Why Your Dog Buries Toys and What It Actually Means

Dogs dig. Some dig more than others, but sooner or later, all dogs are going to want to dig a hole. The question is, why?

Well, sometimes it seems obvious when they grab a toy or a bone, take it to their newly created hole, and bury it. But that just opens up more questions! Why are they burying their toys? Is there some deeper meaning behind this behavior, and should you do anything about it?

Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe

The root of the answer goes back to times long before dogs as we know them existed. In the world, canines like wolves often struggle to survive. They hunt, and they scavenge for food, and when they find it, they eat until they're full.

Often, though, the food they find is more than enough for themselves and their packs. Rather than let it go to waste or get stolen, they want to save it for when they don't have food later. Lean times, winters, droughts, any time when their usual food supplies are scarce, they want to have a stash.

Actually, they want to have a lot of stashes. It's called "scatter hoarding" because they scatter their treasures around their territory, so they can access something nearby no matter where they are.

The easiest way to keep food like meat and bones away from other animals that would eat it, and protect it from the elements, is to bury it. So these great canines bury their leftovers, so they can come back and retrieve them later.

This behavior is by no means unique to wolves and dogs. All kinds of animals, from predatory hawks to squirrels, tuck away caches of food, often by burying them.

Why does your dog, thousands of years removed from the need to bury food to secure themselves from famine, still bury things like bones and toys?

It's just an ancestral, genetic urge. There's not really any deeper reasoning; doing so makes them feel more secure, knowing that their favorite item is kept somewhere safe.

It's also sensible! As it turns out, the temperature just a few inches below the ground is surprisingly stable. It's relatively cool even on hot summer days, and it's kept away from most bugs and other nasties that would get into it. It's obviously not the kind of food safety we people enjoy, but for a dog, it's good enough. It's like nature's refrigerator, in a way.

Why is Your Dog Burying Their Toys?

Burying toys is a common behavior, and it can be benign, but it can also be a sign of an imbalance in their life. Not a nutritional imbalance, but more of a social imbalance. You'll see what I mean as we go.

There are also simpler reasons, so let's discuss all of them.

They're Burying Toys Out of Insecurity

The first possible reason why your dog might be burying toys is out of insecurity. This happens a lot if your dog tends to have things taken away from them. If you tend to take their toys and lock them away so they can't be accessed all the time, your dog might want to hide their toy so you can't steal it from them.

This can also be tied with some forms of anxiety and boredom. Dogs that are left on their own with nothing to do for hours may want to hide toys so they can retrieve them when they're bored later. Dogs that have their toys taken away may also have separation anxiety.

They're Burying Toys Out of Possessiveness

This is another possible reason, but it's similar to the first: they're afraid that their toys, bones, or other items will be taken away from them. Instead of you doing it, though, this might be common with a multi-dog household. One dog might be bullied by another and get their toys taken away. So, they'll want to hide and protect them, instead.

Dogs have an innate desire to protect their resources from others, which can include other dogs just as much as other kinds of animals. Sometimes this can even crop up in an anxious dog that isn't bullied, but they're just insecure and defensive over their toys.

They're Burying Toys Out of Surplus

A surplus of toys is also an imbalance; if your dog has more toys than they know what to do with, they might take some of them to hide and bury. That way, if they lose toys, destroy them, or they're taken away, they still have some for later.

This is the most direct version of hiding food for later from ancestral canines. It's a surplus that needs to be protected for times of scarcity.

This is also likely the case if they're hiding food, too. If your dog sneaks some of their kibble off and tucks it away somewhere safe (and you keep finding it in the closet, under the bed, and in the couch cushions), it's likely that you're feeding them too much and they're saving the extra for later.

They're Burying Toys to Get Your Attention

This one is a matter of reinforcement and accidental training. If your pup goes and digs a hole, and you run and call to them and distract them and play with them, they've just learned that they can get your attention by digging a hole.

If they can't get your attention in other ways, maybe that hole will work again. If it does, well, they're effectively training you to give them attention with just one small action.

They're Burying Toys as a Form of Play

Another common reason dogs like to bury things is because it's a form of play. It's not really much different from a toddler playing in a sandbox or bringing your kids to the beach to dig holes in the sand.

For one thing, it's a form of physical exercise. Digging is hard work, especially if you have hard ground, and digging a big enough hole to protect their favorite bone is tricky business.

For another, it's mental stimulation. Digging is something to activate their doggy minds, and it helps alleviate boredom. Of course, it's not a way you likely want them to be entertaining themselves (at least, not if you like having a yard free of tripping hazards), so you may want to find other ways to entertain them.

They're Burying Toys out of Medical Problems

Rarely, burying toys and bones might be a sign of an underlying health issue. This is generally pretty rare, and it's likely not the reason your dog is burying unless it's starting up out of the blue with no other causes behind it.

Sometimes, a dog in pain or with hormonal imbalances might be stimulated to dig and bury toys for later. They can't enjoy it now, so they'll save it. In some cases, it can also be a sign of cognitive decline in older dogs, especially if a big part of their lack of digging was from training.

It's not a bad idea to have your dog checked out at the vet, but digging holes isn't an emergency, just something to mention at their next check-up. Unless, of course, they show other signs of concern.

Is Burying Toys a Dangerous Behavior?

The good news is, the vast majority of the time, it's not dangerous for your dog to bury toys.

There are, however, a few risks and concerns to think about:

• They can leave holes around, which are a tripping hazard.

• They might lose their toys, which can cause problems when they can't find them.

• If they're burying kibble around the house, it can rot and stink if you don't find it.

• Likewise, it can attract insects like ants and flies.

• It's possible that they can hurt their paws when they dig, especially if you have tough, rocky ground.

• If they're burying food, then recovering and eating it later, it can potentially cause health problems.

• If they're burying out of anxiety, that anxiety can cause other behavioral issues.

• If they're being defensive of another dog, it can be a source of conflict in your household.

• In some cases, they can be defensive of the places they've buried toys, which can be a dangerous behavior.

• If they're "burying" toys in blankets, furniture, and around the house, they can damage those items and get into places they shouldn't.

• And, as mentioned, in rare cases, it can be a sign of health issues when accompanied by other symptoms.

So, while it's not a "rush to the vet" kind of behavior, it's still something you may find undesirable.

Can You Get Your Dog to Stop Burying Toys?

So, that brings us to the next logical question: can you get your dog to stop burying toys?

First of all, think about those imbalances. Are you giving your dog too much food, and they're hiding some? If so, dialing back on their daily meal might be enough to stop the behavior. Similarly, if they have a ton of toys, it might actually be too many, and putting a few away (and keeping their toys in rotation) can bring it into balance.

Conversely, if they don't have enough toys and are digging to entertain themselves, getting them another toy or two might do the trick. A lot depends on how much they have and use.

Another option is to redirect their hide-and-seek behavior with puzzle toys. Puzzle toys use bits of kibble and treats as rewards, and they sate the same urge your dog has to dig into something and find something fun, just with a toy instead of your yard.

Consider if they might have specific issues like anxiety that need to be addressed on their own terms. Digging and hiding out of anxiety means you need to treat the anxiety, not the digging.

You can also try standard dog training. It's basically the same as other forms of training, like recall training; identify the behavior you want to see and reward it. With digging, you want to redirect them when they're about to dig, and when they stop, reward them for stopping.

Some dog breeds are much more prone to digging than others. Terriers, dachshunds, beagles, and schnauzers all have a high prey drive, which is strongly correlated with digging behavior. For dogs like these, you might not be able to fully stop them from digging.

In that case, instead of stopping them, redirect them to somewhere you'll allow them to dig, like a designated sandbox or garden area. It's the same deal there; if you see them start to dig, call them to the designated dig area and reward them. Don't reward them for digging anywhere else. Eventually, they'll associate digging in that area as the reward-worthy behavior and only dig there.

Dog Toy Burying Questions

To round things out, here are a few questions that didn't have a place in the main post.

Do all dogs dig?

Yes and no. It's very much a matter of personality.

Dogs of any breed can dig and find enjoyment in doing so, and dogs of any breed can find defensive or anxiety-related reasons to dig and bury their toys. But some are much more predisposed than others. Some dogs never bother with digging, and some are content to "dig" in the blankets but never try to dig outside. It all depends on the pup!

Does my dog remember where they buried their toys?

Maybe! Sometimes they'll remember where they buried a favorite toy, but as often as not, they actually can just still smell it. Dog noses are incredibly powerful, and they can identify their favorite toys even under a layer of dirt after it's rained.

Sometimes they might lose toys, certainly. Other times, they just go a long time without wanting to dig it back up. They aren't super scatter-brained, but it can happen.

What else should I keep in mind?

If your dog digs and you don't mind it, it can still be worth paying attention to for a few reasons.

First, if they bury food and dig it up later, it can upset their stomachs to eat it, which can cause problems. Burying toys is one thing, but food should be avoided.

Second, their digging might actually be hunting. If you have lawn pests like moles or other rodents, your pup might be hunting them, and catching one can be a whole issue in and of itself. Keep that in mind, especially if they're digging attentively.

Third, digging behavior might be fine for your yard, but it might be prohibited in places like the local dog parks, so make sure you aren't breaking rules by letting them dig in public.

Do you have any other questions? Let me know in the comments!