How to Teach a Rottweiler to Roll Over

Teaching your rottweiler to roll over isn't hard to do once you've established to the dog that you are the alpha of the pack. Rottweilers have a strong nature and they must be well trained to obey and respect the other members of the family. Master basic commands first, such as "sit," "stay" and "heel" before you move on to more fun commands such as rolling over.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Have your rottweiler lie down on his belly. This command should be readily obeyed before you move on to the next step in teaching your rottweiler to roll over.

2. Hold a piece of a treat over the dog's nose. As she leans up to sniff it, move the treat over to the other side of the dog, leading her to roll over.

3. Say to your rottweiler, "roll over" as you are moving the treat so that he starts to associate the command with the behavior. When he completes the roll, praise him and give him the treat.

4. Continue to work with your rottweiler in the same manner in five to 10 minute training sessions and hopefully you'll find him rolling over on command in short order.

5. Take advantage of your dog's natural inclination to roll over in play. If you see him starting to roll over, quickly say "roll over" and give a treat when the dog completes the roll. You may find he basically trains himself.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that positive reinforcement is always a better teaching method than negative when training your dog. Never hit your dog for not performing the correct behavior on command, simply withhold the treat and praise until they get it right.