How to teach your dog the trick "Bang"
Dog tricks challenge your four-legged friend mentally and are fun! A classic among dog tricks is “Bang”:
When the command “bang” is given, the dog turns on its side and pretends to be dead. This trick always puts a smile on people’s faces and makes the four-legged friends happy.
Take the opportunity to combine training with fun – in this post by @die_appenshepherds you will learn how to teach your dog the popular trick.
This is what you need for the trick
- treats
- Optional: Clicker
- Your dog should be familiar with the basic commands “sit”, “down” and “stay”
The command "sit" is important for "playing dead" because it is the starting position. Ideally, your furry friend can already lie relaxed on his stomach on command.
"Playing dead" - how it works
You can teach your dog "bang" or "play dead" in 4 learning steps . The training sessions should not last longer than 15 minutes so as not to overwhelm your animal. You can do several sessions a day without any worries - be patient. You will notice when your furry friend is not in the mood to train. Repetition makes perfect.
Step 1
Put the dog in the down position. He should learn to follow your hand with his nose.
Now take a treat in your hand and move it sideways behind the dog’s head – over the shoulder towards the ribs.
If it follows your hand and lies on its side, you should reward it and confirm with a click.
Step 2
Now you lead with your hand (without treat) towards the shoulder and you can also
You can already include a command like “bang” or another word.
As soon as the dog lies down, give him the treat with your other hand so that he stays lying down for a while.
Step 3
Many owners also use a visual signal (for example by forming a gun with their hand) – the advantage:
it makes learning easier. So now point your finger at the dog and say "bang".
If he lies on his side, reward him immediately and signal him with your hand to stay lying down for a while.
Step 4
Once your dog has understood what he is supposed to do, you can increase the distance, use the word “bang”
lie down and practice “playing dead” by remaining lying down for a longer period of time.
Reward your furry friend with a treat and always end the exercise with a final command.
