how to teach your dog to play dead

First, train in the least distracting place you can find. It is also great for anxious dogs, … Firmly tell him 'No' if he jumps up. When I give him the command, he doesn't get up. Others prefer to simply use "dead." First, teach your dog simple commands like, run, and sit, up, down. This is a great trick to train with a clicker, too. 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. Use your clicker and other positive reinforcement when he lies down so that he knows he did the right thing. Use the treat as a lure, and at the same time, you can very gently push it onto its side. Once he is lying down, reward him with some positive reinforcement (eg, verbal praise, belly rub, treat). As he turns his head to get to the treat, he will eventually lie down on his side. You should practice the down command with your dog several times a day for at least a few days. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. At this phase of showing your down to play dead, you will probably persuade your puppy to have the capacity to play dead just by reacting to your verbal signal, as opposed to being tricked by sweets as well. Teaching from a Standing Position This is the advanced version from the command “play dead”. How can I get her to cooperate? Command him to stay seated or standing, and then command him to lie 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. To really master the trick, your dog should practice playing dead in different areas and around different people. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. What you need: A handful of small training treats*, clicker. The best way to show your dog that he completed the task incorrectly is to withhold reward. For tips on adding a visual cue for playing dead, read on! You, too, can bring out your dog’s thespian talents by teaching her to play dead. 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. Practice this a few times, and then add a few seconds. Make sure this is fun for your dog. Timmy and Karma make it look easy but if you have any questions feel free to ask. 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. If your dog doesn't lie down on command yet, go back and work on that before you begin training it o play dead. Each practice session should last about 10-15 minutes. Choose a comfortable area to train your dog. Offer verbal praise and a belly rub until he is comfortable in this position. This article has been viewed 463,450 times. Before he can learn this trick, he should be comfortable with the command to lie down. You do not want to confuse your dog by using different verbal cues for the same command. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Last Updated: March 19, 2020 Once your dog masters those commands, select a verbal command like "Bang!" Once you’ve practiced enough, you can have your dog play dead anywhere and in front of anyone. The Spruce Pets uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Reward him with a treat when he successfully and consistently follows these cues. For tips on adding a visual cue for playing dead, read on! Teaching a new trick also challenges your dog's mind and encourages mental agility. Practice using both the verbal and visual cues together until your dog demonstrates that he can play dead using these cues together. Fortunately, other than your dog, all you’ll really need for this trick is your fingers, a clicker, and some small treats. Of course, you can choose any word and hand signal you like. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Guess again! She learned “play dead” in just one training session when she was about six months old. Alternatively, you can use the visual cue. Not quite! Secondly, teach your dog the "Watch Me" command so she'll focus on you the second you say it. Go back a step or two and practice, and only when the dog is successful at that step, begin moving slowly ahead again. It's fun to see a dog play dead after that one. Your dog can be distracted by loud or stimulating environments, which will make it more difficult to learn how to lie down. How to Teach a Dog to Play Dead at Animal Behavior College | Over 24,000 students starting animal careers. When your dog lies down, reward it with a treat, verbal praise, or a belly rub. It may take some time before your dog can respond without the lure of food, so just be patient with him. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Try another answer... Not quite! It would be very difficult and painful for him to move from position to position if his joints hurt. Or, click your clicker. Sometimes teaching a dog to play involves more than simply slowly introducing it to the idea. It can be a fun game, both for the dog and its audience. Your dog is very smart. After you give him his treat, he can move towards you, since he has successfully stayed in place. 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. Increments of 1-2 seconds will help your dog stay for longer periods of time. Your dog either 1. doesn't understand the command, or 2. lacks the motivation to fulfill the command. Playing dead is a great dog trick. Playing dead involves your dog lying down. Make sure you use just one cue and don’t confuse your dog with too many. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. It may take a few times, and the help of a wall behind him, but you'll get it. If it tries to keep rolling over, step away for a minute. Next, try to avoid hard treats, as they don't smell as tantalizing as the chewy ones. Your dog needs to learn what position it should be in to play dead. Be consistent with whichever verbal cue you use. 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. Hold the treat at the side of her head and move it toward her shoulder. For the last option, your other fingers would be intertwined. It simply takes a little time and effort on your part, along with a virtually endless supply of your pup's favorite treats. To teach your dog how to sit, hold a treat high in the air. Do not yell at your dog. The good news, it really doesn’t take that long to teach your pup to play dead. Once again, reward him with a treat when he reliably lies down without quickly getting back up. Step 6: Adding a Hand Signal "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.". My dog doesn't listen to the bang. I feel uncomfortable using 'bang' as a cue word. Either of these techniques will work in teaching your dog how to play dead. You should use both verbal and visual cues to train your dog to stay. Also make sure that you pla… Which of the following should you do to train your dog to play dead? How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead. To do this, hold a treat in front of his nose. Get our FREE training guide when you sign up for the Spruce Pets newsletter. You should use a verbal cue before adding a visual cue. My dog just wont cooperate. Most of the dogs quickly learn these commands. Lure your dog onto its side with a treat, click your clicker immediately and give the dog a treat. Absolutely! for playing dead and practice having your dog go from standing to lying down on cue! We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Teaching Your Dog To Play Dead. Remember to help and show him how to complete it correctly if he makes a mistake. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. (At the time of posting, she’s over 5 years old, born on May 4th, 2014.) Some tricks, like teaching your dog how to play dead, will take a little more time for him to master than other tricks. A typical visual sign to use for this trap is the state of a gun. You can increase your distance from him where he can still see you, such as to his right or left. If you attempt to teach your dog to play dead, be prepared to give him plenty of praise and treats during the process. If your dog doesn't listen to the bang, then you should tell/teach your dog to lay down. Teaching your dog new tricks is always fun. All you need is a handful of his favorite treats, and you are ready to start training your dog to play dead. She gets distracted by the smallest things, such as the air conditioning turning on. Note which side your dog likes to lie on. The first step involves reinforcing the down position. Spin. Teaching your dog how to play dead is more than a just a great way to impress your family and friends. Fortunately, other than your dog, all you’ll really need for this trick is your fingers, a clicker, and some small treats. As with most advanced tricks, your pup should have already mastered the … If you've already started, you can change, but stay with whatever word you say. Then, when your dog is laying down, push it over, and say "good dog, dead dog!" Playing dead is a great dog trick. Teach Your Dog to Play Dead. 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. Because this trick involves your dog moving between multiple positions and responding to cues, practice only 1 new step at a time. Anything could work. This video gives you 5 easy to follow instructions to help you teach your dog to play dead on command! Now, a dog’s dead position is usually on its side. Start with 1-2 second increments at first. 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. Not exactly! If he gets back up, continue practicing until he lies down each time you move the treat down to the ground. For "sit," show the dog the food, take it close to his nose and then back over his head. It is easier to teach your dog how to lie down when it is already in the sitting position. Give the chosen cue word and hand signal, then repeat steps. Each practice session should last about 10-15 minutes. Learn the very cool Play Dead dog trick. Utilize a visual prompt (hand sign) to charge your puppy to play dead. Other locations include different rooms of the house, a dog park, or in front of a crowd of people. Try again... Yup! 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