# marking one's territory

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marking-ones-territory/129501>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 24, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marking-ones-territory/129501 "2002-09-24T19:24:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marking-ones-territory/129501/1 "2002-09-24T19:24:56Z")

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hello.

i have a question about dogs, and their peeing habits. namely, do dogs mark territory individually, or by-the-pack?

so there’s no confusion, I’m not asking if wild dogs all pee on the same tree at once.

but if beta male pees on a tree, does the rest of the pack smell it and go “Oh sweet- another tree claimed by Packalicious!”? that would be marking by the pack.

on the other hand is individual marking. in which any dog would re-cover the piss spot to claim it as their own. or perhaps only higher-ranking members (a la pecking order).

so which is it?

thanks,  
jb