Most predators hunt in certain patterns:
- search and first contact with prey
- identification of found animal
- approaching the prey staying unnoticed
- attack
- killing the prey
- consumption of the catch
Howling is, beside defending the territory, has a purpose in gathering a pack before the hunt. Wolves learn how their potential prey acts in different conditions and environments. They observe a deer herd for 12 to 16 days and herd of musk ox 36 to 37 days. This is how they learn when is the best to attack. They often follow tracks of other animals. When they decide to attack an animal they tend to get close as unnoticeably as possible. When animal senses presence of a predator it reacts in many ways. If it just stops and observes, as most animals do, wolves cautiously try to scare it – they show their teeth and growl. If they do not manage to make it flee they quit the attack. On the other hand, if they are running they immediately start the chase. During the chase they often change direction and take turns in leading – like a relay race, disorienting the victim and saving the energy at the same time. When they start the chase, they can pursue it for 20 minutes at 60 km/h speed. They usually give up after a kilometre or two.
Wolves spend a lot of time in search for food. The hunt can last for couple of hours and they can cover 200 km per day. They are long-distance runners. They can run for hours at steady 38 km/h speed without a break. They can long jump up to four and a half meters.
African Wild Dogs begin their hunt with easy legwork that tests a gnu if it is an easy target. Then they set up the chase. They run 50 km/h long distance but their prey is much faster. This is why leading dogs chase the animal making it shift and turn while the rest follow in straight line saving the energy and strength. When leading dogs get tired, they will take turn. They will severely defend the prey if vultures show up, or jackals too. Everything they catch they will eat: flesh, skin and bones.
Red Dog or Dhole lives in 5 to 12 member family. Sometimes a few families will join together and form a pack – a clan. In this type of formation they can catch big animal like Sambar deer or buffalo. Team work also helps with lurking vultures.
Red Foxes and Coyotes often hunt for rodents jumping high in the air and pouncing.
Maned wolves lack stamina to chase prey for long period. This is why, instead of chasing it, they sneak up to animals and make sudden attacks.
In the wild, most dogs hunt and attack in complete silence. Quiet hunt can be a good thing in wilderness, but when domestic dogs hunt game for humans, the sound that dogs make when they are under ground will tell hunters where to dig in order to find a fox or a badger or other animals, and to dig out the dog.