08/05/2025
THE PLAY BOW
Dogs are constantly communicating through their body language and the play bow is one that is very easy to see, but despite its name, it doesn’t always mean “I want to play with you!”
Yes, in general, it means – I’m friendly and I have no aggressive intent, although context and the individual dog always need to be taken into account.
Some time ago, one of my little dogs was attacked by a bigger dog while we were out waking. She has never completely recovered from the trauma and ever since then, immediately play bows if a bigger dog comes anywhere near her.
I believe what she is communicating is – a calming signal to show the other dog she is not a threat, a position in which she can quickly escape if need be and the most likely explanation is to pre-empt any conflict and reduce any potential tension.
She has absolutely no desire or intention of playing or interacting with the other dog, but is trying to communicate her non-threatening intent. This may be a more unusual use of the play bow, but the purpose of this story is that context and the individual dog really does matter.
Some dogs also use play bows to reset an interaction that is getting too much or perhaps to say “I’m sorry!”, in an attempt to reduce social tension or initiate conflict resolution after being too rough.
A prayer bow, which looks very similar to a play bow may indicate discomfort. A prayer bow is a more lengthened stretch, where a dog extends the front paws really far forward and the chest area is very close to or on the ground.
This could indicate abdominal pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, gas, or it’s simply an effective stretch to loosen up stiff muscles or joints and get ready for movement.
