Nothing in Life is Free Dog Training: 9 Tips to Make it More Effective

If you’ve got a dog who’s a little on the bossy side like we do, you probably use the Nothing in Life is Free dog training program (also called NILIF). Basically, NILIF is where you always make your dog do something for you before doing anything for your dog. So, before the dog gets food, the dog sits on command. Before the dog goes out, the dog lays down on command. Before the dog goes for a walk, the dog sits on command.

It’s a little tedious (that’s putting it mildly). But, it’s a really effective way to keep your dog behaving like a family member instead of like a hoodlum. With our dog, this basic NILIF program is usually enough. But, every so often he starts to get a little pushy, and when we see the warning signs that he thinks he’s in charge of us (pushing us with his nose when he wants to be petted, insisting it’s time to eat a half hour before meal time, that sort of thing), we step up our NILIF dog training program. Here are ten ways to boost the effectiveness of Nothing in Life is Free with your dog, too.

1. Play with *my* toy. The first thing that we’re really careful to do when stepping up the NILIF dog training around here is to always choose the toy for play sessions. We’ve got a big dog toy box around here and he’s definitely got his favorites. Usually, we let him choose something, but when he needs to remember we pay the food bills, we get to choose the toy. And because I’m a little ornery, I usually choose something that’s not his top toy. If he won’t play with my choice, we don’t play at all.
2. Play on *my* terms. Along with choosing the toy, we also play on our terms–that means stopping the play session before he’s done with the game so that he knows it’s *us* who’ve decided not to play anymore. This is a great way to remind the dog that Nothing in Life is Free.
3. Bed before excitement. While he usually has to sit before anything good happens (guests come into the house, we put his leash on for a walk, we fill his bowl with food), when we step up the NILIF dog training, he has to be on his bed, laying quietly, before anything happens.
4. No more stalking. I work from home, and so the dog tends to follow me from room to room throughout the day. He likes to lay in the sun in whichever room I’m in. When we’re being strict adherents to Nothing in Life is Free, he doesn’t get to follow me around. In fact, he has to stay put on his bed in the den which is usually on the other end of the house from where I am. In that way I know where he is, but he’s not as sure where I am, reminding him that I’m the boss of him, and not the other way around.
5. Don’t even think about it, mister. Ordinarily, he’s allowed on the furniture (when we invite him), but when we’re fully in NILIF dog training mode around here, he stays on the floor. Should he ask, fuss, or whine, he gets a whithering look and is sent to his bed. It usually only happens once, but we’ve found it’s really important that we go out of our way to make the point that it’s not that we’ve “forgotten” to invite him–we’ve deliberately chosen *not* to invite him onto the couch to cuddle.
6. Stay out of my personal space. He’s a cuddler. Which is usually delightful. I especially love the way he leans on me when we’re out in the back yard and he’s sitting by my side. But, when we’ve stepped up the Nothing in Life is Free training, he needs to respect my personal space. That means no leaning, no cuddling, and no being close without being invited.
7. I decide who gets petted and when. In fact, when we’re NILIF-ing, he only gets petted when he’s called over (and then sitting as told), and only for a few brief moments of affection. It’s especially important that he’s aware we’re determining the frequency and duration of any ear-scratching sessions.
8. No treats. I hate this one, but I’ve found it makes a big difference. Usually, throughout the day, I ask him to do dog tricks and give him treats intermittently. But, when we’re Nothing in Life is Free training double time, he gets no treats, at all.
9. Sit and make it snappy. Have you ever noticed your dog responding a little sluggishly to your commands? You say, “Sit” and he …. sits, eventually. You say, “Speak” and he… looks at you a long time before barking. When we’re NILIF-ing around here, we expect him to be extra responsive to any commands. We do this by being more assertive and confident in giving commands, by being extra-deliberate and focused. He. Will. Sit. Now.

So, there you have it–the nine extra ways we step up the NILIF dog training in our house. Have you ever used Nothing in Life is Free with a dog? Did you notice it made as big a difference with your dog’s attitude as it’s made with ours? I’d love to hear about your experiences with NILIF dog training!