Respecting the “Play Bow”

I learned a while ago that dogs perform what is called a "play bow" to signal that they are in a playful state. As demonstrated by my pup in this photo, the play bow posture is distinguished by a lowered front half and a raised butt, usually with a wagging tail and a glimmer of mischief in the eye. The bow is not only frickin' cute, it is one of many reminders of the fathomless wisdom of dogs: Sometimes, we just need to make it clear that we're feeling a little zany and invite others into our jo...