"Roll over" is one of the most common and impressive tricks a dog can learn. Although some dogs are able to master 'roll over' immediately, most dogs must learn four simple steps that result in a 'roll over' maneuver. When teaching your dog to roll over, aim to first teach the dog four simple steps.
Things You'll Need
- Dog
- Bag of treats
Instructions
Teach your dog "down." This move places your dog into a laying down position To teach the dog the movement, say "down" and hold a treat in front of the dog. If necessary, physically move the dog into a sitting position by pushing down on the shoulders or tugging on the collar. When the dog is on the ground, give the dog the treat immediately and praise the dog by saying, "Good down!"
Teach your dog "over." You can also refer to this position as "bang, bang" or "play dead." In this position, the dog rolls onto its side. This trick can be taught by holding the treat to the left or right of the dog. Slowly and gently shove the dog on its opposite shoulder, urging the dog to roll onto his side to relax. Give the dog the treat immediately and scratch its shoulder, praising the dog enthusiastically.
Teach your dog "back." This position is used when the dog is in the "over" position and encourages the dog to roll over onto its back. To maneuver dog, position dog on its side and and say "on your back." Pretend to give your dog a belly rub, and as the dog lifts its leg to allow access to the belly, roll the dog onto its back and immediately give the dog the treat, praising it enthusiastically. As this trick is repeated, the dog will grow more and more comfortable rolling over.
Teach your dog "roll over." This final step occurs naturally for many dogs, but not all. In this position, the dog rolls upright and onto the opposite side he rolled from. To perform this trick, hold the treat in front of the dog's face while he is upside down, and move the dog onto the side you'd like him to roll up on. Say the command "roll over" while performing, to teach the dog the command. Once this step is performed, repeat often, always pronouncing the actions and presenting a treat immediately after the dog has performed the movement. In no time, your dog will be rolling over quickly and efficiently, and after a lot of practice, should be able to perform the trick without the four steps.