Play Dead

How to teach "play dead"

Shoot your dog and see her come back to life!
1. Put your dog in a down position.
2. Tell your dog to lay down. CLICK! and REWARD!
3. Now, with your dog relaxed rub her belly and try and get her to lay on her side. If your dog is getting up right after laying down, put some peanut butter in the ground after they lay down and then start rubbing (provided your dog is NOT food possessive) and then try rubbing her belly. The idea is to get her laying on her side and enjoy a belly rub. Praise your dog when she is laying on her side. Practice this several times to get your dog used to being on her side and comfortable with the idea. When she is laying on her side say "good bang god yes you are soo good yes bang yes good". Say bang multiple times when your dog is on her side- so she associates it with something positive- food and a belly rub.
When your dog does this step (it make take several days and practice sessions) you may move to the next step.
4. When your dog is laying down and you go to try and scratch your dog's belly start saying bang as you gently push her into the side position. *CLICK* and REWARD.
5. Soon your dog will catch on and realize bang means a belly scratch. Now, when you start to go in and scratch your dog's belly say "bang" when you are leaning down and use a pointer finger outstretched to cue your dog when you do a belly scratch. So in one motion, go in with a pointer finger, say bang and then instantly immediatley turn your pointing gesture into a hand to rub your dog's belly.
6. Now adjust it so that you say "bang" and point at your dog as your dog is in the down position. Your dog will immediatley roll over for a belly scratch. For each successful attempt.
7. Practice Practice Practice