I have read on several posts about "play bow".  I assume this posture we just thought was  stretching....So, I'd like to hear more about this so I can better understand how dogs send their messages.

Hi darling :-) the classic 'play bow' is an invitation to play and a natural gesture, it's saying 'please come and have fun with me' ,you can see it in puppies as young as five weeks if a bit wobbley...so sweet. They go down on their front legs bum in the air, tail waging then leap about ;-) lol .They also do it before a 'mad five minutes' when they rush around like a whirlwind for a few moments before collapsing in a heap, all part of the language of dog :-D
I can make my old dog do it to order by getting down on all fours and hiding my head in my hands and squeaking..dog comes to see what I am doing...I lift my head up and say boo..dog play bows then flies round and round the dining table ears back..great fun, we are all mad in our house i'm afraid :rolleyes:

LOL...as a novice, that response was really useful Reddor. Must be the weather but my girl has only just started to do this since she been with us and, I have to admit I was a bit taken back at first...I thought I'd upset her and she was going to 'pounce' at me...albeit, completely against her nature.
It's hilarious and you are so correct about it being the 'warning' sign for her mad half hour of running around like a lunatic :rolleyes: Its all new to us, we love it, but even more so now that you've explained it as a natural gesture to play.
Thank you...I'm learning every day
Jo
:)

that's good Jo B..  :-) it means your puppy has settled into your home and is happy to play and find  his place in the hierarchy of your family :-D

Maisie does this too, she has her ''mad half hour'' flying around the gaps at the back of the 3 piece suit, its so funny, just like a whirlwind !  

Emmy my Lab has done this since she was a pup... so sweet!! Whenever she did it I would say the words "take a bow".... it didn't take long before she associated the two and now she will bow on command!!! (Just a pity she wouldn't do everything I say on command!)