How to Teach Your Dog to Roll Over

Looking to teach your dog how to roll over? We’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about teaching a simple trick, from reinforcers and reward markers to step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting.

Let’s dive in!

Why teach your dog to roll over?

“Roll over” is a classic, cute behavior. It’s a crowd pleaser at parties or while hanging out in public — and it’s also relatively simple for most dogs to learn. That makes it a great introduction to the world of trick training!

Trick training has many benefits:

• There is usually less pressure (on both dog and owner) in trick training sessions compared with behavioral modification or obedience training. This makes it a great opportunity to bond with your dog. Have fun with it!
• Trick training concepts translate well into other areas of life. Spending time learning cool things together teaches your dog to pay attention to you and work with you as a team.
• Trick training can be a great enrichment activity. Your dog needs mental stimulation along with physical exercise! You can learn more about canine enrichment in our comprehensive guide here.
• If you get really into it, you can earn trick dog titles for your dog through organizations like the American Kennel Club or Do More With Your Dog. This isn’t a requirement but can be extra motivation (and provide a sense of accomplishment).

Things you need to teach your dog to roll over

A reinforcer (like treats or a favorite toy)

When we ask our dogs to work for us, it’s only fair we pay them. Reinforcers (often called rewards in everyday conversation) are things 1) our dogs love that 2) are easy for us to give them during a training session.

Common reinforcers include:

• Store-bought dog treats
• Small pieces of human food (like meat or cheese)
• Your dog’s kibble (if they’re particularly food motivated, have a sensitive stomach, or you need to be calorie conscious)
• A favorite toy

If possible, let your dog decide what they like best. Consider setting out multiple rewards, seeing which one they go to first, and choosing that to teach new behaviors! (You can also vary between a few favorites to keep them interested.)

The more excited your dog is for their reinforcer, the more motivated they’ll be during your training session.

You can read more about reinforcement and operant conditioning in our Dog Training 101 article!

A conditioned reward marker

If you’ve heard of “clicker training” (first popularized by marine mammal trainers) then you’ve been exposed to the idea of a reward marker.

In technical terms, a marker is a conditioned stimulus that predicts a primary reinforcer. Put more simply? A reward marker is a sound or signal that “marks” exactly what your dog did to earn their reinforcement. This makes it possible for us to communicate clearly during training sessions — even if we’re unable to deliver a treat precisely when our dogs offer the right behavior.

Common reward markers include:

• Training clickers
• “Yes”
• “Good”
• A thumbs up (particularly useful for deaf dogs)
• A hand flash (push all your fingers on one hand together, then open them up quickly, and close again — very distinct for deaf dogs)
• Other easy-to-make noises

No marker is inherently better than the others for all dogs and situations. What matters is that you pick one that works for you and stick to it! Consistency is key.

How to charge your reward marker

To make sure your dog understands that your marker sound or signal predicts a reward, spend a few sessions conditioning them to the stimulus. (If you already use reward markers in your training, skip on to the next section.)

You can charge your dog’s reward marker by:

• First making your noise or visual signal
• Pausing for a second
• Then giving your dog their reward — this turns your chosen marker into a predictor of good things to come
• Repeating multiple times!

Eventually your dog will start to respond to the noise itself — they might run towards you before you even reach for their treat or toy. This indicates that they’re forming the right association.

How to use your reward marker in a training session

Once your dog is conditioned to your chosen reward marker, you can start using it in training sessions to teach new skills.

It’s important to mark the right behavior as soon as possible after your dog performs it. Accurate timing makes for more effective teaching! And remember to always follow your marker with a reward — you have a few seconds to deliver (or make it clear to your dog that you are about to deliver) reinforcement, give or take, to keep up your dog’s conditioned association.

A quiet, calm environment

Dogs pay a lot of attention to the world around them. Their sensitive ears and noses are especially affected in loud, busy situations — which can make it hard for them to focus on learning new things.

When teaching your dog to roll over (or asking them to learn any new skill at all) it’s a good idea to start in a calm, familiar environment. An open room of your house can be a great option. As your dog developers their skills, your own yard or a favorite Sniffspot can be great options to slowly increase the distractions.

An already learned “down” cue

You can learn more about teaching your dog to lie down on cue in this article! Training this ahead of time is helpful for two main reasons:

• It’s usually easiest for dogs to learn how to roll over when they start in a lying down position, already on the ground.
• The process of training your dog to perform basic obedience cues is very similar to that for simple tricks. By working on roll over after you’re both familiar with a general positive reinforcement, rewards-based training approach, you’ll be able to have success more quickly.

Patience

Before working with your dog, make sure you’re in a good headspace. It’s not always easy to communicate with another species. Even simple tricks like rolling over on cue can confuse our pets at first!

Be prepared to take the training process slowly and keep your training sessions upbeat. Offer lots of praise and affection when your dog makes an effort — and keep things simple to get more buy-in from your canine companion, especially if they are an adolescent. Don't let sessions drag on too long or risk boring (or frustrating) your pup! The most effective training happens in short bursts.

Above all: Remember that trick training is meant to be fun. It should be a positive way to bond with your dog or puppy — not a source of stress for either of you.

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Simple steps to train your dog to roll over

Now that we’ve gone over the important background, you and your dog are ready to get rolling — literally. Here are the nitty gritty details to teach your pup the fun trick of rolling over!

Ask your dog to lie down

First, give your dog their known “down” cue.

Note if your dog’s weight is leaning to one side

Once they’re in a lying down position, take a look at how their weight is distributed to figure out which side you should ask them to roll towards.

• If they’re lying in a “sphinx” position (with their hips evenly underneath them) you can move onto the next steps in any direction you want.
• If one hip is out to the side, however, be ready to lure them in the opposite direction so their leg doesn’t get in the way.

Get your dog’s focus with their favorite treat or toy

Next, hold your chosen reinforcer in front of your dog’s face, making sure to get their attention. Small treats work especially well for this if you’re able to hold them tightly between your fingers or in your palm so your dog can’t get it out until you allow them to! This is called a lure.

Lure your dog’s head in a circle motion

With slow movements — and making sure to keep your lure close to your dog’s nose — draw a circle in the air.

At this point, some dogs get confused and try to sit or stand up. That’s no big deal! Just ask them to reset in a “down” position and try again.

You might have to experiment with varying the size and speed of your circle as you lure your dog. Be sure to take breaks to keep things fun for both of you.

Mark and reward!

Once your dog rolls all the way over, mark with your chosen reward marker and give them their reinforcer! You can then repeat the process a few times to help them start building muscle memory.

If your dog is struggling to complete a full roll, consider marking and rewarding them intermittently for smaller steps towards the desired end behavior. This method of breaking things down can make trick training a lot easier for dogs who are prone to get discouraged! As time goes on, you can wait to reward them for closer and closer increments.

Add a visual cue (hand signal)

Once your canine companion seems to be getting it — reliably following your lure or offering the roll over behavior on their own because they’ve learned it gets them treats — it’s time to add a visual cue.

If you’ve been luring your dog into position, your hand signal will likely end up as a natural shortening, or smaller version, of that lure.

Common hand signals for roll over are:

• A finger spinning sideways in a spiral motion
• A whole hand rotating in a similar motion

To start fading your lure in favor of a visual cue:

• Test the waters by giving your lure without a treat in your hand. Does your dog lie down? Fantastic! If they instead seem confused, go back to your lure for now and try again in another session.
• Once your dog can follow your hand without a treat, slowly start shifting from the full motion to just the signal you want to use.
• Always mark and reward correct repetitions!
• Don’t be afraid to take steps back in the process if either of you gets frustrated.
• Eventually your dog will be able to roll over on just your visual cue.

(Most dogs find it easier to pay attention to our body movements than our words, but that isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. If you know your dog is particularly verbal and want to skip the hand signal to go right to a verbal cue, feel free! Just remember to change things up if your pup is struggling, as some dogs will get so frustrated they check out completely.)

Add a verbal cue (previously called command)

To add a verbal cue to your dog's fun trick, pair your new learned behavior stimulus — the word “roll over” or whatever you choose — with your dog’s already-known hand signal:

• Say “roll over”
• Pause for just a breath, then immediately give your visual cue
• If your dog responds, mark and reward!
• Repeat several times
• Eventually your dog will start to lie down right when they hear your verbal instead of waiting for the hand signal
• Celebrate them when they do!

Some dogs have a difficult time separating the pieces of a training picture from each other during the training process. If your dog is struggling to learn a verbal cue, make sure:

• You don’t give the verbal at the exact same time as the hand signal. If you do, your dog might “tune out” the sound in favor of paying attention to your motion.
• You don’t wait too long to give your hand signal after saying your verbal. You want just enough of a pause that your dog separates out the cues — but not so much that they can’t make the connection.

Troubleshoot problems teaching your dog to roll over

Are you having a hard time teaching your dog to roll over on cue? Not sure you’re cut out for this whole trick training thing? Here are some common issues to think about.

Is your dog experiencing physical pain or discomfort?

Some dogs hesitate to lie down, roll over, or offer similar behaviors on cue because it’s uncomfortable for them due to arthritis, obesity, an acute injury (like a pulled muscle), or chronic health conditions like hip dysplasia.

If you notice that your dog is stiff or seems stressed in your sessions — especially if they used to move more willingly and now seem reluctant — consider visiting your veterinarian for a pain assessment. They’ll help you come up with a treatment plan to get back in the training groove!

Does your dog understand what you’re asking for?

Our dogs experience the world differently than we do. Sometimes we think we’re communicating one thing when they’re actually perceiving another.

If your dog seems confused about rolling over on cue even after multiple training sessions, try to:

• Make sure you always use the same visual and verbal cues.
• Get everyone in your household on the same page about what signals and words to use for different behaviors.
• Be aware of other subtle body movements that might confuse your dog.
• Practice giving your reward markers on your own, without your dog around, to build muscle memory.
• Video your sessions so you can evaluate your marker and reward timing.
• Make sure you aren’t asking your dog to perform in unfamiliar environments or situations before they’re ready.

When in doubt, get help from a professional

It’s what trainers are here for! If you and your dog are struggling to polish up their “roll over” cue or any other fun tricks or obedience skills, reach out to a force-free professional trainer who can work with you one on one and answer all your questions about training.

If you prefer to learn by reading, there is also a well-respected book on teaching tricks called 101 Tricks for Dogs by Kyra Sundance. There's even a kids version of the book to involve the whole family!

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Trainer Review of this Article

There is so much misinformation out there, we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have all of our articles reviewed by qualified, positive-only trainers.  

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Penny Locke
Proudly offering Positive Reinforcement & Force-free Dog Training
www.allabout-canines.com