Kroki

Question · Puppy

How do I teach my puppy to bow?

The short answer

Wait until your puppy is standing, then move a treat slowly from its nose down to the floor between its front paws and a little towards its chest. As the front end dips while the bottom stays up, say your marker word and give the treat. Reward even a small dip, and do it before the puppy lies down. You can also mark the big stretch after a nap. Kroki, a reward-based app for puppies and dogs, teaches the marker word this trick depends on.

How to do it, step by step

  1. Start from a stand on a soft mat

    A bow begins with all four paws on the ground and the puppy standing. Pick a rug or mat so the elbows land softly, and choose a moment when your puppy is awake and curious, not right after a wild game.

  2. Lure the nose to the floor

    Hold a small treat at your puppy’s nose and lower it slowly, straight down, to the floor between the front paws. Then slide it a few centimetres back towards the chest. Most puppies fold their front legs to follow while the back end stays up.

  3. Mark the dip, not the down

    Say “Top!” the moment the chest drops, even if it is only a little, and give the treat right there at floor level. If the back end follows and your puppy lies down, simply lure it back up into a stand and try a quicker, smaller dip next time.

  4. Catch the natural stretch

    Puppies stretch into a perfect bow after sleeping. Keep a few treats near the bed, and when you see the stretch, say “Top!” and reward. Caught stretches teach the shape without any luring, and they fit easily into a puppy’s day.

  5. Name it and keep it brief

    When the dip comes easily, say “Bow” just before you lure. A puppy only needs to hold the position for a moment; release it straight away with the treat. Four or five bows are enough for one session.

Is your dog already grown?

A grown dog can hold the bow for a few seconds, learn a release word and repeat it more often. Senior dogs with stiff shoulders or elbows need a shallower bow, and rescue dogs sometimes find a hand close to the floor worrying at first. The page for grown dogs explains these differences.

Why bowing comes naturally to puppies

The bow you teach copies a signal dogs use with each other. In a study of play between adult pet dogs, play bows most often came right after a short pause in the game, and afterwards both dogs tended to move together or one ran off while the other gave chase. The researchers concluded that the bow mainly works to start play again after a break (Byosiere, Espinosa and Smuts 2016). You will see your puppy use the same move with toys, other dogs and you.

Because the movement is already there, you only need to mark it at the right moment and keep practice light. Dogs trained once a week needed fewer sessions to learn a task than dogs trained five times a week (Meyer and Ladewig 2008), and in a study with 44 beagles, one or two sessions a week worked better than daily ones, while one session beat three in a row (Demant and colleagues 2011). For a puppy, a handful of bows now and then, spread over the week, is the way to go.

My puppy keeps lying down: what now?

  • You lure too far back: keep the treat closer to the front paws, so the bottom has no reason to follow.
  • You mark too late: reward the first small dip of the chest, before the elbows touch the floor.
  • It is tired: try after a short play break, not before bed. A sleepy puppy lies down at every chance.
  • It still lies down: catch the stretch after naps for a few days instead, then try the lure again.

Common mistakes

  • Pushing down on the shoulders or holding up the belly. The puppy learns to lean on your hand, not to bow.
  • Asking for a long hold. A puppy’s bow lasts a heartbeat; holds come later.
  • Practising on slippery floors. Front paws slide forward and the bow turns into a sprawl.
  • Starting from a sit. From a sit, most puppies slide straight into a down.

When to see a professional

Bowing is gentle and natural. Talk to a professional first if:

The help pages list services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only. Elsewhere, ask your vet practice who they recommend near you.

Frequently asked questions

When can a puppy learn to take a bow?

Most puppies can start bowing at around eight to ten weeks, because the stretch is a movement they already make. Keep it to a few quick tries and stop while your puppy is still keen.

Is a trained bow the same as a play bow?

It looks almost the same, but the trained bow happens on your cue. Your puppy will keep its natural play bow for games with you and other dogs, and that is a good thing.

Why does my puppy bow at other dogs?

A play bow is an invitation to play, often used to restart a game after a pause. If the other dog joins in, the bow did its job.

Should I hold my puppy’s belly up to teach the bow?

No, you don’t need to touch your puppy at all. Mark the first dip of the chest and reward it, and the back end will learn to stay up on its own.

How long should a puppy hold a bow?

A moment is enough for a puppy. Release it with the treat straight away and save longer holds for when it is grown.

Why does my puppy bow when it wakes up?

Stretching after sleep is normal for puppies, and the stretch looks just like a bow. That makes it the perfect moment to mark and reward.

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