Fun Training: Teaching Your Dog to Roll Over

Teaching your dog tricks is both fun and entertaining for you and your dog. Before you teach him any tricks, he should know basic obedience: sit, down, and stay. These are more important anyway, and also get your dog used to training sessions. Most tricks are based on these commands and your dog should know to pay attention to you for learning.

The success of any kind of training is finding what kind of reward your dog responds to best. For some it takes the form of food, others simple praise will do, and for others it's a stretch of playtime. Finding out what works best is vital to any training you want to do with your dog as it is a great motivator. Training sessions should run around 5 to 15 minutes, daily, and always keep them upbeat and fun. Always end with a reward. If you begin to feel frustrated, quit for then and start again another day.

The goal in the "roll over" trick is to have your dog, laying on one side, to quickly roll onto his back and to his other side. To begin teaching this trick, start with your dog laying on his side. It's better to go slow with this trick and work up. The first several sessions just spend rubbing your dog's belly and handling his legs and paws gently. Many dogs don't like being touching in that way, and some don't naturally enjoy being in that vulnerable position. Once you have desensitized your dog, the training will go better.

While your dog lies on his side, give the command "roll over." Gently pull the front and rear legs closest to the ground slowly toward you to pull your dog onto his back and then onto his other side. If your dog becomes uncomfortable at all, stop! Calm him down, praise him for getting however far you did, and come back tomorrow. Once you get your dog to his other side, praise him heavily with a treat and verbal/physical praise. Continue to make the motions for him until your dog associates the action with the reward. Then try to stand up and give him the command. Eventually your dog will comply; once it clicks for him it's easy.

Another method you can try is using a food lure from the beginning. Start your dog lying on his side and catch his attention with the treat. Move the treat close to his nose to the opposite side of his body. With luck the dogs head will turn with the treat and his body will follow. If your dog simply gets up, try again. Praise your dog when he accomplishes the trick.