Burying or hiding bones and other items is another typical dog behavior, like sniffing and tail wagging. This behavior is instinctual and goes back millions of years. It’s a food-saving technique that all dogs are born with, just as their canine ancestors were. Before being domesticated this was often a necessary behavior for dogs to ensure that they’d have adequate nutrition at times when food was scarce.

Even today canines in the wild (such as foxes) will kill a small animal, feed on it until only the bones remain, then bury the bones to hide them from other animals looking for food. If their next hunt isn’t successful, they can return to the hiding spot and feed on the leftover bones from the previous hunt. The marrow from bones is rich in nutrients and will usually be sufficient nourishment until the next successful hunting expedition.

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