  Foraging and acquiring of food is a delicate balance between managing the
costs, both energy and social, and individual preferences. Previous research on
the solitary foraging of free ranging dogs showed that they prioritized the
nutritionally highest valued food patch first but do not ignore other less
valuable food either, displaying typical scavenger behaviour. The current
experiment was carried out on groups of dogs with the same set up to see the
change in foraging strategies, if any, under the influence of social cost like
intra-group competition. We found multiple differences between the strategies
of dogs foraging alone versus in groups with competition playing an implicit
role in the decision making of dogs when foraging in groups. Dogs were able to
continually assess and evaluate the available resources in a patch and adjust
their behaviour accordingly. Foraging in groups also provided benefits of
reduced individual vigilance. The various decisions and choices made seemed to
have a basis in the optimal foraging theory wherein the dogs harvested the
nutritionally richest patch possible with the least risk and cost involved but
was willing to compromise if that was not possible. This underscores the
cognitive, quick decision-making abilities and adaptable behaviour of these
dogs.
