How To Teach A Dog To Roll Over On Command

You can teach your dog how to roll over on command in a few simple steps. Your dog should already be able to follow the “lie down” command before you can start training for this trick.

This is a fun and impressive trick to teach your dog once he has mastered the basic commands.

Trick Difficulty: Intermediate

Training Requirements: A bag of your dog’s favorite treats, a clicker, a training room with no distractions

How To Teach Your Dog To Roll Over on Command

Roll over is a slightly advanced command and will need a bit of patience and persistence to teach.

Breaking down this complex action into a set of smaller steps will help train your dog to roll over flawlessly in no time.

Steps To Train Your Dog To Roll Over

1. Kneel in front of your dog and give the “lie down” command to get him into a lying position. His paws should be positioned in front of him like a sphinx.
2. Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose such that he can see and smell the treat. Use four fingers to tightly hold on to the treat so that your dog cannot quickly snatch it from your hand.
3. Let him smell the treat and then move the treat around towards one side of your dog’s head and towards his shoulder blade.
4. Your dog’s nose should follow the treat’s movement, and he will turn his head and flop down his body over to one side.
5. The moment your dog moves his body to follow the treat, click the clicker, and release the treat. This is the first part of the rollover. Practice this a few times until your dog can do this correctly each time. Then move to the next step.
6. This time, continue moving your hand from your dog’s shoulder blade towards his backbone. This should make your dog roll onto his back and over to the other side.
7. Once your dog’s body touches the opposite side, click, release the treat, and say the command “roll over.” Say it in a clear and friendly voice.
8. Practice repeatedly for at least ten minutes every day until your dog easily rolls over as soon as you give the command. Click, give the treat and praise him each time he rolls over correctly.
9. Slowly start phasing out the treat and clicker. Give the command and wait a few seconds. If your dog doesn’t immediately respond, use the treat to start the rolling motion and then take away the treat.
10. Your dog will quickly learn to roll over as soon as you issue the “roll over” command without any hand motion or treats. Each time your dog rolls over correctly, praise him verbally with “good boy” and pet him affectionately.
11. Now take the practice out of your training room and into an environment with more distractions. Practice outdoors or in a noisy room. Practice the command and see how your dog responds.
12. Eventually, your dog will learn to ignore other distractions and correctly roll over each time you command.

Roll Over Puppy Training Tips, Problems, and Solutions

Make sure the ground is comfortable for your dog to roll on. If the floor is too hot or too cold, then your dog won’t roll over. It is best to practice on a soft surface like a carpet.

Some dogs may be hesitant to lie on their back and show you their belly. In such cases, it is better to play with your dog and give him belly rubs often so that he realizes this is just a game. Each time your dog lets you give him a belly rub, praise him, and give a treat. This will help associate positive feelings with this position.

If your dog seems distracted and doesn’t pay attention to you, you need to move the training to a more controlled environment. A closed room with minimal external noises is the best place to start. Make sure there aren’t any other people, pets, or toys in the room that can distract your dog.

If your dog doesn’t seem to be interested in the treat or if his nose doesn’t follow the treat, then you have to pick a higher value, tastier treat. Pieces of meat like chicken or beef, bits of cheese, or store-bought treats can all make great treats. Make sure to only feed him small bits so that he remains hungry and eager to receive more treats as you keep repeating the trick practice.

If your dog just gets up and snatches away the treat from you, then you are holding the treat too close or too loose in your fingers. Make sure to tightly hold on to the treat, and don’t let your dog have it if he doesn’t perform the required action.

If your dog just stands up instead of moving his head to follow the treat, then you need to keep your hand closer to the ground and move your hand slower.

If your dog just rolls his head but doesn’t turn his body or only rolls half the way, then you can help him. Stand leaning slightly in the direction you want him to roll and use your free hand to gently nudge and flip him towards that side. Give him lots of praise and a treat after he has flipped over. This will help your dog understand that you want him to move in that direction.

Some dogs may just squirm around on the floor and not roll over. In this case, just remain calm and take it slowly. Most dogs favor one side when lying down. Pay attention the next time your dog is lying down on one side and notice if he likes to lay on the left or right side more. Teaching your dog to roll onto his preferred side will be a lot easier than teaching him to roll the other way.

If your dog performs the trick well with the treat but doesn’t do it without the treat, you can slowly switch the treat to less tasty options. Also, don’t give the treat each time. Instead, give it at random. But praise and pet him each time he does the trick correctly. Eventually, your dog will wean off the treat and perform the trick on cue, for the praise and petting alone.

Keep practicing at least ten times each day, and in around two weeks, your dog should be able to roll over on command like a pro.