Teaching Your Dog A Classic Trick: Roll Over & Play Dead


If you have trouble getting your dog or puppy on her back, it may be helpful to work on the Roll Over and Play Dead exercises. These exercises get her used to the idea of being on her back. As with other tricks, make it a game for her by using a toy or treats. This way, you won't have to fight her to lay on her back.

A rollover is nothing more than a Down position with a twist to the stand position. To do a Roll Over, first place your dog in a Down position. Once she is down, then see which way her body is curving. If it is curving more to the left, then you want to roll her over on her left side. If she is curved more toward the right, then you want to roll her over on her right side.

Hold a motivator and rotate it near her nose and say "Roll Over." Rotate her nose until it is stretched over her neck and guide the motivator over a little in the direction that you want her to roll over. This will rotate her shoulders around and bring her on her back. You may need to take a step to the right or left, depending which way she is rolling over, to gain better leverage as you guide her in the Roll Over with the motivator. The momentum of her roll will swing her hind legs over and she will go into the stand position. At first, she may turn only half of the way over, so you may need to assist her to complete the rollover by nudging on her hind legs to make the full rotation.

This is a good exercise because it makes your puppy feel vulnerable. She must trust you because she is off her feet and exposing her underside. A dog's underside is a tender spot - under the abs and neck is the area where dogs try to attack during a fight.

You can also train her to play dead. Place her in a down position and use the same rotation with the motivator to make her rollover, but when she gets on her back, hold the motivator above her to keep her on her back. Try to keep her on her back for a few seconds as you let her nibble at the motivator that is right above her. Say "Bang! Bang!" while the other hand points at her chest like a pistol. Let her receive the entire treat upside down. Letting her receive the reward in this position allows her more time to play dead.

This is a great exercise to work if you are angry at your dog for something she has done. Instead of yelling at her or hitting her, keep your voice calm and say "Bang! Bang!" Your dog will lay in a submissive pose on her back as she plays dead.