Play dead. How to protect yourself when meeting a pack of hungry dogs. Dead number: how to teach a dog to pretend to be dead Exercise options

“Die” is not a command that is taught in training courses. This trick is typical for the circus arena or performances of “home-grown” animal theaters. In most cases, this “number” is just part of a somersault or flip. Teaching an animal this command is not at all difficult, the main thing is to understand the basics.

The command is performed while lying on your side and without moving. This must continue until a command or sign is given canceling the order to lie still. Standards for this command have not been developed, but it is customary for the dog not to react in any way to its surroundings while performing the trick. Often the command sounds like “Sleep” to remove negative connotations.

During the “Die” command, the dog must lie motionless on its side or back.

When starting to teach any command, you should select a signal indicating the end of the exercise. If the animal changes position before the signal is given, the command is considered unfulfilled and the dog does not receive any reward.

The function of the command is everyday convenience. Using this command, you can stop the “outrages” of an animal that is overly excited during the game. Instead of sending your pet to its place, you can give the command “Die/Sleep”. The playful form of this trick allows the animal to obey more willingly, gradually developing endurance.

Interesting! Experienced trainers advise constantly studying various commands, even those that are not required in everyday life. This is done so that the animal is forced to constantly think, solve problems, learn to coordinate its actions with the words of the owner, and work as a team. In addition, using the command “die”, it will be easier to teach your pet to do a somersault.

When to start learning the “Die” command

This can be done at any age. The main thing is that the animal already knows commands such as “Lie down” and “Sit” well - in this case, learning the command will take much less time. If you decide to teach your dog to fall from a standing position or even while running, knowledge of basic commands does not matter.

It is easier to start learning the “Die” command when the dog already knows how to sit and lie down at the owner’s request.

As for age preferences: on the one hand, young dogs are more willing to learn new commands, but on the other hand, older and more experienced dogs (provided that the animal has been trained with early age) quickly understand what is wanted from them. Be that as it may, with great desire, some perseverance and certain skills teach how to execute the command “Die!” Any dog is possible.

How to teach the command "Die"

The first training should be carried out at home, since many dogs will simply refuse to lie on the street (after all, just yesterday she was punished for this). And only after the animal understands what is required of it, the command can be practiced on the site. Dog this command, most often perceived as an element of the game, therefore, in order to tune it to the desired “wave,” you should play a little after the main workout.

Ways to teach an animal the command “Die!” There are several, but the following methods are considered the most effective. Each of them requires the execution of the “Lie Down” command.

After the dog completes this command, you should begin training:

There are several ways to teach a dog the “Die” command, and each of them requires the “Down” command.

Bring a treat to your pet's nose and slowly, around and lunge forward, carry it over the dog's shoulder and back. The animal will reach for the “yummy” and fall on its side. Most often, nothing will work the first time, so you need to wait until the dog straightens up and repeat the exercise again. It is perfectly acceptable to lightly poke your pet on the shoulder or neck to show them what to do. The command is given after the animal has taken the required pose and stopped waving its tail and paws. The head should be on the floor. At first, you should hold your pet for a few seconds. Only after this give a treat, without allowing him to get up.
Learning the command “Die!” This method requires several pieces of treats. Lunge over the shoulder of a lying dog in the same way as in the first case, only give a treat for each turn of the head in the right direction. The animal will reach for the hand, leaning further and further onto its back. After 5-6 pieces of treat, the dog will take the desired position. At the end, you need to put another piece on the ground, forcing him to put his head down, give a command and hold the dog in this position for 10-15 seconds.

When completing the exercise, you need to praise your pet.

Important! You cannot dramatically increase the command execution time. Every 3-4 days you can add another 10-15 seconds. After the animal masters the voice command, you should begin practicing the gesture - throwing right hand forward and down.

Small tricks when learning

Some especially cunning dogs try to do things their own way, not wanting to do what the owner wants, or simply not understanding him.

Make sure that your dog does not choke on the treat, as he will eat it while lying down.

Important to warn wrong actions animal, promptly stopping attempts to “bypass” the command:

To prevent the dog from getting up in search of a treat, it should be held by the back, preventing it from rising.
If your dog crawls for a treat instead of falling, you can knock him down yourself. Or, as an option, give another command (for example, “Crawl”) so that the animal’s initiative does not remain unclaimed.
The treat should be something that the dog cannot choke on., because it must be given when not only the body, but also the head of the animal lies. This could be a piece wet food, hard cheese, etc.
When completing the exercise, be sure to give a command to stop the action. For example, it could be “Live!”, “Wake up!”, “Rise!” or any other.

With regular training, the dog quickly understands what is required of it.

Interesting! Most animals willingly carry out the “Die” command, receiving for this a well-deserved portion of the owner’s praise and the delight of familiar children.

Exercise options

It looks very impressive when the dog quickly falls on its side and lies motionless when the command “Die” is given.

To make the command execution look more impressive, you should work out its various options:

the command should be executed as quickly as possible - it looks more interesting;
in the position the dog must lie absolutely still, it is important to practice this in quiet places where the animal will not be distracted by extraneous sounds or movement;
it’s worth practicing “dying” on both sides, and the commands for different sides must be different: “Die!” and “Sleep!”, for example, or something like “Bang-bang” and “Bang”;
pay special attention to learning how to execute a command at a distance from the owner: you can send the animal to “Place!”, and after that command “Die!”;
after the animal perfectly follows the command at a distance, you need to enter a gesture, because it looks funny when the animal falls at the sight of a “pistol” from the fingers aimed at it.

Mistakes made during the learning process

Many owners, when starting to train an animal, make serious mistakes. This leads not only to a delay in the animal’s understanding of the command, but also to its reluctance to carry it out or to a completely incorrect execution.

The most significant mistake is forceful coercion to carry out a command. This approach leads to the dog's unwillingness to cooperate and to ignoring all training as a whole.

You cannot force a dog to carry out a command; be sure to try to find an approach to your pet.

Often the owner allows the animal to stand up immediately, without waiting the required time and without a command. In this case, the animal will stop even trying to follow the command, demanding a treat just like that.

If the dog doesn’t want to “die” at first, don’t get upset and stop training. Regular exercise will give results. Perhaps the dog is not in the mood today; it was affected by solar flares, pressure, magnetic storms, etc. Just work on demonstrating a friendly attitude towards your pet.

Watch a video that shows a detailed algorithm for teaching a dog the “Die” command. We wish you pleasant viewing!

The best dog stimulus is food. Take regular dry food (and in no case what you eat yourself). The dog will be wildly happy with a special treat (there is also such a category of pet products, if you didn’t know), but these things are usually very high in calories, and should be less than 10% of them in the dog’s diet.

2. Rehearsal

Tell the dog to lie down and not move. Slowly place your hand with the food behind the animal's head - to get it, the dog will need to fall on its side. Reward the actor with a piece. Move your hand further and further, and when the dog falls apart on its side, quickly return your hand to yourself. If (after withdrawing the hand) the dog changes position or stands up, it receives nothing. Her job is to stay on her side.

3. Dramatic pause

Does the dog willingly lie down? Feed her only when her head is also lying motionless on the floor. After this, you need to ensure that there is a pause between falling on your side and the resulting tasty treat. Little by little, increase the time between completing the task and feeding. Practice until the interval reaches a solid 10 seconds.

4. Shot

So, after a certain number of lessons clever dog will begin to fall as if knocked down when a tidbit looms on the horizon (that is, in your hand). And just a moment before she starts to fall over, point your outstretched finger-gun at her and say: “Dysch!” Repeat. A little more patience and training - and this new command and the associated action will be forever imprinted in the dog’s brain.

Expert: Sophia Yin, veterinarian and animal behaviorist, author of Perfect Puppy In 7 Days

The “die” command is not included in the list of standard training programs. But how interesting it is to watch animals that, with just one click from the owner, fall and lie motionless. Learn how to teach your dog the “die” command and where this skill can come in handy.

When the word “die” is said, the dog must lie on its side (or roll over on its back) and remain motionless until the owner’s next instructions. In fact, the command is similar to the order “lie down”, but when performed by some animals it looks very funny. You can use “die” not only for shooting funny videos, but also in everyday life.

Firstly, the owner gains greater control over the behavior of his pet. Secondly, you can take your dog with you literally everywhere. Indeed, in any situation, the owner will be sure that the animal will quickly calm down and will not require increased attention. This skill will also come in handy when visiting the veterinarian or groomer. The dog will quickly understand that it needs to not only lie down, but also turn on its side and freeze. This behavior will greatly facilitate the work of the service personnel.

What you need to know before starting training

Before you start working with your pet, you need to carefully prepare. If you plan to carry out training on the street, then it is better to choose a secluded clearing in advance, where the animal will not be distracted by extraneous noises.

You also need to stock up on treats and your pet’s favorite toys. Pieces of regular everyday food may not interest the animal. It is better to take pieces of cheese, special flavored vitamins from the pet store, and crackers. But you should refuse refined sugar, salted crackers and smoked meats. Dogs will be happy with such treats, but subsequently they will have to spend money on treating the animal’s teeth and stomach.

Advice! Training is best done during the day, or before evening feeding. A well-fed animal is more difficult to motivate.

It is necessary to develop a signal system in advance. The dog will quickly understand what is wanted from it if it sees any unique gesture. For example, the command to “lie down” is usually accompanied by a sharp movement of the hand (swing with the palm turned down). If the “die” command is accompanied by a similar gesture, the dog will eventually become confused. Some trainers advise first giving the animal the signal to lie down, and then to roll over onto its side or back. But it’s much funnier and more fun when the animal suddenly falls on its side. To achieve this result, you need to develop a separate gesture: for example, clench your hand into a fist and sharply straighten all your fingers. It is very important that one unique gesture is associated with only one action. Otherwise, you should not be surprised that in response to the command “lie down”, the animal will begin to roll on the floor.

Teaching a dog any tricks through punishment is prohibited. Animals understand only the simplest cause-and-effect relationships (for a certain action you can receive either a reward or punishment). If in response to the command “die” the dog turned away and the owner began to swear, then after a while the animal will associate this word and gesture with negative consequences. As a result, instead of taking the desired position, the pet will prefer to hide.

Development of a reflex

There are several methods for teaching a dog the “die” command. It is easiest to train an animal that already knows how to perform the “down” command. You just need to add another conditional signal. After the dog lies down, carefully turn it onto its side, remembering to say the key phrase. You can turn your pet on its back, and to strengthen the reflex, instead of giving out treats, scratch its tummy.

Also, before turning your pet over, you can snap your fingers loudly. The dog will associate the click with performing a rollover. And performing the coup, in turn, will lead to the desired reward.

If the dog does not know the “down” command, and the owner’s plans only include learning the “die” command, then the training process can be slightly simplified.

Order the animal to sit.
Hold the treat in your hand and smoothly move it from your pet’s nose to the floor. The animal will not lie down right away, but will definitely bend over for a treat. If you place a treat 10-15 centimeters from your pet, you can expect the animal to take a reclining position.
At the moment when the pet almost reaches the treasured treat, you need to loudly say “die” and turn the animal on its back.

It is best to carry out training according to this scheme on a soft surface, so as not to accidentally throw the dog onto a hard floor. If the animal understands that this is a game, it will not be afraid of sudden movements of the owner. Therefore, it is important to use only positive intonations, stroke your pet often, and show your satisfaction with what is happening in every possible way.

Consolidation of a skill

As soon as after the command “die” the dog begins to immediately take the desired position, it is necessary to devote time to consolidating the skill. First, you need to explain to the animal that after taking the desired position it is necessary not to move for some time. To do this, you can try stroking your pet's tummy or side for a while. Soon the dog will remember that it needs to lie still and wait for reward. In order for the pet to stand up, the owner must pat himself on the knees and loudly say “come to me.”

You need to gradually replace edible treats with verbal rewards, and very soon the pet will be falling funny just to please the owner.

Since the “die” command is not included in standard training programs, you will have to teach your dog a funny trick yourself. At the right approach the process will only bring pleasure.

I have never tried teaching my dogs this trick. I wanted it for a while, but somehow didn’t get around to it. Yes, most of my dogs were hectic. They won’t sit still, let alone lie down!

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Any quality dog will sit on command and give a paw on demand. Is he ready to take an invisible bullet for you? So, let’s prepare the “Dog Falls Dead” trick.

1. Encouragement

2. Rehearsal

3. Dramatic pause

4. Shot

So, after a certain number of lessons, a smart dog will begin to fall down as if knocked down when a tasty morsel looms on the horizon (that is, in your hand). And just a moment before she starts to fall over, point your outstretched finger-gun at her and say: “Dysch!” Repeat. A little more patience and training - and this new command and the associated action will be forever imprinted in the dog’s brain.