To roll over is one of the cool tricks you can teach your dog. Imagine how proud you will be if your ordinary looking dog is attracting lots of attention because of the tricks it can do. Unfortunately, not all dogs can learn trick in the same manner that not all dog owners have the patience to teach the pet. It would take a lot of patience (and of course a lot of your time as well) to have a dog that can perform tricks. However, it would be an accomplishment that would make your friends green with envy if you can teach your pet to do tricks. So instead of lazing on the couch with the eyes glued to the TV, why don’t you devote a few minutes of your time to train the dog?

Rolling over, like sitting and lying down is a natural behavior of a dog. Dogs roll over all the time when they play with other dogs. When faced with a dominant dog, the weaker one will roll over signifying submission. This makes the training easier as you only need to make the dog respond to your roll over command. Start the training by making the dog lie down. Kneel in front of the dog. Call the dog’s name to get his attention. Get a piece of the dog’s favorite treat and hold it in front of the dog’s nose. Move your hand from the dog’s nose to the side of the face and over the head. The dog will roll over as it is lured by the smell of the treat in your hand. As soon as the dog rolls over, praise lavishly and reward with a treat. Repeat the process several times. But take care not to overdo the training. Dogs have short attention span and get bored easily. Dogs have different learning capacities. Do not expect your dog to master obeying the command after a few sessions because your friend’s pet has become accustomed to the command easily. You are lucky if you happen to have an exceptionally intelligent dog that can follow the command at the first training session. Generally, it would take approximately fifty repetitions before the dog can learn the trick.

Dogs are motivated by different desires. Food motivated dogs can be lured by treats. Finicky eaters though would shun food so that you have to find what attracts the dog. He may desire toys or may prefer the praises and the cuddling of the master. Knowing what motivates the dog is necessary to speed up the training. Lastly, make the training fun not only for the dog but for yourself as well. Make sure that you are connecting with your dog. The training will enhance the bond between you and your pet.