Rolling over is one of the more enjoyable tricks that you and your dog can perform save for your friends and family. While other skills like “sit”, “stay”, and “down” remain great obedience school staples, cute little tricks like “rollover” or “play dead” can spice up things for you and your dog.
For your dog, however, time with you is all that matters. Seeing you smiling and amused is much of what motivates him or her. It can also serve as an avenue to strengthen your owner-pet relationship, even becoming better best friends in the process.
What Do We Mean by Rolling Over?
To “Rollover” means your dog initially getting into a crouched “down” position, after which, he eventually flops down to the floor lying on his left or right side. While lying completely sideways, he finishes the trick by way of rotating his body to the other side. This trick comes with a verbal command and a little bit of a hand signal.
You may also continue to teach him how to play “dead” after mastering the rolling-over skill. We will be discussing “playing dead” in some detail later in this guide. A playful “bang” with your forefinger pointed at him while he responds by flopping to his side motionless, would look funny and entertaining.
This rollover trick makes for a good diversion for you and your dog, as it allows you to take a break from all those serious obedience training. It also provides some balance to an otherwise continuous and somewhat monotonous repetition of your ever-useful basic dog skills. Who knows, your dog might just gain a fan base of excited kids (and even parents too) in the park.
How To Teach Your Dog to “Roll Over”?
Before you begin, I recommend that you will want to make sure that your dog already knows how to “sit” and, or “lie down”. It will be mainly used as a starting position for the trick. To “rollover” is not as complicated to perform, but it will take some time and attention to detail to give your audience a convincing barrel roll that most of us are familiar with.
Verbal Commands
- “Down”: For this trick, the “down” command is already presumed to be a part of your dog’s obedience skills. This command will be used at the beginning of the trick.
- “Roll Over” or “Over” (Main Verbal Cue): This is the main verbal signal that will allow your dog to complete the trick of rolling over to the other side.
- “Yes”: This verbal signal helps you mark the desired behavior. This marker may also come in the form of a clicker. “Yes” is given right after your dog executes the correct partial action (in training), or when he can properly complete the trick.
- “No” (optional for some): “No” is a negative verbal cue that is delivered with a low and somehow disapproving tone. This is to allow your dog to respond to and stop doing a wrong action. Of course, you will replace it with the correct command and behavior that is followed through with a “yes” marker to confirm a successful correction. This works for some, and others would rather not say anything at all.
- “Good dog!”, “Good girl”, or Good boy”: These are verbal praises that are spoken in tandem with the release of the treats. It is important to say the praise excitedly and happily so that your dog can get into the spirit of fun. And since you are pleased, he will be more than eager to do it again.
Equipment needed
- A large mat or an old rug or carpet (make sure it is clean): Your dog must be comfortable while rolling around as he trains for the trick. Having a firm mat or a soft rug will create better and faster results. Your dog will not be as enthusiastic when he finds out that he has to roll around on the cold hard tiled floor. You wouldn’t want him to catch a draft as well.
- A Leash and a collar: a leash will be necessary to put your dog in training mode. This is especially true when you are looking to practice in a public place. For this particular trick, a collar is recommended over a harness to avoid causing your dog some discomfort while rolling over. A harness may have too many hard attachments to it that are functioning as accessories.
- High-Value Treats (and a Treat Bag): Roasted Chicken and or frozen liver, all cut into smaller pieces for training purposes.
Oh, and be a little more upbeat and fun-sounding during training so that your dog will get the feel of enjoying the trick too.
Step 1: Prep Your Dog
Give the verbal cue “down” to set your dog on all fours, belly on the floor.
Step 2: Lure Your Dog with a Treat
Using a small piece of high-value treat that you have on your pouch hold it up against his nose just enough for him to be able to smell it. Guide your dog’s nose with the treat down to the floor as well. As his head makes contact with the ground mark it with a “yes” and then release the treat.
Repeat the exercise until your dog gets used to taking the treat at floor level.
Step 3: Lure Your Dog’s Nose Towards Its Shoulder
After luring your dog’s nose to the ground, once again, hold him down with a treat. And this time, do it gently by creating a small semi-circle leading his head to point towards his shoulder blade. Then, right about when his nose is almost near his shoulder, mark the action with a “yes” and then release the treat. You can add a small sound of “good boy” or “good girl” to the reward as there is no need to emphasize too much since this is just part of the trick.
Repeat the exercise until you can observe your dog already getting accustomed to leaning over.
Do this on whichever side your dog is more comfortable with. Remember: doing this slowly will allow your dog some time to get used to arching his neck and trying to reach his shoulder. By this time, your dog might just be a little over to his side and not full-on sideways on the floor.
Repeat the exercise with small subtle movements to get your dog used to taking the treats in a sideways position.
Step 4: Bring Him Closer to Rolling Over
Using treats, start inching your way ever so closer to his shoulder blade. Do this as far as he can while being half sideways lying on the ground. As you stretch his neck further, he will eventually have to lie stretched out sideways. This is where he eventually fully flops to his side. Mark the action with a “yes” and release the treat with verbal praise.
Repeat the exercise until fully flopping to his side becomes natural to him.
Pro Tip: Reward Small Actions that Indicate Rolling Over
Now that your dog is already comfortable with taking the treat from your hand in a full sideways position, start capturing small actions or behaviors that will encourage him to roll over. This is even if he still won’t. Small things like bobbing of his head, or a shift of his body at an angle may help him roll. Big or small, capture the behavior by marking it with a “yes” (or a clicker) and a treat.
Step 5: Complete the Roll Over Sequence
Start rolling the treat over your dog’s head to finally encourage him to fully roll over to the other side. Don’t expect the first few attempts to be perfect. Instead, gradually adjust your actions to get that fluid rolling action to his opposite side from whichever side he is laying.
As you are attempting to roll him over, observe and try to find the easiest side that he will likely roll from.
Repeat the completed rolling exercise at a steady and consistent speed to achieve that smooth rolling transition.
Step 6: Pace the Sequence
Try not to be overly excited in having your dog roll over and don’t forget to pause in between takes. A pause will give your dog a sense of continuity that will help him reset and do another smooth roll. If you don’t give him time to reset, he might continue rolling over to the nearest gutter, and of course, we don’t want that.
Step 7: Add the Command “Roll Over”
After satisfying results are achieved by using repetition, add the command at the beginning of the trick. Pause for a little while, then bring on the lure. According to McCann Dog Training, try not to do the steps all at the same time, instead follow the sequence below:
- Give Verbal Cue: “Roll Over”,
- Pause,
- Then Lure.
The reason for this is that your dog might get used to seeing the hand signal always being given together with the verbal cue. Come the time that you will give only the verbal command without the hand signal, your dog might get confused and not perform.
Repeat the exercise with treats until your dog can already consistently do the completed “roll over” trick in one smooth motion.
Step 8: Gradually Fade Out the Treats
You will know that your dog is already ready to perform the trick in front of adulating kids when he starts rolling on verbal cues alone. Continue practicing for consistency, and don’t forget to laugh with your dog while having fun!
Step 9: Proof Your Dog
Just so that everyone’s enjoyment is not cut short due to a distracted dog, you may want to take some time to proof him. Go ahead and vary the places that you go while training your dog. After you get some results from your living room, you can go ahead and take him to the park or some meadow that has short grass where he can roll around. Don’t forget to keep him on a leash.
Try to practice around other people so that your dog gets used to performing the trick while others are watching. Reactions and some praise from other people may also motivate your dog to perform well in front of a crowd. If for any reason your dog becomes too distracted with the change of environment, reintroduce the treats until he can once again consistently perform the trick following just the verbal cue.
Read also: How to Teach Your Dog to Shake a Paw and Do a High-Five
Troubleshooting: What Not to Do
- At any point during the training, if your dog might be making too many mistakes where he might just keep on sitting up or looking the other way, it might be that you are moving too fast. He probably is struggling to keep up with you. Pace yourself and allow your dog to catch up.
- Some dogs are hesitant to lie on their backs and even show their bellies. Don’t force your dog to roll over. Just be patient. Try rubbing her belly. And if she gets into a lying-down position and offers herself up, mark, reward, and praise.
- Don’t be too serious. Since it is a fun trick, set up your dog for success by keeping the training light and fun. Add touch rewards like a belly rub or neck rub.
- Don’t be overly generous with the treats. Only release it when the action is aligned with the roll-over behavior. Too much might make your dog think that he will get treats every time he rolls over.
- Avoid getting angry and hitting your dog if he makes mistakes. If for some reason he doesn’t perform anymore, give treats once in a while to motivate him. Afterward, fade it out whenever he is performing again. The goal is to restart your dog with some treats only.
Read also: How to Teach a Dog to Lie Down – A Complete Guide
The Next Step: Teaching Your Dog to Play “Dead”
Step 1: Lure Your Dog to Lie Down on His Side
Ask your dog to do a “down”, and then use the lure to guide his head to lay down fully on his side too. If he follows through with his head, mark it with a happy “yes” then release the treat. Some dogs have a wider back and will be comfortable staying on their back instead of their side for this trick.
Step 2: Repeat the Exercise
Do the routine until your dog gets used to lying fully on his side or back without moving for longer periods. That is approximately about 1-3 seconds. It doesn’t have to be long since the trick is somewhat of a joke so it should be funny and short.
For him to lie motionless, it would help if you were not moving too. Help him along with your body language by being still.
Step 3: Add the “Bang!” or “Play Dead” Command
Do a hand signal with your index finger and point it at your dog like a toy gun. Then say “Bang!”. If he follows by lying completely motionless, mark with a “yes” and then release the treat. Do this trick with a smile so that your dog will know that you are doing this for fun too.
If your dog is used to holding positions until he is released, go ahead and release him with a satisfied “okay”. Otherwise, you can hold him down for as long as your finger is pointed at him. And, if you take it away, he will come “alive” again.
Related: 29 Fun and Easy Dog Tricks
How Long Does It Take for a Dog to Learn the “Roll Over” Trick?
For Adult Dogs
The “rollover” is not an overly complex trick for your dog to master. And, neither is it too simple. If and when you do a 3 x a week, 2-3 sessions a day, at 15 minutes per session schedule, you’d likely get him to perform consistently in about a week or two. The key is to do frequent practice and treat it as a game so your dog will remain engaged.
For Puppies
You will want to teach this party skill at the later stage of puppyhood since puppies are apt to roll over naturally anyway. Around 4-5 months of age would be an okay period. Or, you can opt to wait up to 6 months for better assimilation of the trick.
Set a 3 x a week, 2-3 sessions-a-day schedule. Do 5 minute-sessions to make way for his shorter attention span. Your puppy should master the trick in 2-3 weeks tops.
Can Big Dogs Learn the Trick Too?
There has been some discussion in the past about big dogs who shouldn’t be doing the roll-over trick. Some dog experts claim that big dogs are similar to horses in a way that they should not be rolling over as much. This is due to the assertion that similar to the horse, a large dog that is rolling on its back way too much may be at risk of internal injury. They say that its intestines may twist and tangle.
An example would be a dog with a bigger frame like a Doberman. Built to walk tall and sprint, it has been deemed to be unhealthy for them to be rolling on their backs.
However, this idea remained to be a theory and hasn’t been proven to be true or false. For the moment, it shall be up to the owner to decide whether he’d like his large-boned dog to be rolling around for fun. One thing he can do though is to minimize the risk of internal injury by having his dog lie on his side first, before rolling over. In a way, he makes it a two-phased trick instead of one sweeping motion.