One of the many great things about dogs is how quickly they pick up new information. They may be taught a wide variety of tricks, some of which can be used in dog sports and others simply for fun. The rollover skill is easy to teach and will make your dog appear really cute. If your dog has a problem with ticks or matting, you can examine its tummy using this method.
It’s also a cute trick your dog might do while you’re playing with them, guaranteed to put a grin on your face. Training a dog to roll over is an important skill for every owner to have. Your pet should know the sit and lay commands at the very least. Due to the complexity of the trick, training your pet to roll over will take more time than teaching him other talents.
If you can only be patient, though, you’ll see your pet start to roll over before long.
Things You Need to Get Started
Before you begin teaching your dog this skill, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Decide a Reinforcer for Your Dog
Decide on a treat to give your pet after it has successfully completed a training session. A positive reinforcer would be something your pet enjoys receiving. It should be a small token that may be given out frequently. It is always some kind of edible reward for the dog. Slices of hotdog, small cubes of raw meat or cheese, or commercially available training treats are all great options.
Feed your dog some of his favorite foods alongside some new treats like cheese cubes, commercial dog biscuits, lean meat (turkey, ham, roast beef), fowl, and so on. To prevent your pet from becoming too full during the training session, divide the rewards into smaller pieces.
Make an Effective Marker
Markers, often called bridges or bridging stimuli, are verbal cues or hand gestures that indicate to your dog that their behavior has been positively reinforced. You can tell your dog how you feel even if you don’t want to give him treats. A clicker is a perfect example of this.
Dogs respond better to clicker and reward training. The clicker needs to be trained initially. The clicker is helpful because it allows you to reward the dog immediately after it displays the desired behavior.
Move to a Good Training Space
Turning off the TV and closing the curtains will help create a calm atmosphere for you and your pet to begin training. Pick a room with lots of floor space because your dog will be moving around quite a bit. You don’t want your dog to become worn out or hurt himself, so it’s best to pick a place with a plush carpet or floor.
After practicing the trick at home, your pet will be ready to show it off in front of an audience or in the great outdoors. It’s also important to let your loved ones know your plans for the animal’s training so they won’t get in the way.
How to Teach a Dog to Roll Over: Step-by-Step Process
You don’t need a clicker to teach your pet to flip over, but using one during clicker training can help you speed up the learning process. Whether or not you use a clicker, all you need is a handful of tasty dog treats and your furry friend will quickly learn to roll over for them. Training a dog to roll over is really easy if you follow these basic steps.
1 – Ask Your Dog to Lie Down
For the “turnover” approach to work, your pet should be lying on his stomach with his legs in front of him and his head up. In this posture, your dog can safely and easily roll over on its back.
2 – Hold a Treat Near Your Dog’s Face
Put the treat on your knee and bring it close to your pet’s nose so he can see and smell it. Cover the treat entirely with your hand to prevent him from stealing it before the training is done. If your pet has a habit of grabbing snacks quickly, be careful not to get bit on the fingertips.
3 – Use a Treat to Lure Your Dog
To go to the next steps, you must employ enticing. When a tool, like a reward, is used to get your pet to do what you want, this is called luring. Carefully shift your hand from the dog’s snout to the animal’s shoulder. Your dog’s attention should now be focused on it as it follows the treat. Don’t forget to recognize and reward him.
4 – Move the Treat Around and Say “Roll Over”
If you place a treat on top of your pet’s head and move it around, he will follow it. Whenever he moves his nose, his head and body usually follow suit. The act of guiding your dog’s nose in this way will motivate him to roll over in pursuit of the treat. Move the treat on the side of your dog’s head and say “Roll over” or “Turn around” in a reassuring voice.
The purpose of this exercise is to teach your dog to turn over in response to a verbal cue. You might flip over or make a rolling motion with your hand to demonstrate. There’s no rule against issuing both verbal and physical cues at once, either.
5 – Encourage Your Dog and Keep Practicing
If your pet is having trouble rolling over on his own, you can gently help him. Since teaching a dog this trick is difficult, you should practice it frequently. A treat should be given to your dog when he performs well throughout training. It will encourage him to work harder.
If you wait to treat your pet until he has completely overturned, he may become upset. Don’t forget to be patient and kind when rewarding your pet. It turns out that praising a dog by calling him or her “good boy” or “good girl” elicits a positive reaction.
6 – Know When to Reward Your Dog
When your pet successfully flips over, reward him with a treat and lots of praise. His motivation will increase as a result of receiving consistent praise for this skill. Once he gets it, you can gradually reduce the frequency of the rewards. If your dog quickly does something, reward him with a tasty snack. Once your dog sees that he is succeeding at an action, he will try again.
7 – Keep Practicing Until He Doesn’t Need Help
After a few successful efforts, your dog would learn to roll over on its own. No more body rotation or prolonged wrapping of the treat around the animal’s head should be required. Make an effort to get up and order him to roll over. Give him a treat and a pat on the head whenever he does anything on his own that you approve of.