Why do dogs bury bones?

If your dog digs up the yard, disappears with a chew, or vanishes with a treasured toy, that small ritual can tell you a lot about their needs and mood. I typically see burying show up in homes as a source of amusement, mild frustration, or concern—depending on who steps on the dug-up patch and what’s gone missing. Understanding why dogs bury bones helps you read their signals, prevent damage to your lawn, and make choices that keep your dog mentally satisfied and physically safe. It also matters for household harmony: what looks like a cute quirk to one person can be a hygiene or safety issue for another.

Owners commonly encounter buried items in a few patterns: a dog that stashes a valuable chew shortly after getting it, dogs who re-bury the same spot, or sudden intensive digging and hiding after change in routine. Burying can strengthen bonding when handled playfully—for example, trading a buried toy for play—but it can also complicate training when the behavior becomes secretive or possessive. Knowing when burying is a normal instinct versus a sign of stress or illness lets you respond with enrichment and training instead of punishment. Finally, when you treat burying as information rather than mischief, it opens options for targeted enrichment, safe redirection, and problem solving that improve welfare.

At a glance — why your dog buries bones

• Many dogs cache food and chews as an instinctual way to save resources for later, a behavior inherited from wild canid ancestors.
• By covering a bone, a dog often reduces its scent footprint; this may lower the chance that other animals or people will find and take the item.
• Some burying is driven by play, teething discomfort, or boredom—burying can be a satisfying activity that relieves excess energy.
• The tendency to bury varies by breed and by individual history: some dogs have a strong caching drive, others rarely hide items.

Ancestors and instincts: what drives canine hiding behavior

Burying often sits in the same behavioral toolbox as hoarding and caching. In the wild, canid ancestors that cached surplus food increased their odds of surviving lean periods; modern dogs may retain a version of that tendency even when kibble is reliably available. I usually describe this as an inherited strategy that may be expressed with different intensity depending on the dog’s genetics and life experience.

Hiding and covering food also reduces scent and visual cues, which probably helped wild canids protect food from competitors. Dogs living in multi-dog households or in neighborhoods with abundant wildlife may show more burying because the perceived risk of theft is higher. Conversely, a singly housed, relaxed dog with plenty of enrichment may rarely cache.

Beyond survival, burying can communicate a dog’s internal state. A mother dog may hide food for her pups; intact or hormonally influenced animals may show related behaviors tied to reproductive drives. Puppies and adolescents exploring the world may bury toys the same way they mouth or shake items—part play, part learning. Hormones, developmental stage, and previous reinforcement all shape whether a burying action becomes persistent.

Breed tendencies also matter. Breeds developed for independent work or with strong hunting and caching histories (some terriers, scent hounds, and primitive breeds) are more likely to dig and stash. Still, individual difference rules the day: environment, training, and early life milestones can shift expression dramatically.

Where and when dogs hide bones (and why location matters)

Context is a strong predictor of burying. Ground conditions influence what’s practical: loose soil, freshly turned beds, or soft sand make burying easy; hard-packed clay or frozen ground discourages it. Temperature can play a role too—on hot days dogs may bury a cool object or alternatively cache food in shaded soil. Seasonal patterns may appear in some dogs, with more digging in temperate months when the ground is workable.

Presence of other animals or people is often a trigger. Dogs that see neighborhood cats, raccoons, or other dogs may respond by hiding valuable items. Similarly, if an owner or housemate approaches whenever a chew appears, the dog may develop a habit of concealing items to avoid interruption—what starts as practical hiding becomes a guarded routine.

Feeding schedule and perceived abundance influence burying. Dogs that were fed earlier and still have access to high-value chews may store them for later, while dogs that are hungry or less certain about future meals may consume immediately rather than cache. Boredom and lack of enrichment are common situational drivers: when nothing else occupies a dog, burying becomes a self-made task with predictable sensory payoff—digging, pawing, and the triumphant hiding of a prized item.

Health implications: risks to watch for and warning signs

Burying per se is not hazardous, but the objects involved and the intensity of the behavior can pose risks. Hard bones or cooked bones may splinter and cause choking, tooth fractures, or gastrointestinal perforation if consumed later after being chewed while buried and dirty. Foreign objects that get ingested after retrieval from soil can carry parasites, bacteria, or toxins.

Watch for signs that burying has moved into an obsessive or anxiety-linked pattern. If your dog spends hours digging and hiding, seems distressed when prevented, or shows repetitive, trance-like burying it may suggest compulsive behavior or high anxiety. Similarly, a sudden change—such as a dog that never hid objects before but now does persistently—can be a red flag for pain, cognitive change, or stress. Changes in appetite, elimination, social interest, or mobility alongside altered burying warrant veterinary assessment.

Certain physical signs also require attention: broken or worn teeth after intense chewing, blood or persistent drooling, vomiting, or lethargy following ingestion of retrieved items. If you suspect a swallowed foreign object, sudden abdominal pain, or choking, contact your veterinarian promptly.

Here’s what to do immediately when you discover a buried bone

If you find your dog has buried a bone or chew, focus first on safety and calm observation. Approach quietly and avoid rapid grabs that might provoke guarding. If the item is safe and you need it back, use a trained trade: offer a high-value treat or alternate toy while asking the dog to drop or trade the buried item. Many dogs will exchange the stash for something they prefer in the moment.

Make a brief observational checklist for yourself: how often does your dog bury items, where and when does it occur, which types of items are chosen, and is the behavior new or escalating? Note any concurrent signs—vocalization, pacing, changes to appetite, or avoidance—because these will guide your next steps.

Temporarily manage risk by removing or securing risky items (small or sharp bones, easily swallowed objects) and supervising outdoor time until you better understand the pattern. If the buried item is potentially hazardous and you cannot retrieve it safely, call your veterinarian for advice rather than attempting aggressive excavation.

Seek veterinary or behaviorist consultation when burying seems compulsive, is accompanied by health changes, or when you cannot manage access to dangerous materials. A qualified veterinary behaviorist or certified applied animal behaviorist can assess whether medical issues, anxiety, or learned behavior underlie the pattern and recommend a combined plan of medical, environmental, and training interventions.

Preventing unwanted burying without upsetting your dog

Prevention works best when you meet the underlying motivations rather than simply suppressing the behavior. If the driver is resource-saving, make food and chews predictably available—scheduled meals and a rotation of high-value chews can reduce the perceived need to hide items. For boredom-driven burying, enrich your dog’s day: vary walks, add structured play, and use food puzzles that provide problem-solving and slow feeding.

Train practical cue-based alternatives. Teach reliable trade and leave-it behaviors so you can safely retrieve items. Reinforce a “place” cue or a mat routine so your dog learns to settle with an acceptable chew rather than moving off to hide it. Use short, consistent training sessions; I typically recommend practicing the trade in low-distraction settings first, then gradually increasing challenge.

Modify the environment to reduce temptation: remove loose items from accessible areas, keep small chews in sealed containers, and consider creating a designated digging zone if your dog loves to excavate. If multiple dogs interact, supervise resource exchange to prevent guarding that might promote burying. For dogs with strong digging drives, a controlled dig box filled with soil or sand can provide an outlet that protects the rest of the yard.

If anxiety plays a role, the prevention strategy often combines behavior modification with enrichment and, in some cases, medication prescribed by your veterinarian. The goal is to lower stress so burying decreases as a coping mechanism.

Helpful gear and tools to manage bone-burying behavior

• Durable, odour-resistant chew toys (rubber or nylon blends designed to withstand heavy chewing without splintering).
• Treat-dispensing puzzles and slow-feeders that occupy food-driven dogs and reduce the drive to stash high-value items.
• Portable dig boxes or designated digging mats you can place in a corner of the yard to channel digging to a safe area.
• Scent-proof storage containers and secure treat boxes to keep tempting items out of reach and reduce opportunistic burying.

Choose gear sized appropriately for your dog and replace worn or damaged items promptly. For food puzzles and chews, rotate offerings so novelty remains rewarding—this often lowers the impulse to hide an item that suddenly becomes less special.

If burying continues or worsens: next steps and when to consult a professional

If thoughtful enrichment, consistent training, and environmental changes don’t reduce burying, it’s time to step up assessment. Begin with a veterinary exam to rule out pain, dental disease, or cognitive decline that may alter behavior. If medical causes are excluded or treated and the behavior continues, a behaviorist can design a graded program to change motivation and response patterns.

Behavior plans usually combine desensitization and counterconditioning (teaching positive associations with leaving items in place), structured enrichment to reduce idle time, and clear management strategies to prevent rehearsal. In some cases, medication to lower anxiety or compulsivity is a helpful adjunct while behavior change takes place. I commonly recommend follow-up tracking—log frequency and context—to measure progress and fine-tune interventions.

Ultimately, burying is a meaningful behavior that tells you about your dog’s instincts, needs, and environment. Responding with curiosity, safety-first actions, and targeted enrichment lets you preserve the charming parts of the behavior while reducing risk and improving your dog’s wellbeing.

Sources, studies, and further reading

• Merck Veterinary Manual: “Behavioral Problems of the Dog and Cat” — Merck & Co., Inc., Veterinary Manual (section on canine behavior).
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): “Environmental Enrichment for Dogs” — AVMA resources on mental and physical stimulation.
• American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB): Practice resources and guidance on when to seek a veterinary behaviorist (ACVB.org).
• Overall, K. L. Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, 2nd Edition. Elsevier, 2013 — comprehensive textbook on medical and behavioral assessment.
• Bradshaw, J. W. S. Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend. Basic Books, 2017 — practical insights into canine behavior and human–dog interactions.