Bow-Wow-Wow Lyrics
A question and an answer, with barking at both ends. Four short lines make this one of the easiest rhymes for a toddler to join in with.
Bow-Wow-Wow
Bow-wow-wow!
Whose dog art thou?
Little Tom Tucker's dog.
Bow-wow-wow!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/bow-wow-wow/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Bow-wow-wow! | Bark like a dog, with your hands as floppy ears. |
| Whose dog art thou? | Point to your child with a questioning face. |
| Little Tom Tucker's dog | Point to yourself or to a toy dog. |
What Does Bow-Wow-Wow Mean?
Art thou is old English for are you, so the question is just "Whose dog are you?" The dog belongs to Little Tom Tucker, the same boy who sings for his supper in Little Tommy Tucker. Other versions give the dog to Tom Tinker instead.
History and Origin
This version is from Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes. Short animal rhymes like this were among the first things printed for very young children, because the sounds are easy and the shape, a question and an answer, invites a child to reply.
Learning Activities
- Who's barking? make different animal noises and ask "Whose cat are you?" or "Whose cow are you?"
- Name it: let your child answer with the name of a real dog they know.
- Puppet show: a sock puppet dog barks the first and last lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does art thou mean?
Are you. It is an old way of speaking.
Who is Tom Tucker?
The same boy who sings for his supper in the rhyme Little Tommy Tucker.