digging, chewing and hiding. A bored dog may turn your garden into a storage area by digging holes for toys and bones. Indoors, cushions, blankets and other accessible spots can become hiding places.

Regular walks, sniffing opportunities, fetch, tug games and short training sessions can give dogs something constructive to focus on. Food puzzles and other enrichment activities can also keep their minds occupied. If the hiding happens alongside destructive behaviour, excessive digging or restlessness, increasing daily activity and enrichment may help.

A dog burying a bone or hiding a toy is often simply following an old instinct. The important thing is to notice how often it happens and what your dog looks like while doing it. A relaxed dog occasionally stashing a favourite item is usually very different from one that constantly hides or guards everything it values.

[Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified veterinarian regarding your pet’s health, diet, or any medical concerns.]