Swinging on her back, tail waggling, cute eyes filled with liveliness, and lips curled in a playful grin. Isn’t a dog rolling over the cutest and stress-busting sight you can ever behold? We think it is—and so do you.
But how to teach a dog to roll over?
That we will discuss today. Step-by-step, we will guide you on how to teach a dog roll over so that you can cherish these beautiful and heart-touching moments every day. No need for dog trainers, no need to pay extra dollars. Training your dog to roll over is easy but a bit time-consuming; however, avoiding little mistakes can make it easier and quicker. In this fun blog, we’ll teach you just that.
Let’s get rolling!
1. Teach Your Dog “Down” Command
Without this command, it is almost impossible to teach him roll over. If your dog isn’t trained, we suggest you first read “how to teach your dog to lay down”.
If your dog is already trained, move on to step 2.
2. Use Your Hand Signal
Remember, teaching command to your dog becomes easier using hand signals, especially in this step. Half of the work is done if your dog follows your hands.
You can teach your dog to follow your hand by holding his favorite treat and letting it trace your hand while you move it in the air. This trick will help you teach your dog the play-fetch as well.
3. Teach the Steps
Does your dog know the “down” command and how to follow the hand signal? Congratulations! You are almost there! Just a few steps more—easy but a little tricky. Following the steps outlined below will help you perfect your dog rolling-over skills.
- Take a treat in your hand
- Move it closer to one of its shoulder
- Let her lay down on one side where she is comfortable
- Give him the treat to appreciate
Repeat this step at least 5 times…one, two, three, four, and five.
- Now, get him up and swirl your hand in a rolling position
- Make sure you hold a treat; your dog will follow that quickly
- Move your hand from one side to the other and say “roll-over”
- Your dog will swing by on its back
- Move your fist forth, backward, and forth
And that, my friend, was how to teach a dog to roll over. The very first rollover of your pooch!
Easy, right?
- Repeat these steps, but now without treats
When you master the art of getting your dog roll-over in your room, try to take this outdoors. It is time to train him in areas where there are distractions. The trick always lies in starting with a treat; your little fella is kind of greedy for those. But not always, of course. Learn more here on how to train your dog without treats.
The key to mastery is practice!
Dog rolling over is a feat that must keep you and your friends in awe.
But don’t give up, even if it’s taking long. With an adult dog, it can take time. But if you are training a puppy to roll over, she would learn it quickly. Be understanding and considerate while training your dog.
Learning a trick depends on the breed of your dog as well. For instance, smart dogs such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Siberian Huskies, etc., will learn this trick more quickly. It may take a bucket full of patience, but any canine can be trained for almost any fun trick this way.
Lastly, if you feel that your dog is making mistakes, start over again. Let him perfect each step first. Once that is done, it will be easy for him to master the complete rolling-over trick.
Now, that you have learned how to teach a dog roll over, enjoy your moments. Want to teach him some more? Explore our website, and you will find resources on dog training, food, care, health, and breeds that any dog lover would treasure.
