To teach a dog to bow, reward front-leg lowering while the rear stays up. Build the movement before expecting a cue.
Define the position
The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA describes a standing start, with a food guide moving from the nose toward the floor and between the front legs. Reward the lowered elbows with the rear still raised.
Our stand lesson covers that starting skill. The down lesson has a different endpoint: lowering the whole body.
Reward progress toward the bow
Battersea rewards small elbow bends first, then progressively lower front legs. Distinguish that partial movement from a completed bow.
Next time, reward earlier while the rear remains up.
Choose one transfer route
Battersea next uses an empty guiding hand and rewards from the opposite hand. It builds a brief, willing hold, then a pointing gesture, before adding the word ahead of that gesture.
The American Kennel Club uses a different progression. Its food guide moves back between the front legs toward the belly; after the bow it gets the dog moving promptly to avoid a down.
After familiar food-guided bows, AKC removes food from the guiding hand, rewards completion and eventually adds a body or verbal cue. Its written steps do not give a precise word-before-gesture timing.
Pause and choose the next attempt
Before next time, note the hand path, prompt used and reward timing.
Let your dog disengage. Do not push the chest, prop up the belly or trap the rear to complete the position. If practice appears uncomfortable, stop and seek individual advice rather than repeating the request.
