Aliases: bang, sleep
Prerequisites: Down, Roll Over
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Training · Tricks · advanced
Play Dead
Dog drops onto side/back and remains still until released.
Age suitability: From about 8 months.
Details
Why dogs take to it: This trick relies on shaping and stillness duration rather than an innate natural pattern.
Breed tendencies: Steady, impulse-controlled dogs often progress faster than highly fidgety high-drive dogs.
Physical suitability: Use the same caution profile as roll over and avoid forcing vulnerable positions.
Supplies: treats, soft surface
Verbal cues: play dead, bang, sleep
Hand signal: Downward sweep or chosen cue signal.
Fun fact or history: Play dead has been a staple behavior in performance and film dog training for decades.
Training guidance
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