We teach our dogs some tricks for their safety and well-being, but teaching your dog play dead is purely for fun. Here are the steps to teaching this dog behavior.
Tips For Tricks
As impressive tricks go, teaching your dog play dead is relatively simple but will provide lots of entertainment for friends and family. As with any
training, choose a time when your dog is well rested, isn't
hungry or thirsty, and has recently eliminated. Short, frequent sessions are more effective than long, boring sessions. Be patient and offer lots of praise and particularly tasty
treats to speed up the learning process. If your pet isn't in the mood to perform, quit the
training and pick it up again later in the day.
Step-by-Step
Get your dog to lie down. Say "Bang!" and point your finger at your dog like a gun. Immediately help the dog into a lying down position. Offer praise and a treat.
Simply repeat these steps over and over until your dog figures out that if she lies on her side when you say "Bang!" she'll get praise and a treat.
Once she masters the trick from a lying down position you can begin teaching her the trick from a sitting or standing position for a better effect. Call her name and, once you've got her attention, stand over her pointing your finger and yell "Bang!" When she falls over, offer enthusiastic praise and a treat. With some practice you two will become the life of the party.
Rolling Over
From the dog play dead position, it's easy to teach your dog to roll over.
Pick a time when your dog is in a happy, playful mood.
Get her into the "play dead" position. Gently holding her front and hind legs that are closest to the floor, roll her over all the way, issuing the command "Roll over." Let her jump up and play with you and praise, praise, praise her.
As you keep repeating these steps (during short training sessions spread out over the day or a few days), it will become easier to roll your playful pup over. Eventually she will just do it herself and that's the time to really heap on the happy praise and offer her a delicious treat.
With a little patience and practice you and your dog can build an entire repertoire of fun and exciting tricks, including dog play dead.
