Teaching your dog new tricks is not only an opportunity to bond with your pet but also keeps them mentally stimulated. It builds patience, obedience, communication abilities, and confidence in your dog. One of the cutest tricks dogs can do is “roll over.” If your dog is a pro at the basic commands such as “sit” and “stay” you could attempt more complex commands like “roll over.” Here’s a step-by-step guide to teaching your dog to roll over.
Roll over is not a particularly hard trick to teach a dog. However, it’s useful if your dog knows the basic commands first, especially the command “down” as this movement is required as part of the roll over.
The 7 basic commands that every dog should know are:
Experts recommend that 10-12 weeks old is the perfect age for a puppy to start learning more complex commands like roll over. Professional training classes usually accept puppies between the ages of 12 and 16 weeks old after they are done with their vaccinations.
You can teach a dog to roll over at any age, but generally speaking, the younger your dog, the easier it is. Puppies are naturally inclined to follow guidance and are more responsive and easier to train than adult dogs. However, with the right approach and some patience, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
The simplest way to teach your dog to roll over is:
All dogs can learn to roll over, but it takes some dogs more time than others. If your dog is finding it challenging to learn to roll over, make sure she knows the sit and down commands first. Then, get your dog to lie down with her belly in contact with the floor. Bring a training treat close to her nose. Draw a circle with the treat, slowly moving it towards your dog’s opposite shoulder so she naturally rolls over. Make sure she doesn’t snatch the treat before the roll over is complete. Give your dog another treat once she completes the roll over successfully. Don’t forget to use the vocal command “roll over” while you’re doing this. Repeat this several times until your dog learns to do it herself.
Many dogs roll on their backs during play or to scratch an itch. But rolling over is not a natural movement for some dogs. They are simply not comfortable performing this trick. For example, senior dogs may avoid rolling over because of painful joints.
Some of the hardest tricks to teach your dog include:
Now that you know how to teach your dog to roll over, perhaps you want to read some tips on how to get your dog to stop rolling over, for example, in disgusting things like poop or dead animals.
09 April, 2024