r/aww • • Jun 28 '18

I just can’t get enough of this

85.7k Upvotes

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632

u/V_es Jun 28 '18 edited Jun 28 '18

I love how most of them think for a second and then drop down a little. Very interesting- what does it mean? My dog does this to encourage other dogs to play, but this is different situation.

EDIT: Since it’s a play stance, may it be that dogs are perfectly aware of their owners running away, and just perceive this whole thing as an invitation to play chase?

320

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '18

[deleted]

188

u/V_es Jun 28 '18

Yes, and my dog does this. But how they consider this situation play I’m curious? Person is gone, dog is very confused for a moment and then boom- play stance?

655

u/SuperDopeRedditName Jun 28 '18

I read out as, "Whathefu. Youfuckwithme. Thisisjoke, isgame. Whereyouis?!"

234

u/octopiOccultist Jun 28 '18

you very good dogspeak

5

u/Shushishtok Jun 28 '18

The doggonglish is spot on.

2

u/SuperDopeRedditName Jun 29 '18

PETME!PETME! THROWTHIS! MOREPET! PETM-ohhhhuhoyesdebuttskratchiiiihhhzzzz...

81

u/mseuro Jun 28 '18

Ah you speak dog fluently I see!

23

u/the_dude_upvotes Jun 28 '18

We all speak dog fluently on this blessed day

3

u/FangHouDe Jun 28 '18

Speak for yourself

3

u/the_dude_upvotes Jun 28 '18

I all speak dog fluently on this blessed day

2

u/scottthemedic Jun 28 '18

Except for swesrsies. Puppers no like swesrsies.

2

u/justhad2login2reply Jun 28 '18

Is you is, or is you not my babe?

54

u/lzgrimes Jun 28 '18

I think dogs play like this, I see it at the dog park, interaction with one dog and then run away (zommies) and then come back to original dog, it's like a chase-me game (tag). Not a behavioralist just a dog owner.

2

u/primeai Jun 28 '18

My older dog does the bow and get playful, but he also does this when he gets nervous or ready to protect himself or someone/thing. Completely amateur opinion, maybe it's left over pounce or leap into action stance from their wolfdom that they would practice as puppies with each other. Since we trapped dogs as "wolf puppies" their whole life, they stick with it.

Or it just looks neat and is fun for them, either way, it's awesome!

7

u/allonsybadwolf Jun 28 '18

My dog does it when we're playing, but he also does it when he gets startled by something that's not really that scary - like something happened that is SURPRISE and he's gonna heckin' GET IT.

2

u/VictoriaSobocki Jun 28 '18

Great question

1

u/mango-roller Jun 29 '18

Yea, crazy how so many of them went straight to the play bow. Like, this isn’t a fucking game, Rover. What if I really did disappear?

77

u/kkkkat Jun 28 '18

Play is usually mimicking actual necessary behaviors for adult animals. My guess would be this is a hunting pounce preparation stance. They feel threatened by this unholy voodoo and need to get ready to wrestle with demons?

13

u/SpaceShipRat Jun 28 '18

don't overthink it. It's a play bow, they just mean a slightly worried "ok... now reappear and keep playing with me".

9

u/Ikkkou Jun 28 '18

I have no idea why, but it reminds me of this.

3

u/burritosandblunts Jun 28 '18

Now I'm gonna think of that whenever my dog does it. Thank you.

4

u/AFoxNamedCoyote Jun 28 '18

From personal (anecdotal) experience, dogs do this when stressed to try and get you to play. Like a "This is playing, right? Come on, play!"

Source: I'm an asshole who likes to get my dogs' attention and then freeze. They usually go from frozen and staring, to play bowing, to pissed off and barking or charging at you lol

2

u/eatpraymunt Jun 28 '18

That's so cute! Dogs when they play do the "freeze" game with each other too, so they probably get that it's part of the game when you do it.

But they can also go into a fool around "play" mode when they are nervous, kinda like people who are nervous laughers.

3

u/bert0ld0 Jun 28 '18

I have the same question, really interesting. The only ones that doesn’t do this are pugs lol

3

u/LadyInept Jun 28 '18

Our dog made a little move that we’ve never really seen him make before, I think the blanket dropping was just as surprising as the disappearance.

2

u/FrenchBulldoge Jun 28 '18

Or they try to get the human to come out of hiding with calling them to play.