You do a lot for your dog.  Basically, he asks and you give.  Sometimes, your dog will get so accustomed to receiving that he will forget to ask.  The more this occurs, the pushier your pooch may become.  The Humane Society of the United States suggests training and practicing using the “Nothing in Life is Free” method.  This method is a simple, humane way to establish yourself high up in your pooch’s hierarchical thinking.

Don’t be alarmed by the title; no, you aren’t making your pet actually “pay” for the things he wants.  Instead, you are using positive reinforcement and obedience training to establish proper leadership over your pooch.  Your pet will also benefit from the training, coming away with more confidence.  The training uses your pooch’s sense of hierarchy to place you and others in the leadership position (I’m sure you have heard a thousand times how dog packs establish and respect the leader).  You can use this method to retrain an aggressive or dominant dog.  You can also use the method to take control over a pushy pooch; not all dominant dogs show aggressive behaviors.  If there are other members in your household, then it’s a good idea to let them take part in the Nothing in Life is Free training.  This is especially true for children, since household pets often see children as equals or insubordinates. 

The training starts with simple obedience commands.  To make the training more effective, you must teach your dog to “sit,” “stay,” and “lie down.”  You can also throw in a few trick commands, such as “roll over” and “shake.”  You will use these commands to make your dog wait for what he wants.  He will essentially learn to “ask” you for things instead of commanding or pushing you to do things.

Before you give your dog anything he wants, then you must make him perform a command.  This can apply to anything and everything your pooch asks for.  When he asks, he must do what you say before you provide him with what he wants.  The trick is to never give in to your pet’s wants, because this will only regress the training.  If he refuses to follow your commands, then simply walk away.  Return after a few minutes later and try again.  At first, you may have to repeat this process several times.  As long as you have determination and don’t give in to your pooch, then he will eventually realize that he must do what you ask in order to get what he wants.

Now, here’s how you apply this training to daily indoor activities.  If your pet is begging you for food, then have him sit or lie down until you provide him the food.  Remember, if he refuses to sit until the food hits the floor, then walk away and try again later.  Let’s say you are watching television before you head off to bed.  Your pet sees this as the opportune time to take advantage of a good belly rub.  Instead of giving in to his wants, tell him to lie down and roll over.  Once he does this, you can pet him all you want.  If your pet has a favorite spot on your sofa, then use this training to allow him access to his spot.  Before he is allowed to jump on the couch, have him sit and shake.

The Nothing in Life is Free training can also be used outdoors.  Play and exercise time is the perfect opportunity to practice.  If your pet wants to go for a walk, then have him sit and stay until you get the leash attached.  If he wants to play fetch, then come up with something for him to do when he returns the fetched item.  You can have him hand over the item, and then sit and shake.  Or, you can have him hand over the item and then sit and roll over.

If you are having trouble establishing dominance over your pushy pooch, then try the Nothing in Life is Free training method.  It’s an easy, humane way to teach your dog to “ask” for what he wants.  Forcing your pooch to ask helps you regain and maintain a leadership position.  Work on this method inside and outside your home.  Throwing in a treat or two never hurts, either!     

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