Dogs usually perform play-bows in a springy, fast motion with a bounciness to it. A pet parent can imitate this action by getting down on all fours, putting both elbows on the ground, and leaving your butt in the air. So, how does all this research and insight play out (no pun intended) in real life? Though the play-bow is a universal invitation to play among dogs, people can do it, too. Using play signals to communicate makes it less likely that a dog’s actions will be misinterpreted, which can cause play to escalate into aggression opens in a new tab. Play-bows communicate that even if the behavior to follow is rough opens in a new tab or learned from other instincts - such as fighting or predation - and involves biting, chasing, shaking, or slamming into one another, it is playful in nature. As Mechtild Käufer, author of Canine Play Behavior, writes, during play, you and your dog experience “moments in which two species - human and dog - really become one.” Translating Dog Play-BowsĪ dog play-bow is a play signal that dogs use to initiate play with other dogs and signal to others that their intentions are playful.
Play is also the perfect opportunity for shared joy between pet and pet parent. Marc Bekoff, one of the leading scientists of animal play, has said, “We train too much and play too little.Whenever you are playing together, you and your dog learn the most important rules of social interaction: mutual trust, accepting the limitations of the other individual, and dealing fairly with each other.” Others have taken note of the role of play in our dogs’ lives as well. Tips to avoid boredom when cooped up during all this winter weather. The UK-based study also found a clear link between “limited playtime and animal behavior problems, such as being nervous when left alone, disobedience and snapping at other animals.”Ĩ Activities That Keep You and Your Dog Out of the Snow opens in a new tab Science of Play Signalsīehaviorist Patricia McConnell, author of Play Together, Stay Together, has observed that when it comes to dogs and people, “play isn’t what makes our relationship with each other better, play is what creates the relationship in the first place.” A 2020 Bristol University survey found that most of the 4,000 respondents simply didn’t spend enough time playing with their dogs. A play signal tells another dog, “I want to play.” If you want to build a stronger bond with your pup, consider communicating in ways that naturally make sense to them, such as a play-bow. These signals can mean different things, but the message always aims to keep play safe by telling other dogs that their intentions are playful. When dogs want to play, they let others know with play signals, like a play-bow, which they use to initiate play with other dogs - and to keep it going. You’re going to be late for that meeting. They immediately get into position: the play-bow.
Another dog and their owner have entered the dog run. You’ve got 15 minutes before a Zoom meeting, and you still have to make it back to the house. See our privacy statement to find out how we collect and use your data, to contact us with privacy questions or to exercise your personal data rights. Sign up for product updates, offers, and learn more about The Wildest, and other Mars Petcare brands.