Dogs can be dramatic animals.
If their owner is eating something they want, dogs don’t mind putting on a little show to get their owner to notice them and share their food. Many dogs are also fond of barking like the world is ending, even if there’s nothing to actually bark at.
Sam the German Shepherd is even more dramatic than most dogs. This cute dog puts on a whole Oscar-worthy performance every time her owner tells her to her play dead.
Sam’s dad put a video of Sam playing dead on YouTube, and it quickly went viral, getting over 2.5 million views. Everyone loves Sam’s amazing performance.
The hilarious video begins with Sam’s dad asking if she wants a treat. Sam looks at him with excitement in her eyes, and her owner tells her to stay. Sam lays down and looks up at her dad, waiting for the big moment. After a pause to build tension, Sam’s dad shouts, “Bang!”
Sam barks and immediately falls onto the floor. And to see what happens next…well, you’ll have to check out the video below!
Sam has truly mastered the ‘playing dead’ trick. If you’d like to teach your pup how to play dead, The Spruce says that all you’ll need is a bit of patience and a handful of your dog’s favorite treats.
First, you’ll want to get your dog to lie down on their stomach. If they don’t know how to do that already, train them to do it by first holding a treat in front of your dog’s nose. Then, slowly lower the treat to the ground, making sure your dog follows it. Once your dog is on the ground, quickly give them the treat and praise them. Try this a few more times with the treat, and then start verbally telling them ‘down.’ When your dog starts responding to your verbal cue, try getting them to do the trick without giving them the treat.
Once your dog masters lying down, you can move onto the next step. After your dog lies on their stomach, get them to roll onto their side. To do this, hold a treat near your dog’s nose, and move it to their side so they have to roll over to get it. When your dog rolls onto their side, immediately praise them and then give them the treat.
Keep repeating these motions until your dog is able to complete the trick a few times. Then, add in a verbal cue and a hand signal. You could be like Sam’s dad and shout ‘bang!’ Or, you could simply say, ‘Play dead.’
Practice this a few more times, until your dog responds to the verbal cue. After that, be sure to practice a few times a day to help your pup master the trick.
It may take a while before your dog gives a performance like Sam, but if you follow these steps you’ll be on the right track.
Sam and her dad have worked out a hilarious routine that has to be seen to be believed. If you’d like to see Sam’s Oscar-worthy performance, check out this video!
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