If you have ever adopted a second dog into your home, you probably noticed how much easier it was to train the new dog, eventually realizing that he learned the ropes from the first dog. However, allelomimetic behavior is not limited to the confines of the same species. When a dog becomes part of our family, we become the dog’s pack; in essence, he will learn from and copy our actions, emotions, and attitudes!
Behavior is a psychological means by which all animals learn and are taught. Allelomimetic behavior is defined as a behavior in social animals where each animal does the same thing as those nearby. Animals that pack are more trainable than animals that do not. Animals like elephants, horses, and dogs are prone to copying actions within the group hierarchy. It is believed that socialization plays an even bigger part in the development and training of a dog than the dog’s intelligence level.
Simply put, allelomimetic behavior occurs when a member of a group or pack does the same thing at approximately the same time as another member of the pack. The mimicking is then a learned behavior. This is why you might have experienced how much easier it was to train your household’s second or third dog.
Unfortunately, allelomimetic behavior is not limited to only good and acceptable behavior. That said, if you plan to bring a second dog into your home, ensure that your first dog has been well-trained. If your dog is not house-trained, destructive, barks incessantly, and demonstrates unwanted and unacceptable behaviors, you can be sure the second dog will do the same.
Not only will some undesirable behaviors be contagious to the second dog, but they are also programmed to be instinctive. If the first dog is not housetrained or chews your furniture, the second dog will follow suit.
What are some of the allelomimetic behaviors you might notice in your own home?
