Many dogs love to dig and regularly hide their chewing bones in the garden. We reveal why the four-legged friends behave this way.
Some dog owners have certainly already observed it with their four-legged friends: With the greatest care, the dog buries its food in the garden or in the pot of the houseplant. Before that, he often spends hours looking for the perfect hiding place. Among the most popular places are, for example, the basket, the gap under the couch or under a pillow. But why does the furry nose show such behavior at all?
Dog hides chewing bones – six reasons
Some dogs love to hide their chewing bone in the garden. There are several reasons for this. (Symbolic image) © Beate Konstantinou/Imago
After a successful hunt, wolves, which are considered the ancestors of dogs, directly devoured their prey. If there were any leftovers, they hid them from bears or coyotes – underground. By burying them, their prey was safe. So the wild animals could simply return later and eat in peace.
1. Genetic predisposition: domestic dogs show behavior of wolves
Dogs today still exhibit many behaviors of their wild ancestors. The explanation for this lies in the genes that are passed down through generations. Hiding the food is therefore a behavior that dogs of wolves have retained. Dorit Feddersen-Petersen, a behavioral scientist at the University of Kiel, told Stern: "What can't be eaten is buried. This is a very strongly genetically fixed chain of behavior." In domesticated domestic dogs, this behavior can sometimes only be recognized in fragments. Instead of the chewing bone, a valuable toy ends up in the flower bed so that it is safe from the neighbor's dog.
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2. Typical of the breed: Some four-legged friends like to dig for their lives
Dog breeds such as terriers, dachshunds and beagles have one thing in common: digging is in their blood. Because the dogs were bred specifically for hunting. In order to get to the hunted small game such as badgers or martens in the deep burrows, they have to dig vigorously with their front paws. Therefore, certain breeds of dogs with pronounced hunting behavior like to hide food and other items.
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3. Safe from competition: When several dogs live together
Although dogs no longer have any feeding competitors these days, some four-legged friends are still more inclined to hide their food from other animals. This is especially noticeable when several dogs live in one household. But the behavior can also be seen in other pets such as cats. Owners should make sure that each animal has its own place to eat. It is important to have a calm atmosphere so that the dog does not become jealous of food and has the feeling that he has to defend his food against other animals.
4. Experience has an impact: Negative experiences leave their mark
There are many factors that can affect dog behavior. The experience that a dog has gained in its life so far is one of them. Especially for former street dogs, it is unusual that they get regular food in their new home and no longer have to defend their food from other hungry competitors. Similar to wolves, they therefore prefer to bring their prey to a safe place.
5. Wrong bowl: Strong smell irritates the dog
The fact that the dog hides its dry food may also be due to the bowl that the owner has chosen for the four-legged friend. Dogs have a fine nose and are very sensitive to unpleasant odors. Therefore, it may well be that they do not like the smell of their trough. If the dog always carries the food out of the bowl, owners should replace the bowl with a food bowl made of stainless steel or ceramic.
6. Decayed instead of fresh: Dogs are crazy about carrion
To the annoyance of their owners, dogs love to roll in feces or carrion. And eating carrion is also a natural instinct of the four-legged friends. A new chewing bone is therefore often buried in the garden until it is half decomposed. But then it tastes all the better! The bone could be compared to an air-dried dry-aged steak on a human plate. By the way: If a dog gets meat, it must only be dried with air supply or, as with barfing, completely fresh, otherwise dangerous bacteria can form.