How to teach your dog to play dead when you say bang

Sawyer will play dead to "Bang" in a second if he knows there is a treat coming.

You can amaze your friends and family with a simple classic dog trick. It’s not difficult to teach your dog to play dead when you say "Bang," but it does take plenty of ammunition like patience and persistence. Read on to learn how to teach your dog to play dead when you say "Bang."

Things You'll Need

• Dog
• <br>Training treats
• <br>Patience
• <br>Persistence
• <br>Consistency

Instructions

1. Get your dog into the “down” position.

2. Hold a treat above his head so he has to turn his head to follow it and thereby ends up lying on his back.

3. Give him the treat while he’s supine, telling him that he is a good dog.

4. Repeat the above six times, and once he gets it, add the word “Bang” when he’s about to roll on his back.

5. Repeat the exercise using the word “Bang” until he gets it. Including a hand signal, like a pretend gun, will aid in his responsiveness.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep at it. Dogs are best trained in short, frequent sessions on a daily basis.

• <br>If he falters, go back to the preceding steps until the dog is solid in his response.

• Don’t despair. Some dogs take to certain tricks easier than others.

• <br>Don't use a real gun, especially if it's loaded.