Almost all canids are social animals and live together in groups.
In general, they are territorial or have a home range and sleep in the open, using their dens only for breeding and sometimes in bad weather.
In most foxes, and in many of the true dogs, a male and female pair work together to hunt and to raise their young.
Gray wolves and some of the other larger canids live in larger groups called packs.
African wild dogs have packs which may consist of 20 to 40 animals and packs of fewer than about seven individuals may be incapable of successful reproduction.
Hunting in packs has the advantage that larger prey items can be tackled.
Some species form packs or live in small family groups depending on the circumstances, including the type of available food.
In most species, some individuals live on their own.
Within a canid pack, there is a system of dominance so that the strongest, most experienced animals lead the pack.
In most cases, the dominant male and female are the only pack members to breed.

Canids communicate with each other by scent signals, by visual clues and gestures, and by vocalizations such as growls, barks, and howls.
In most cases, groups have a home territory from which they drive out other conspecifics.
The territory is marked by leaving urine scent marks, which warn trespassing individuals.
Social behavior is also mediated by secretions from glands on the upper surface of the tail near its root and from the anal glands.
Almost all canids are social animals and live together in groups. In general, they are territorial or have a home range and sleep in the open, using their dens only for breeding and sometimes in bad weather. In most foxes, and in many of the true dogs, a male and female pair work together to hunt and to raise their young. Gray wolves and some of the other larger canids live in larger groups called packs. African wild dogs have packs which may consist of 20 to 40 animals and packs of fewer than about seven individuals may be incapable of successful reproduction. Hunting in packs has the advantage that larger prey items can be tackled. Some species form packs or live in small family groups depending on the circumstances, including the type of available food. In most species, some individuals live on their own. Within a canid pack, there is a system of dominance so that the strongest, most experienced animals lead the pack. In most cases, the dominant male and female are the only pack members to breed.
Canids communicate with each other by scent signals, by visual clues and gestures, and by vocalizations such as growls, barks, and howls. In most cases, groups have a home territory from which they drive out other conspecifics. The territory is marked by leaving urine scent marks, which warn trespassing individuals. Social behavior is also mediated by secretions from glands on the upper surface of the tail near its root and from the anal glands.
Canidae