How to ROLL (Helpful 4-step guide)

The roll command may no longer be part of a dog's basic training, but it's definitely very popular. Your dog does a sideways roll on the floor on your command - it's so cute! With your friends, you and your furry friend can certainly show this off as a little party trick. We'll show you how it's guaranteed to work.

Cover roll
Table of Contents

Why should my dog learn the command ROLL?

In everyday life, this command will be of little help to you, but it is still useful to practice it. Training strengthens the bond between you and your pet. It is good for your dog if you spend some time exclusively with him. He will enjoy the time together.

Practicing new tricks is always a challenge for our four-legged friends. Brain teaser present. They need to concentrate to understand and remember what is being asked of them. This mental workout is an essential part of keeping dogs in a species-appropriate manner. So practicing little tricks is not only cute for us humans to watch, but also has a significant impact on the well-being of our furry noses.

In addition, the role represents a fairly simple command. It is not too heavy to llearn and thus offers a nice exercise for all dog-human teams, even if you are still rather in the beginnings of training. With this trick you can also build other feats for the future. "Roll" is the basis for the "tuck" trick, where your dog curls up in a blanket by himself.

4 steps to a sugary sweet "roll

Dog makes a roll

With this command, your dog turns sideways around itself on the floor. It is important that he himself finds the courage to turn. Do not help him with your hands. This is very uncomfortable for your four-legged friend and could frighten him, as he is no longer in control of his body. If he panics, it can quickly go wrong. Take your time when training and do not force your pet to do anything.

Step No. 1

In the first step, kneel next to your dog to get to a comfortable height, since the command is performed on the ground. Now give your four-legged friend the Command "Place. He should already be able to do this when you start training for the role.

Hold a treat in front of his nose. Slowly bring it around his head so that he follows it with his nose and thus feels comfortable. in a semicircle over the waist to the back turns. While doing this, you praise him verbally, for example with a joyful "Good!" or "Fine!" and reward him with the treat.

Step No. 2

Next, repeat this exercise. Let him make room, hold a treat in front of his nose and lure him again so that he turns onto his back. This time, however, the exercise goes even further. You lure him not only to the back, but from there on, until he is Completely rotated has.

After that, practice it a little more fluidly. Lead the treat in a semicircle around your dog. He will follow it and make a roll. When he After the turn back in place he will receive his reward. Remember to always keep your darling also to praise verbally.

Step No. 3

If the previous steps work smoothly, you will run your sound sign on. Now repeat steps 1 and 2, but this time, instead of luring your dog with the treat, use the following with the empty hand to turn. While doing this, you say the word signal "roll" - or another of your choice - several times.

Only when your quadruped is back in the square, he gets his reward. While doing this, repeat your sound signal once again. Train this exercise until your dog linked to the sound sign. It should consolidate in this step in his clever little head.

Step No. 4

In the last step you reduce the help with the hand. You indicate bit by bit more inconspicuously with your hand that your dog should turn. He should learn, at some point exclusively on the word signal to make a roll.

Make the hand movement smaller with each repetition. But don't be afraid to show it again more clearly if your pet is confused. Practice as long as you can, until he no longer needs the hand at all. Then you can also gradually increase the distance. Let your dog make a roll when you a few steps away from him instead of kneeling directly in front of him.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

A roll is of course by itself nothing that every dog must be able to do. However, training always has benefits for you and your dog. You will have a better team, your four-legged friend gets his important Brain teaser and as a bonus you can get a present super cute trick! Try it together and see what happens. But do not force your dog to do anything if he is not comfortable with it.

With these tips, this training is guaranteed to work:

  • Don't get nervous if it doesn't work right away. Especially the first times on the back can be scary. Also the transition from turning with treats to without treats is difficult for many dogs.
  • Practice in small steps No one is rushing you. Take more time so that your pet can really understand and remember the trick, instead of practicing the command as quickly as possible, but perhaps not sustainably.
  • Reward at the right moment. Only with precise rewards can your pelt nose understand when it has done something right. A clicker can also help with this.

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Written by Anja Boecker
Written by Anja Boecker

My name is Anja Boecker, and I am a certified dog trainer and behavior consultant. With these articles, I want to help you to understand your dog better and to build an inseparable bond.

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