Dogs evolved the instinct to save their leftovers thousands of years ago. Because meals are sometimes hard to come by in nature, keeping bones for later provided a much-needed meal when things were tough.
When humans domesticated the first wolves, they suddenly had more bountiful meals provided to them. In the generations since their instincts have remained. Why do dogs put balls under furniture?
Dogs put balls under furniture because their instincts tell them to save the things that matter to them for later. Initially, it started as a way to stash some food for emergencies, but modern dogs don’t need to hide snacks when they’re fed properly. Instead, they often choose to hide their favorite toys rather than treats and bones.
Table of Contents
5 Reasons Why Dogs Hide Balls Under Furniture
Although instinct is the most common reason why dogs hide balls under furniture, there are several other possible causes for this behavior.
The good news is that it’s not something you need to worry about. Not all dogs do this, but most of them will at least try occasionally.
Below are five reasons why dogs put balls under furniture:
1 – Instinct
All dogs are descended from wolves, though we’ve domesticated them and bred them to hundreds of new and different shapes.
The instinct to bury or hide bones and essential items comes from your dog’s common ancestor. Even modern wolves still practice this behavior. Indoors, there’s nowhere to dig, so your pet is choosing the next logical option.
According to Science Focus, “Evolution has a lot to answer for it, but for modern domesticated dogs, it could be more to do with just being a bit bored. Wolves bury food that they can’t eat immediately. Dogs retain this behavior and will bury toys or bones – either because they are saving their leftovers, or just because they are bored.”
2 – Jealousy / Possessiveness
If you have other pets, especially other dogs, then your pet may be worried about a favorite ball. Dogs can feel a sense of possession, and they don’t want anyone to steal their things.
Logically, the best way to prevent theft is to hold on to the toy. However, when they can’t carry it around, stashing it under the nearest piece of furniture out of reach is a smart move.
By doing this, the dog loses the ball, but they can count on you most of the time to retrieve it. More importantly, no other animals can have their favorite toy.
3 – Playfulness
Does your dog knock the same ball under your furniture multiple times in a short span? They may be playing.
Whether your pet is trying to entice you into a rousing round of fetch, or they’re merely bored and entertaining themselves, a long game of ball-under-the-couch is fun.
Sadly, as the one doing the fetching, you may not feel the same way.
4 – Excess
Many pet owners enjoy spoiling their dogs. While it’s pleasant for both you and your pet to have plenty, your dog doesn’t necessarily have a need for all the extra stuff.
Like having extra food, dogs will sometimes hide balls or other toys when they have so much they can’t use it all.
When your dog hides the same one ball, it’s different from stashing their extras. This type of hiding is all about excess.
In short, they have more than they need, so they’re saving some of it for later. Your pup probably thinks it’s great to have so much, but their instincts still kick in and push them to put aside the ‘leftovers’ so they have balls to play with later.
5 – Accident (Slanted Floor)
Not every ball under a piece of furniture got there by intent. Your dog’s balls might also end up under things because they were rolling them around, and it got away.
It happens to everyone sometimes. One minute you’re holding something, and the next, it bounces under your armchair.
However, if all the balls end up under the same piece of furniture, and it doesn’t seem like your dog is doing it on purpose, grab a level and check your floor.
Balls are made to roll, and they will roll downhill unless you stop them. Even a slight slant can cause this unexpected accumulation to occur.
How To Stop Dogs From Putting Balls Under Furniture
The easiest way to stop dogs from putting balls under your furniture is to block the openings. For example, you can use some excess cardboard.
Follow the steps below to create a practical protective cover to keep your dog’s balls from rolling under things where you don’t want them.
- Measure the gap.
- Add a half to a quarter of an inch to your measurements for overlap.
- Cut a piece of cardboard out of an old box using the measurements you took.
- Check the fit to ensure it will cover.
- Attach your cardboard with double-sided tape. You can wrap all the way around with twine if you’re afraid of damaging the furniture.
Pro Tip: Unless there’s a particular reason you need the dog to stop hiding things, it’s often better to simply allow them to do what comes naturally. You can always opt to block off some spaces and leave others open, so you know where to look. Plus, if you find it too difficult to lift or get to the ‘buried’ toys, you can always pick up a grabber designed to reach high shelves.
I recommend the RMS Royal Medical School Grabber from Amazon. The rotating jaw is especially useful for getting those hard-to-grab toys.
Plus, at thirty-two inches long, you’ll be able to grasp most things even under beds and other wide furniture.
- WHAT IS INCLUDED: 2 Packs of 34" grabber reacher with rotating jaw.
- 34" LONG: Increases your reach by 34 inches so that you can pick up items from floor, top shelf, outdoor lawn, trash can, behind furniture, or other hard to reach places.
- ROTATING JAW: The jaw rotates and locks at 90 degrees for vertical or horizontal use. It is made from soft rubber to allow picking up the smallest items with ease.
- DURABILITY: The shaft is made from rust-proof lightweight aluminum and the internal wire is made from steel cable for durability and easy of use.
Helpful Tips To Know About Why Dogs Put Balls Under Furniture
Silly or suspicious, your dog is probably going to put a ball under your furniture at some point.
You could always opt to buy furniture with higher clearances, but that seems like a lot of expensive replacements to prevent a lost ball, especially when it’s getting lost on purpose.
Here are some additional helpful tips to know about why dogs put balls under furniture.
- Dog’s hiding their balls under furniture may be evolved from their instinct to hide food, but why hide food? You’d expect it to spoil, but the coolness of the dirt and sealing it up helped preserve meat better than leaving it out. Plus, it has the added benefit of keeping other animals away.
- A dog’s stomach is surprisingly resilient. Meat that’s hidden underground that would make any human sick is just another meal to a dog.
- Unless your dog seems distressed about the ball they just rolled under your furniture, you can leave it there. They meant to put it away.
Final Thoughts
Your dog puts balls under the furniture because they think they need to. Luckily, this is completely normal dog behavior, whether to save it for later or make sure another dog can’t reach it.
If there are spots that are too difficult to get, you can block them off, so the ball only goes under some furniture, or pick up a reach extender with a grasper on the end to help you rescue the toy when your dog wants to play.
However, it’s best to let them do what comes naturally, within reason.
