Things You'll Need:
- Yummy treats
- A quiet room with wall space and corners
- A leash
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Step 1
Taking a bow is a natural position for your dog. It is called a play bow in dog circles, when they stick their bottoms up in the air and throw their front legs onto the ground. A Downward Dog for you yoga buffs. A dog uses this position to invite another dog to play with them. Since this is a natural position for your dog it should be easy to teach them to do it on command.
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Step 2
Get out your treats and call your dog over. They may already be there after hearing you get out the treats!
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Step 3
With your dog in a standing position, hold a treat right in front of your dog's nose. Once your dog has caught smell of the treat start slowly bringing the treat down to the ground in a straight line. Keep the treat next to your dogs nose at all times.
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Step 4
Once the treat is on the ground and the dog's nose is next to the ground, start pushing the treat back and in between your dog's front paws. Remember to keep the treat right next to the dog's nose at all times. Pushing the treat back and in between your dog's paws will cause the dog to go into the play bow!
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Step 5
As soon as they go into the bow give your dog the treat and praise them!
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Step 6
If your dog just walks backwards instead of going into the bow you can either put a leash on them and hold the leash, they won't get very far. Don't use the leash to pull them down or pin them down, it should just be used to keep them next to you! Or you can put them in front of a wall, once they start moving back they will have no where to go and be forced to contort hopefully into the play bow.
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Step 7
If your dog lies down instead of keeping their bottom in the air you can sit sideways to them and stick your arm under their belly. This will prevent them from being able to lay their back legs down. You do not need to be touching any parts of their body or grabbing on to them, your arm is just used as a barrier of sorts.
