If it tries to keep rolling over, step away for a minute. Next, try to avoid hard treats, as they don't smell as tantalizing as the chewy ones. TroubleSHOOTING the Dog. Dogs don't know anything we say unless we teach it to them. If your dog already knows how to roll over, its natural inclination might be to go all the way over when you start to lure it to its side. Playing dead is a great dog trick. If you are having trouble getting your dog to follow the treat so that it ends up lying on its side, you can show what you want it to do instead. Approved. Most people choose to use the verbal command "bang" along with a hand signal command, holding the fingers to look like a gun pointing at the dog. For the last option, your other fingers would be intertwined. Others prefer to simply use "dead." If you want to teach your dog to lie down, you should: Try again! Once he assumes this position, you will reinforce this behavior by giving it multiple treats. It will probably take a few days for your dog to associate these cues with staying, so be patient with him. I feel uncomfortable using 'bang' as a cue word. Teaching your dog how to play dead is more than a just a great way to impress your family and friends. If at any point in the training your dog makes more than two or three mistakes in a row, chances are you've moved ahead too quickly. Once again, reward him with a treat when he reliably lies down without quickly getting back up. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/50\/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Play-Dead-on-Command-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Teach-Your-Dog-to-Play-Dead-on-Command-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/50\/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Play-Dead-on-Command-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid88662-v4-728px-Teach-Your-Dog-to-Play-Dead-on-Command-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"