A pack is a closed, individualized group of mammals. The members of this group know each other and cannot be replaced at will. In comparison to a herd, a pack consists of a few animals; mammals such as wolves, lions or deer in particular live in a pack. Within a pack, there are certain hierarchies; in most cases, the pack is led by a leader. The pack leader makes decisions for the entire group, focusing on the situation and his own actions.
Like wolves, dogs can also live in a pack. A wolf pack usually consists of a group of family members. The parents form the leader, followed by the young and puppies. The constellation is similar in a dog pack. The dogs know each other and are born into the pack. The ranking is based on the natural family hierarchy. The parents deserve respect until the young are old enough to leave the dog pack and start their own pack.
While this process is more common in the wild, domesticated dogs are grouped together in an artificial pack. This pack consists of several dogs that are not related, and natural migration is not possible. Humans are mistakenly seen as part of the pack. As already described, a pack can only consist of related animals, which is why humans and dogs can only form a community, not a pack. Whether a social group, a natural or artificial pack, dogs are pack animals that live together in a community and can look after each other. Within this community, they groom each other's fur, lie close together or lick each other's snouts, just as their relatives do in the wild. This also includes defending the pack and individual pack members when they are unable to defend themselves. However, defense in dogs can also mean that they show dominance over their fellow dogs when it comes to an important resource, such as food. The more important the resource, the more it is defended.
