https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB86D9OpE6w
1. First things first: Start with “high value” treats and lots of attention. For my dog, high value treats mean small pieces of bacon or cheese, but the thing he wants most is my praise and lots of petting. Find what motivates your dog and run with it. I have a friend whose dog only does tricks if it means he will get a tennis ball thrown for him afterward! When Brimley was a puppy, I would train him to do tricks using his regular kibble as the reward. That way, I was just feeding him his usual meal but he really had to earn it!
Teach Your Dog to Roll Over in Just 5 Steps
2. Teach your dog to sit. Seems obvious, but most training sessions should start with your dog sitting and getting a reward for doing so. Now he’s engaged and ready to roll (hopefully).
3. Teach your dog to lay down. For this other important command, trainers warn against using the same word for lay down and the “get off the furniture” sort of down. I also received an amazing tip to teach your dog to lay down by holding your arm straight up in the air rather than motioning towards the ground. This way, your dog can see you asking him to lay down from a distance whether it’s across the room or across the dog park.
4. Get your dog comfy on his side. Once your dog is laying down, offer him high value treats as you pet his belly, encouraging him to lay on his side. This is pretty easy with most dogs, but if your dog is skiddish at all you may need to spend a good amount of time here, rewarding your pup for this good behavior. (I used this opportunity to teach my dog to play dead before moving on to rolling over.) Once your dog is comfortable on his/her side, practice leading through all of the above steps in order.
5. Lead with your hands. Once your dog will lay on his/her side, hold a treat between the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand starting with it near your dog’s mouth and then drawing it backwards slowly, heading for behind their neck. Your dog’s instinct will be to follow the treat, and this motion will naturally roll them over. (You may find it’s easier for your dog to roll one direction rather than the other—make it as easy for them as possible!)
