One of the most common and curious customs in dogs is that of hiding or burying food, toys, or other objects. It is a natural behavior in these animals, which does not imply any problem in their education and of course does not deserve any punishment. The reasons for this habit may have different origins.
On the one hand, this practice is associated with your primal instincts. In the old days, when dogs had not yet been domesticated, they learned that bury small portions of food would help them quench their hunger until the next hunt. Although living with humans this is not necessary, the dog still retains this instinct.
In addition, in this way they could protect their food from the clutches of the other members of their pack; for this reason, they tend to do it more frequently in houses where more than one dog lives. Also keep in mind that some breeds are more prone to this habit than others, such as the Miniature Schnauzer, the Golden Retriever or the Manchester Terrier.
At other times, dogs acquire this behavior by entertainment and fun. These cases occur especially when they have a garden, because for them digging in the ground can become a great game. To avoid that they can bury valuable objects, we can buy special toys for this purpose.
The problem arises when the dog calms his anxiety in this way, making this practice an obsession, even causing injuries to his legs with excessive activity. We will solve it by providing large doses of physical exercise our pet, as well as sufficient play time and proper discipline.
Although hiding things is completely natural for these animals and they should not be scolded by them, this habit can harm their health if they decide to hide these objects in dirty places. That is why it is recommended adapt a clean and safe area for it.