Ever wondered why your dog has to do everything the other dog does or has to bark each time the neighbours dog does?
This is what's known as allelomimetic behaviour, where the dog mirrors a behaviour another dog has shown; just like when you see another human yawn and you may then instinctively yawn.
Various types of allelomimetic behaviours in dogs:
Running, barking, sitting, howling, lying down, sleeping, getting up
-These all have strong influences of stimulating other dogs to do the same.
Howling is a brilliant example of allelomimetic behaviour as it is a contagious noise for dogs to make together, and when doing so they are in unison, this is used as a form of social bonding.
Puppies begin to show allelomimetic behavior at about five weeks of age. It is an intrinsic part of your dog’s behavior to adjust to the behavior of its companions. Your behavior influences your dog behavior in many more instances than you realize.
Since we have selected and bred our dogs to be highly sociable and socially promiscuous, they tend to show extended allelomimetic behavior, not only copying the behavior of their closest companions, but of others as well.
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