Are Dogs Pack Animals?

Dogs are not pack animals.

But that does not mean they are not social animals. 

All pack animals are social animals, but not all social animals are pack animals. 

These terms derive from Ethology - the study of natural animal behavior. I see a lot of back and forth on social media about whether dogs are pack animals or if they need social interactions with other dogs without any acknowledgment of the actual definition of these terms or the research that went into defining them.   

Pack animals are animals that live and hunt together within a specific familial social structure. Members of the pack all have specific roles when it comes to hunting, reproducing, raising young, and making decisions for the pack. Who has these roles can evolve and change over time, but they are specific. 

Wolves, lions, African wild dogs, and orcas are all great examples of pack animals.

When dogs are observed in free range environments as feral/stray dogs, they do not naturally form cohesive packs that fit the Ethological definition of a pack animal. They do not have structure around what specific pack members' roles are in hunting, reproducing, raising young, and making decisions for the pack. They lack the cooperation and order that pack animals naturally have. 

However, dogs are social animals and Ethologists have tentatively labeled them as fission-fusion animals rather than pack animals. Fission-fusion animals lack rigid social structures/roles. Groups may disperse and reform at random. Structure of a fission-fusion social group depends heavily on availability to resources and the environment rather than a rigid dominance hierarchy.

Rats, many kinds of monkeys are fission-fusion animals.

Pack animals and fission-fusion animals both need social interactions and can develop mental and physical health issues if those social needs are not met.

Dogs are unique in that their social needs can be met by both dogs and humans. There are some dogs that do not feel comfortable or fulfilled interacting with other dogs. And there are dogs that absolutely need healthy social interactions with other dogs in order to be the best version of themselves. This difference is heavily dependent on their genetics. 

The idea that dogs are pack animals that have “pack drive” or have a rigid “dominance hierarchy” has no scientific basis and overly simplifies a complex social environment. The idea that dogs don’t need to have their social needs met, especially when they are having an issue with their social interactions like dog or human reactivity, fails to validate their nature as social animals.  When looking to understand the nuances of dog social behavior it is important to have a cohesive definition of what we are talking about and solid research to back up the terminology. 

I hope that clears things up!