Teach Your Dog to Roll Over

Teaching your dog ‘roll over’ can be more useful than your might think, as well as bonding through training and expanding the routine your dog knows it can also be helpful if you or your vet need to examine your dogs tummy or paws.

Its best to teach this once your dog has mastered the down (see Teaching the Down). Start off by putting your dog into the down position. Get a tasty treat and hold it in front of your dog. Move the treat around your dogs nose to encourage him to roll over – his nose should be following the treat and he should start to roll over – give him lots of encouragement as he starts to roll round, and then give him the treat. Repeat this a few times and then start to add in ‘Roll Over’ as he is actually going round.  As your dog becomes more confident with this exercise you will be able to ask him to ‘Roll over’ without having to lure him with the treat.

You may want to vary this by stopping your dog while he is lying on his back and praising him, rubbing his tummy and gently checking his paws if he will let you. You can give this action a new command if you wish, if your dog is familiar with being handled in this way it will be less distressing for him, and easier for you if you or your vet ever need to examine or treat your dogs underneath.