How to Teach a New Puppy to Roll Over & Tricks

With a little bit of work, you can teach a puppy to roll over and do many other tricks.

Teaching a puppy new tricks such as rolling over can be a bit tricky and requires a lot of work from both you and the dog. Your dog should know some basic commands such as sit and lie down before attempting to teach it to roll over. As the owner, you should be knowledgeable on basic training techniques to use with your dog and you should also develop a trusting relationship with your puppy because the puppy may be a bit uncomfortable when attempting to roll over at first.

Things You'll Need

• Treats

Instructions

1. Decide on your command word. This can vary for everyone, it may be something as simple as "roll over" or "play dead." You should decide on the command word before attempting to train your puppy to do this trick or any other trick, and be sure to always use the same command word every time so that the puppy does not get confused.

2. Put your dog into the lying down position. This is where previous training comes in handy because you can simply tell your dog to lie down so that it will be in the prime position to begin training it to roll over.

3. Hold up the treat once the puppy is in the lying position and put the treat to either its right or left side. As the puppy turns its head in an attempt to get the treat, use your hands to push the puppy gently over half way. The puppy will most likely continue to roll the rest of the way over on its own.

4. Tell the puppy the command word as it rolls over. You may want to repeat the word a few times, every time you attempt to teach the puppy this trick.

5. Give the puppy its reward as soon as it finishes rolling over. The reward may be the puppy's favorite treat or a "good boy" along with a belly or ear rub. Positive reinforcement will teach the puppy that rolling over gets it that special treat.

6. Repeat this process a few more times, helping the puppy to begin the rolling over process. Eventually, the puppy will learn that the command word and will roll over without your help.

Tips & Warnings

• Be consistent and patient with your puppy; puppies have short attention spans, but will get it eventually.

• You can use these same training techniques for any type of trick or behavior you wish to teach your puppy.

• Never scold or hit the puppy when it doesn't do the trick or behavior on its own. This will only make the puppy fearful of you and can encourage aggression in the future.

References

• Homeboxer: How To Train A Boxer To Roll Over
• Companions for Life: Train A Dog To Play Dead
• Collar Girl: Teach A Dog To Roll Over

Resources

• Only Dog Beds: Teaching Your Puppy Tricks and Good Behavior