Nothing in Life is free for good DogsMegan Brooks CDT Nothing in Life is free for good Dogs Many people think that in order to be
dominant you must be rough or forceful with your dog but this is a
mistake. There are actually many
ways that you can communicate to your dog every day that you are the leader. One
way of communicating to your dog that you are leader is by enforcing the
Nothing in Life is Free program.
The NILIF program is a very effective tool in establishing dominance and
was created to be used in conjunction with basic obedience commands. Nothing
in Life is Free means simply that from now on everything good must be
earned. This program works for
dominant dogs but for shy, anxious or submissive dogs as well. It works by reassuring them that
someone else is in charge. As the
pack leader, you now have control over all good things. You control all of the resources. Play, attention, food, walks, car
rides, the dog park and so on. In
the past when your dog has received these things for free he has seen little
reason to respect your leadership. To put
the program into effect you must insist that your dog do something for you to
earn any food (even meals), rewards or your affection. Absolutely no more giving in to demands
for attention by pawing, barking or nudging. Before meals your dog must now "sit". Before you play, make sure it was your
idea and not his. Have him
"down" before you throw the ball. Before going somewhere he must now "sit" while you
put his leash on and "wait" for your permission to go through the
door. The rules
for affection have changed as well.
Since you no longer give affection on your dog's terms you call them to
you whenever you want, have him "sit" and then lavish him with
affection. Pay special attention
to your dog's slick ability to catch you off guard and demand attention. Attention demanding behavior is often
as subtle as your dog just sitting quietly in front of you. And if you are still giving in, your dog
is still the one calling the shots. After
a while you will begin to notice some changes. Shy and anxious dogs will be more relaxed and dominant dogs
will begin to respect you as their leader. Last Updated: Monday, December 14, 2009
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