Monday, September 3, 2012

Why are dogs burying bones

By Jerry Welsh


Barking, chewing and burying bones are only some of the natural behaviors of dogs. Dogs have always been depicted as bone burying animals in cartoons, in movies and in children's books. Dog owners are also exposed to the inclination of the pets to bury bones.

With a sneaky look on its face, a dog that has a bone on its mouth will look for an ideal spot to hide the "treasure". The instant the best hiding place is found, the dog will dig madly and bury the bones. Do you know why your dog is burying bones Do dogs know why they are burying bones? Burying bones is an instinctive behavior thus dog experts believe that man's best friends don't really know the reasons why they have this habit.

Scientists have this theory that the inclination to bury bones is an ingrained habit of canines. Dogs bury bones to survive thus this habit is as old as the dog's existence. Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years but these animals have been in existence for millions of years. Primitive dogs have lived harsh lives in the wild and the habit of burying foods has been a great help to survive. Dogs' existence in the wild is no picnic. Dogs in the wild constantly need to be on the lookout for predators and to safeguard their food from other animals that would want to have a share of the prey.

Stocking the pantry is a habit of humans. Squirrels fill their nest in tree hollows with acorns and nuts. Even ants fill their anthills with food in preparation for the rainy days. Dogs are hoarders too. In the wild, dogs would not know when the next meal would be. A dog that has hunted a prey would need to secure the "bounty" not only from other animal but also from members of the pack. The buried food will be unearthed when food is scarce. The dog will unerringly find the buried prey although it is possible that what will remain are the marrow-rich bones.

Dogs these days never lack food. Pampered pets don't have to bury bones for the rainy days but the instinct to hoard remains. Dogs still have the inclination to hide not only bones but other food as well. Dog owners would just be surprised to find treats and bits of food hidden on the dog's bed. Dog owners would just have to accept the fact that the dog may destroy the garden once in a while to bury its treasured bones.




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