Why Do Dogs Bury Bones?

Why Do Dogs Bury Bones? When a dog buries a bone, it is probably following an age-old habit of burying food for safekeeping. The ancestors of dogs were wild animals that lived outside. These animals had to hunt for their food.

They often buried the food they couldn’t finish eating in a meal, hiding it from scavengers. This also enabled the wild dogs to have leftovers for a future meal.

It’s simply a natural survival instinct dogs developed to fend off starvation. Modern house dogs are still-born with this instinct to bury food, even though it is no longer necessary.

When burying a bone, a dog digs the hole with its front feet, but covers the bone with its nose.

The next time you see your pet raking up the garden with his new rawhide clutched between his teeth, try not to be angry with him for ruining the begonias. It’s hard to fight more than a thousand years of canine instinct and history. Now we have the answer to the question why do dogs bury bones.

What breeds of dogs bury bones? There are several breeds that are more predisposed to digging and burying than others. A few of these breeds are Terriers, Dachshunds, Beagles, Basset Hounds and Miniature Schnauzers.

Do dogs remember where they bury their bones? It always is amazing that our dogs seem to always remember exactly where they buried their bones. Unless their bones are buried quite deeply, it is your dog’s keen sense of smell that will help him locate his stash.

Content for this question contributed by Chad Wiche, resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA