Trick Challenge #4

[Halcyon]

Well this week is an easy one. Your challenge is to PLAY DEAD.

To me, the basic level of play dead is to get pup into a down and get him to fall into his side. If you've already accomplished this, try it from a sit, a stand or even from a beg/sit pretty position. Bonus points for sound effects!

Have fun and good luck!

[petitesalmon]

Any tips on how to get them to stay on their back? mine does the trick but jumps straight back up from the roll over?

[emma_Dad]

You could approach it like teaching a stay and mark the behaviors for a second staying in that position and renifore then gradually build on it

[ZRabbits]

Any pics? Would love to see.

My rabbits have their own version of "playing dead". It's called a "bunny flop". A very relaxed bunny will flop and lay flat and actually sleep. The first time we witnesses this, I think my husband aged 10 years. Now it's a norm and really good to see.

Here's our Fawkes. Lost him almost a year ago. Miss him.



KAZ

[Carlos]

Shiloh has known "bang" since he was little but always just did a quick flop and back on his belly.

A couple weeks ago we worked on laying still. I'd say bang and as soon as he hit the floor I'd give a stay command. It took a few times but he finally stayed down for a couple seconds. I treated and praised heavily for that. We continued that for several minutes until he was consistently holding the stay. Then I removed the stay command but still used the hand signal for stay. After a few times through like that I went back to only saying bang. If he didn't hold the stay I'd say "ah ah" and he got no treat. We'd do it again with the stay hand signal before trying again. Then if he did hold position without the hand signal I praised and treated heavily.
This all took about a half hour before he started consistently staying down. Now he still continues to hold his down position and only relapses here and there but relapses don't get treats.