Dogs Burying Toys: Why Your Pet Hides Favorite Toys and Treats
Most dog owners have experienced it. You’ve spent money on the best dog toy you could find for your dog, only to find him out in the yard burying it. Or you may even find your dog attempting to “bury” the toy in a couch cushion, in blankets, or under a pile of laundry or a dropped jacket. You may even have struggled with your dog as he digs up unfamiliar dog toys that some other dog has buried as you try to drag him reluctantly away from his newfound treasure.
Why do dogs do this? Wouldn’t they rather have easy access to the toys and treats that you give them, rather than attempting to hide them away?
What’s the dirt on digging dogs?
The Power of Natural Instincts
A behavior that is performed without being based on personal experience or learning is considered instinctive. All creatures have instinctive behaviors, some as simple as jerking a hand away from a hot stove burner, and others much more complex. How does a newborn baby know how to find the breast and nurse?
Dogs, like all creatures, are born with a complete set of natural instincts that guide their behaviors. These instincts come from untold numbers of generations of their forefathers who contributed to their DNA. These canine forefathers lived in the wild and had to hunt for their food. Other dogs would be immediately alerted to the scent of fallen prey, and could to come and fight for it. Because of this, dogs were likely to bury whatever was left of their meal to hide it from scavengers, including other dogs.
Even today, dogs are born with a powerful survival instinct that tells them to hide anything that’s valuable to them in a place where only they know where it is. Soil not only keeps food cool and makes it last longer, but it also hides the scent from scavengers, so dogs are biological driven to hide cherished toys and treats this way. If they are indoors, they will try to hide their best dog toy or treat under blankets or cushions so they can come back to it later.
What are Some Reasons Dogs Still Hide Their Best Dog Toy or Treats?
You may be thinking that your dog is silly to keep hiding his new toys when he has so many of them, and no one has ever stolen them from him, but one of the reasons a dog might choose to hide a toy is because he DOES have so many of them. If you give your dog too many toys, his instincts will kick in to tell him that he’s got plenty of treasures now, so maybe he needs to hide some for leaner times later. Again, this is a biological urge buried deep inside your dog’s nervous system and he will follow this biological imperative even if it doesn’t make sense to you.
The urge to bury things away for later is known as caching. While this isn’t typically a problem when your dog buries toys to retrieve later, it can be a problem when they bury treats. While wild dogs in the past had tough stomachs, years of breeding domesticated dogs means that their stomachs are much more sensitive than those of their ancient ancestors. If your dog eats something he buried weeks ago, it could make him sick.
Dogs may also bury things in order to be playful. This is especially true if you find your dog hiding some of YOUR things. Often this will be something he knows you use a lot, like your phone, shoes, or remote. This can also be attention-seeking behaviors, and your dog is trying to tell you that he needs more of your time and attention.
Dogs Dealing With Anxiety and Possessiveness
Another reason that dogs bury their best dog toys and treat, is because they are dealing with anxiety. Pet anxiety is especially common in dogs adopted from pet rescue agencies, who may be dealing with past traumas by hiding things that are important to them. If your dog tries to bury everything you give her, it’s likely that she is dealing with past trauma and doesn’t yet feel completely safe and secure in her new home. This behavior should lessen as she spends more time in her new space with her new “pack,” and begins to feel more secure.
It’s also common for dogs who live in homes with multiple dogs to bury their favorite treats and best dog toys away from the other dogs in the home in an attempt to keep them away from the others. Dogs—like children—do not naturally enjoy sharing their toys.
No matter the reason your dog buries their best dog toy or treats, you should never punish your dog for this behavior. It’s a strong biological urge that they are born with as puppies, and it may be a struggle for your dog to learn to disregard her own instincts in favor of taught behaviors.
Resources— Petmate.com, cesarsway.com, VetStreet.com
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