Everyday I play the same game with my Houndy-mix Eddie. I give him a rawhide and he buries it in the yard. He spends a few good hours being paranoid about it -rushing to the back garden at the slightest sound; leaping to his feet if the other dogs go outside; and finally not-so-cleverly giving away the secret location. When its time to collect the bone I move around the yard and watch Eddie's face. I can tell by the paranoid look in his eye when I am getting warm... getting warm... RED-HOT! Then, I collect the rawhide and store it for the next day.
Today's "Secret" Location
Why do dogs bury things?
There appears to be no answer. Don't get me wrong, there is a good deal of conjecture and lots of opinions, but no real scientific answers. The common theories seem to be that dogs are:
1. Saving snacks for later
2. Hiding food from other hunters
Whatever the reason, some dogs are compelled to bury their stuff. From a behavioral perspective the "WHY" is only one part of the mystery. The "HOW" is equally as interesting. The burying of bones (and other stuff) is a Fixed-Action-Pattern. This means that all dogs follow the same basic recipe and that they don't need to learn the ropes from any other dog -it comes pre-installed as a complete behavior.
Scratch with paws...
Push with nose...
Scrape with muzzle...
Push with nose...
Scrape with muzzle...
There are variations for sure, but the basic building blocks are performed the same way by the tiniest lapdogs and the biggest hounds.
So, why do dog's bury bones?
Because their genes tell them to; because long ago dogs that buried stuff had some kind of advantage over those that didn't and they survived and produced more dogs that buried stuff.
|
« Previous Dog Fights & Bites |
Next » Grumpy Dogs: Can dogs be aggressive sleepers? |
