how to teach your dog to play dead

Approved. Choose your desired verbal cue, like “play dead”, “bang” or “go to sleep” and repeat it whenever your dog rolls to its side. Reward him with a treat each time that he performs the trick with just the visual cue. Teaching from a Standing Position This is the advanced version from the command “play dead”. If you see that he is getting distracted, upset, or frustrated, give him a short break, or postpone the teaching until the next day. Once he is lying down, reward him with some positive reinforcement (eg, verbal praise, belly rub, treat). Your pup will probably become reliable on the “shoot your dog dead” trick within two weeks of proper training. Choose a comfortable area to train your dog. Repeat these steps several times. Gradually use the visual cue by itself more frequently, and use the verbal cue and other commands less frequently. TroubleSHOOTING the Dog. As you practice the trick, always have him lay down on the floor from the side that he leans on; he’ll probably prefer to do this anyway. Are puppies suitable for this kind of trick? Give your dog a treat each time that he can stay for a few extra seconds. You can also add a visual command, like a shooting movement with your hand to make it even more fun. Watch as I teach my Shih-Tzu Macy the Play Dead using a food lure and training clicker. If your dog doesn't lie down on command yet, go back and work on that before you begin training it o play dead. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Not quite! You should use a verbal cue before adding a visual cue. You can use whichever verbal cue that you are comfortable with. To teach your dog to play dead, you must first lure him or her into the rest position. Do not yell at your dog. If at any point in the training your dog makes more than two or three mistakes in a row, chances are you've moved ahead too quickly. Teach your dog the ‘down’ command before teaching him how to play dead. If you want to challenge your dog, you can gradually decrease the visual cue until he learns how to respond to only your verbal cue to lie down. Try again... Yup! At the same time, you must also remember to give the release word. What should I do? Avoid giving your dog treats that are toxic to him, such as dark chocolate. First, train in the least distracting place you can find. The only difference here is the order in which you teach your dog action sequence. Make sure you use just one cue and don’t confuse your dog with too many. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Once you’ve practiced enough, you can have your dog play dead anywhere and in front of anyone. Not only will this result in your dog becoming angry and mad at you, he probably will feel discouraged from trying to learn the trick. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Use the treat as a lure, and at the same time, you can very gently push it onto its side. Hold a treat close to your dog's nose, and slowly pull it over to its side so it will have to roll over on its side to get it. And they are very important because it shows that your dog knows how to take orders. Say the verbal cue 'down' as you are moving the treat to the ground so that your dog associates the verbal cue with the action of lying down. Most people choose to use the verbal command "bang" along with a hand signal command, holding the fingers to look like a gun pointing at the dog. Stand a foot or two away from your dog, command your dog to play dead. Now, a dog’s dead position is usually on its side. My dog just wont cooperate. As with most advanced tricks, your pup should have already mastered the … In both instances, if your dog is struggling to follow through with an action, particularly the rollover part, you may need to … If your dog already knows how to roll over, its natural inclination might be to go all the way over when you start to lure it to its side. Which of the following should you do to train your dog to play dead? As a visual cue, hold your hand up like a stop sign. Practice this several times a day for few days until he can sit without you pushing on his back end. There are 39 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. She has written more than 100 articles on dogs. Older dogs are actually harder to teach new tricks, if you ask me. When your dog realizes that the treat disappears when it rolls completely over, it will most likely stop doing that, and only offer the behavior that gets the treat. Teaching Your Dog To Play Dead. As soon as your dog is lying on its side, say "yes" or "good." What is the best way to begin teaching your dog how to stay? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Games like fetch, for instance, have more than one part. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Anything could work. Give the chosen cue word and hand signal, then repeat steps. The Spruce Pets uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. You can also lure him with food to get him to lie down. That’s right! Some tricks, like teaching your dog how to play dead, will take a little more time for him to master than other tricks. Ask your dog to “down” and kneel in front of her with a treat in your hand. Read on for another quiz question. This is a great trick to train with a clicker, too. The goal here is to get the dog to lie down sideways by responding to your command BANG. Absolutely! In this position, your dog must be down with one of his or her hips relaxed. This is a great time to get your clicker out to capture the exact behavior you want. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. You can also use a treat to get your dog to lie down. [1] X Research source Eventually, he will be able to do this on his own without the benefit of a tasty morsel. ‘BANG!’ is a verbal cue that is commonly used for this trick. Practice this trick several times a day for a few minutes each time, and it won't be long before your dog falls to its side in response to your signal. All you need is a handful of his favorite treats, and you are ready to start training your dog to play dead. If you've already started, you can change, but stay with whatever word you say. Definitely not! Every great dog should know how to play dead – if only to be used as an ice breaker at parties, to scare the ground hogs in the backyard, and to generally just make you look totally awesome. Try another answer... Nope! Utilize a visual prompt (hand sign) to charge your puppy to play dead. It can be a fun game, both for the dog and its audience. Note which side your dog likes to lie on. If your dog can stay for 1-2 seconds, reward it with a treat. Alternatively, you can use the visual cue. Make sure this is fun for your dog. And not by following the path of the treat. for playing dead and practice having your dog go from standing to lying down on cue! From this position, give the command of PLAY DEAD and gently push him over until he is lying on that side. Each practice session should last about 10-15 minutes. Notice the side to which he is leaning. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Some people like to say a fun phrase, like this: "Would you rather be a cat, or would you rather be dead?" Playing dead involves your dog lying down. As a verbal cue, say the word “stay” when you want your dog to stay. Say the word “sit” as you push. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Next, try to avoid hard treats, as they don't smell as tantalizing as the chewy ones. Your dog either 1. doesn't understand the command, or 2. lacks the motivation to fulfill the command. References Spend 5-15 minutes each day practicing the trick. Keep in mind that the side that your dog relaxes to and is most comfortable with is the side that you will teach him to roll. Use the same hand motion as if you had the treat to get your dog to lie down. My dog doesn't listen to the bang. Read on for another quiz question. Steps to train your dog on playing dead. If you gradually use the visual cue by itself more frequently, your dog will respond just to the visual cue. By using The Spruce Pets, you accept our, How to Train Your Dog to Speak or Be Quiet. For the last option, your other fingers would be intertwined. If it tries to keep rolling over, step away for a minute. Lastly, it's better to keep training short, but practice more often, rather than having long training sessions once a day. If he gets back up, continue practicing until he lies down each time you move the treat down to the ground. Expert Reviewed Teaching your dog new tricks is always fun. Last Updated: March 19, 2020 The best way to show your dog that he completed the task incorrectly is to withhold reward. Or, click your clicker. Your dog should be lying down by the time you move the treat down to the ground. With your hands, guide your dog to lie down on its side. Be consistent with whichever verbal cue you use. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Use your clicker and other positive reinforcement when he lies down so that he knows he did the right thing. He probably doesn’t know the trick yet, so take it slow and read the article over again. It is also great for anxious dogs, … The good news, it really doesn’t take that long to teach your pup to play dead. There are a couple of ways that you can make a pistol signal: the thumb and index finger of one hand, the thumb and index and middle fingers of one hand, or the thumb and index finger of both hands placed together. While it's not as important as teaching your dog to obey commands like "sit" and "stay," it's not difficult to train most dogs to play dead. You, too, can bring out your dog’s thespian talents by teaching her to play dead. It will probably take a few days for your dog to associate these cues with staying, so be patient with him. You can increase your distance from him where he can still see you, such as to his right or left. So to determine if #1 is the problem, we have to make sure the dog is thoroughly motivated. For tips on adding a visual cue for playing dead, read on! It is easier to teach your dog how to lie down when it is already in the sitting position. Give the command you wish to use for the trick. Lure your dog onto its side with a treat, click your clicker immediately and give the dog a treat. Sometimes teaching a dog to play involves more than simply slowly introducing it to the idea. Once your dog masters those commands, select a verbal command like "Bang!" You should use both verbal and visual cues to train your dog to stay. Each practice session should last about 10-15 minutes. Steps for teaching a dog the "play dead" command: Stand in front of your dog and command him to lie down. As your dog is looking up at the treat, push on its back end until it sits. When your dog lies down, reward it with a treat, verbal praise, or a belly rub. Then, when your dog is laying down, push it over, and say "good dog, dead dog!" All you need is a handful of his favorite treats, … Try another answer... Not quite! Your dog is very smart. It would be very difficult and painful for him to move from position to position if his joints hurt. Keep training sessions upbeat and end the session if your dog seems frustrated, tired, or bored. For tips on adding a visual cue for playing dead, read on! Or do they have to be older? Playing dead involves your dog lying down. Amy is a dog trainer with more than a decade of experience. It does not have to be perfect, if it is close, reward, and try again. It was so easy to teach, too. To really master the trick, your dog should practice playing dead in different areas and around different people. Go back a step or two and practice, and only when the dog is successful at that step, begin moving slowly ahead again. Once your dog has been able to learn these basic skills, teaching them to play dead won’t be so different or difficult. Get our FREE training guide when you sign up for the Spruce Pets newsletter. Other locations include different rooms of the house, a dog park, or in front of a crowd of people. Increments of 1-2 seconds will help your dog stay for longer periods of time. Teaching your dog how to play dead is more than a just a great way to impress your family and friends. Do not teach your dog this trick if he has arthritis or other joint problems. Gradually increase the amount of time by 1-2 more seconds until your dog can stay in the same place for at least 10 seconds. Teach Your Dog to Play Dead. The first step involves reinforcing the down position. Always try to end sessions on a positive note, even if that means switching to a simpler action like "sit" or "down" as the last thing you do. Teaching Your Dog the Down Command. It's fun to see a dog play dead after that one. Then give him a treat and praises. When your dog cooperates, introduce the trick command, “Play Dead” or “Go to Sleep.” Extend the Sleep-Stay time until your dog is up to a minute. Remember to help and show him how to complete it correctly if he makes a mistake. Teaching a new trick also challenges your dog's mind and encourages mental agility. When I give him the command, he doesn't get up. What you need: A handful of small training treats*, clicker. If you want to teach your dog to lie down, you should: Try again! It may take some time before your dog can respond without the lure of food, so just be patient with him. Once you’re able to stand, vary the time you pause before releasing and praising your dog. With regular twice daily training sessions, teaching such a command helps prevents boredom and provides valuable mental stimulation for the dog. Fortunately, other than your dog, all you’ll really need for this trick is your fingers, a clicker, and some small treats. Try practicing at a dog park or in different rooms of the house. Reward with him a treat when he lies down without quickly getting back up. Practice using both the verbal and visual cues together until your dog demonstrates that he can play dead using these cues together. Firmly tell him 'No' if he jumps up. "I've not tried this yet, but every other training trick I've taught my dog has been off this site, it's been very, "This was very helpful for it was explained well and easily understandable.". After your dog has been able to complete the action a few times, add a cue word and a hand signal. Now, instruct “Stay” and stand up calmly. Use your clicker and give him a treat when he moves from sitting/standing to the down position, and again when he moves from the down position to lying on his side. Once he is seated, reward him with the treat by bringing the treat to him instead of allowing him to jump up to get the treat. Learning how to play dead is a more challenging task, so you’ll need to practice with your dog for at least a few minutes each day until he learns each step. To teach your dog how to sit, hold a treat high in the air. Try to practice these commands several times a day using 10-15 minute training sessions, and be sure to give treats and verbal praise as positive reinforcements. Hold the treat at the side of her head and move it toward her shoulder. However he is a big dog so he doesn't like roll over, so I couldn't teach him Play Dead, but this is how you do it(it is a bit complex): Guess again! Most of the dogs quickly learn these commands. How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead. I personally trained my Great Dane as well and within 3 weeks he knew sit, down, stay, bark, beg, jump, fetch, kiss-me, and I tried roll over. Playing dead is a great dog trick. Secondly, teach your dog the "Watch Me" command so she'll focus on you the second you say it. Your dog can be distracted by loud or stimulating environments, which will make it more difficult to learn how to lie down. First, teach your dog simple commands like, run, and sit, up, down. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Before he can learn this trick, he should be comfortable with the command to lie down. For best results, choose a comfortable area like a mat or the grass to train your dog to stay in the “sit” or “stand” position. What can I do? This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. You do not want to confuse your dog by using different verbal cues for the same command. This video gives you 5 easy to follow instructions to help you teach your dog to play dead on command! For example, when your dog plays dead in response to a verbal cue like the word “bang,” add a visual cue like making your fingers into a gun. BANG is the most common term used for teaching dogs to play dead. Enroll today! You should practice the down command with your dog several times a day for at least a few days. Then, give the dog a treat. This article has been viewed 463,450 times. Spin. If you are having trouble getting your dog to follow the treat so that it ends up lying on its side, you can show what you want it to do instead. Step 6: Adding a Hand Signal Instead, choose a quiet, comfortable area to train your dog. (At the time of posting, she’s over 5 years old, born on May 4th, 2014.) Teaching your dog new tricks is always fun. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Some tricks, like teaching your dog how to play dead, will take a little more time for him to master than other tricks. Remember to be patient and consistent. My dog is REALLY LAZY. Before he can learn this trick, he should be comfortable with the command to lie down. For "sit," show the dog the food, take it close to his nose and then back over his head. Either of these techniques will work in teaching your dog how to play dead. Once again, reward him with a treat when he reliably lies down without quickly getting back up. Can something like 'possum' work as well? Start with 1-2 second increments at first. Because this trick involves your dog moving between multiple positions and responding to cues, practice only 1 new step at a time. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 463,450 times. Most dogs can be food motivated, it may take hot dogs or bacon, but some kind of food will work. If you are not sure what treats to give, go to a local pet store and ask for advice on safe treats for your dog. You can also try challenging your dog by decreasing the visual signal of the command so it respond only to your verbal cues. You can get him to lie on his side by gently pushing him with both hands from the down position. As he turns his head to get to the treat, he will eventually lie down on his side. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. in a congratulatory voice. After you give him his treat, he can move towards you, since he has successfully stayed in place. As soon as the dog is in the correct position, click your clicker (or tell him "yes" or "good") and give it a treat. It may take a few times, and the help of a wall behind him, but you'll get it. My dog is getting confused! She gets distracted by the smallest things, such as the air conditioning turning on. While it's not as important as teaching your dog to obey commands like "sit" and "stay," it's not difficult to train most dogs to play dead. Any age is fine, as long as you teach them correctly. There are a couple things you can do to help your dog to focus on you. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Read on for another quiz question. I feel uncomfortable using 'bang' as a cue word. Keep doing the bang, if this works, then if the bang doesn't work, try this again! This will teach your dog that when he hears his verbal cue anywhere (“BANG!”) he can play dead and possibly get a treat! If you attempt to teach your dog to play dead, be prepared to give him plenty of praise and treats during the process. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Reward him with a treat when he successfully and consistently follows these cues. Offer verbal praise and a belly rub until he is comfortable in this position. Fortunately, other than your dog, all you’ll really need for this trick is your fingers, a clicker, and some small treats. If you decide to go the clicker training route, be sure to have your clicker handy. To teach your dog to play dead, first give the DOWN command. When your dog gets that hang of the verbal cue, add a visual cue to the mix: Make a shooting signal with your right index finger and thumb and quickly say your command word. It helps if your dog already knows how to ​roll over, as it will already be familiar with the action of rolling onto its side. It simply takes a little time and effort on your part, along with a virtually endless supply of your pup's favorite treats. It can be a fun game, both for the dog and its audience. Also make sure that you pla… Instead of giving the dog a treat the minute it lies over on its side, wait a few seconds, and then give the treat. % of people told us that this article helped them. www.pawsomedogs.net How to teach your dog to play dead. Dogs don't know anything we say unless we teach it to them. Playing dead is a great dog trick. If your dog learns how to hold the “sit” or “stand” pose it will be in a good position to learn how to lie down and play dead. How to Teach a Dog to Play Dead at Animal Behavior College | Over 24,000 students starting animal careers. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. In this way, you can slowly add more time until your dog will lie down and play dead for several minutes or more. This sounds like an easy trick, but it needs to be taught with the right technique as the verbal … When he lays down and remains still on his side for a few seconds, click the clicker to signal that he did a good job. If possible, use different types of rewards to make training more interesting for your dog. A typical visual sign to use for this trap is the state of a gun. If your dog jumps up from playing dead more quickly than you want it to, you can train it to lie there longer. These two elements are iron-clad ways in which your buddy will know that he is doing exactly what you want him to do. Learn the very cool Play Dead dog trick. All dogs learn at a different pace. How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead on Command, http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-train-your-dog-to-play-dead.html, http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-training-article-sit-down-and-stay-articles.html, https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-stay, http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/training-a-dog-to-stay.html, http://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/behavior-training/training-your-dog/teaching-your-dog-to-play-dead, http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/play-dead-dog-trick.html, http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/play-dead-or-bang-a-dog-trick-thats-both-fun-and-can-train-calm-behavior, http://www.petsadviser.com/behaviors/teach-shoot-dog-dead-trick/, Insegnare al Tuo Cane a Fingersi Morto a Comando, Ensinar o Seu Cachorro a se Fingir de Morto, научить собаку притворяться мертвой по команде, apprendre à son chien à faire le mort sur commande, Melatih Anjing untuk Berpura pura Mati Saat Disuruh, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. 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