How To Train A Dog

Dogs bark, dogs chew and dogs bury bones. Dogs burying bones are often seen in children’s books, in the movies and in animated cartoons. Dog owners would know about the dog’s puzzling habit.

A dog carrying a bone on its mouth would furtively look around and try to look for the best hiding spot. The instant the best hiding place is found, the dog will dig madly and bury the bones. Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years but are dog owners aware of the reasons why the pets bury 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.

It is believed that the habit of burying bones, similar to other canine behaviors is an instinctual nature that have survived in spite of domestication. Dogs bury bones to survive thus this habit is as old as the dog’s existence. Although dogs became man’s best friend only for thousands of years; these animals have existed for over a million years. Primitive dogs have lived harsh lives in the wild and the habit of burying foods has been a great help to survive. The ancestors of modern day dogs have had difficult lives. The ancestors of modern day dogs not only have to avoid predators but also other animals that would want to have a shot at the dog’s hunted prey.

Humans hoard food. Squirrels work long hours to fill their coffers with acorns and nuts. Even ants fill their anthills with food in preparation for the rainy days. Dogs bury bones to hoard food. Food in the wild is scarce. A dog that has been lucky in finding a large prey that cannot be consumed in one sitting would have to hide the food from other animals. The dog will dig up what was buried when food is scarce. The dug up bones will ease the gnawing of the dog’s stomach.

Dogs nowadays don’t go hungry. 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. A dog may not dig holes but food will be hidden on its crate or on its bed. Dogs are pampered pets and in the eyes of doting pet parents, the dog can do nothing wrong thus the inclination to dig and to bury bones and other food items will be forgiven even if the dog has destroyed the well manicured lawn.