Thread: Language: what do you call a canine "kowtow"?

Hi again;

there is a distinct "gesture" young dogs make when meeting someone (whether human or dog) they like very much. It consists in quickly laying the chest and the "forearms" (pardon the anthropomorphism) on the ground - that part looks almost like the downward stroke of a press-up - while keeping the butt and the wagging tail up high. The head is near the ground but looking up at the friend being welcomed. With a big smile, needless to say.

Is there a word for that in any language? I can't think of one, not even in my native Polish.

Thanks in advance - L.

I think it's usually just called a bow. Or, the "play bow", since it's usually indicative of them wanting to play. When I used to do dog training for the SPCA we didn't really have a specific name for the action.

Thank you Tiredsleepy, that's one fewer word to learn. But it's a shame there isn't a particular verb or noun for this lovely display of canine body language.