Indeed, many dog owners expect a bit more than loyalty and true companionship from their pet dogs. Yes, you guessed it right. We’re talking about the different tricks to teach a puppy at your command. Tricks undoubtedly broaden the level of communication between you and your doggie. One such astonishing trick is to play dead. So let’s find out how to teach a dog to play dead when you command to do so.
How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead?
It is necessary to devote sufficient time in correspondence to your dog’s mood and willingness to engage in this fun activity. Ensure that your doggie is not hyperactive during the training session. Hyperactivity will hamper a pet’s attention span. Choose a time slot according to your convenience. You need to follow these steps to teach your dog a fun trick of playing dead:
#1 Sit & Lie Down Commands
Ensure that your dog follows the ‘Sit’ and ‘Lie down’ commands. Sit and Lie is one of the simple fun tricks to teach dogs. It is necessary to get your pets into a prone position and lure them to stay in the same using their favourite treats. Treats should be given so that your canine will subconsciously think that staying in this position will get him his favourite treat. You can use a clicker in this step to make things easier.
#2 Lure Training
Don’t you know how to train a dog to listen to commands? Focus on Lure Training. Make sure that when you lure your dog, use the nose and mouth rather than eyes so that you can easily guide them to follow treat and get into the desired position. Use good quality dog treats so your pet has no other option but to track your leads and enjoy treats subsequently.
#3 Give Commands
Now, get your pet on his side, whereby you can tell him to play dead. This step is more straightforward said than done. Dogs will usually shift onto one side. So it is more sensible to lure a dog to lie down on that particular side using the treats. Once your dog achieves the desired position, reward them and give the ‘Play Dead’ command. Repeat this process back and forth.
#4 Make your Pet Comfortable
Make sure that your pooch is comfortable. Some canines are more comfortable on their sides while some are on their backs. It depends upon your dog and its level of flexibility. Don’t focus upon completing a trick. You are developing a different way of communicating with each other.
#5 Luring with Treats
Train a dog to stop following the lure you give by offering a treat. Your pet must subconsciously know that staying in the position will get him a desired treat. Let the pet know that you like it when he holds the position. The dog is more likely to respond as you want when you say ‘Play Dead’. Since you are going to choose your pet’s favourite treats, this step can prove more exhaustive and time-consuming at the same time.
#6 Hand Signal
Finally, convert a lure into a hand signal. Now that your pet is accustomed to staying in the position, you should create a hand signal that will act as the command to play dead. Keep treats in one hand and use the other hand to lure your pet onto the back. When you open your fist, your dog will stay in the position. This Open fist will be the final signal.
Things to Avoid While Training Your Dog
Since training your dog to perform this trick is a new experience for both you and your friend, it is certainly necessary to avoid the how to train a dog to do tricks in the following scenarios:
- Don’t be harsh on your doggie or force him to follow the commands. Your lovely companion is more likely to respond to the commands positively when he is in the mood to listen and have fun. If your dog doesn’t want to train, try again after some time.
- Be Patient and Disciplined with your pets. Some dogs may have a difficult time following the lure training. It is fine to take more time, but jerky movements will cause them to lose interest. Dogs can quickly lose their attention span if they sense difficulty performing any task.
- Avoid giving treats to your dog unnecessarily. If you try to provide treats to your dog without any progress, this will send mixed messages, and therefore, the pet will have a hard time following the commands. Only give treats when the doggie displays genuine progress.
Conclusion
Dogs are funny and mischievous creatures. You can train your dog to perform different tricks that you find intriguing. However, it is essential to note that learning these tricks is slow and continuous. So, it is crucial to keep your cool and continue training your pet till you achieve the desired results.