What is the Nothing in Life Is Free program?
NILIF is a simple and effective way to control our dog’s behavior, by controlling his most desired resources.
To implement NILIF, all we have to do is ask our dog to do something for us first, before giving him something in return. For example,
- If our dog wants to go out to the backyard, ask him for a Sit first, before opening the door.
- If our dog is looking for affection, ask him to Go Bed first, before scratching him on his favorite spots.
- If it is our dog’s meal time, then ask him for a Down-Stay before starting to prepare his food.
The Nothing in Life Is Free program is not a command or a single technique, rather it is a general strategy for dog behavior control.
With NILIF, we teach our dog that the best way to get what he wants, is to first do what we want.
Why Apply the Nothing in Life Is Free Program
With NILIF we teach our dog –
- To work for the things that he wants most.
- That people are the source of food, toys, play, and many other good things.
- That he gets the most resources by working together with us, staying calm, and following house rules.
This helps to build a strong bond with our dog that is based on cooperation, positive outcomes, and a good work ethic. It is an effective and non-confrontational way to achieve control.
Dogs have needs of their own. They are not mindless satellites that revolve around us, and that only live to serve us. With NILIF, we channel a dog’s energy into positive activities, and reward him well for his good works.
How to Apply the Nothing in Life Is Free Program
While applying NILIF on my dogs, I learned that it is very important to be consistent, firm, and fair.
1. Consistency
I set up a consistent set of rules, a consistent routine, and a consistent way of communication. My dogs understand what things they get rewarded for, and there is always ample opportunity for them to work for their supper.
Clear communication is also very important, so I identify good behaviors with a yes-mark (Yes or Good) and bad behaviors with a no-mark (Ack-ack). Similarly, they have a good dog name and a bad dog name.
Finally, dogs do not come with a ready-made human rulebook in their heads. For health and safety, we must teach a dog our very human rules. These rules will likely make very little sense to him, which is why we want to tie them to the things that he values most.
2. Firmness
If my dog fails to perform a command or only puts in a half-hearted effort, then I do not reward him for his lackluster performance; no matter how cute he looks.
For example, my Shiba Inu will sometimes only perform a half-down when I give him the command. When he does this, I just give him a look and wait for him to do it properly. When he sees that he will not get rewarded unless he does a good job, he puts in the extra effort.
He works even harder when I do group obedience sessions and he sees that my Siberian Huskies are being rewarded well for their good performance.
3. Fairness
All my dogs follow the same rules and get similar rewards. Their rewards are not always identical because they each have different temperaments, and are motivated by different things.
For example, both my Siberian Huskies are very motivated by food, especially Shania. My Shiba Inu is less motivated by food and more motivated by freedom, new objects and experiences, as well as chasing games.
Husky Lara likes to chase, jump, and weave between a person’s legs. Husky Shania loves meeting people, getting tummy rubs, and licking faces. A big part of being successful with NILIF involves understanding our dogs, and identifying what motivates them most.
I always try to set my dog up for success. In particular, I give him tasks where he has a good chance of completing. For example, I start by teaching him simple commands such as Look and Sit. I wait until he has mastered more basic commands before moving on to Fetch, Come, or Go Bed which are more complex commands, that include a sequence of actions. The more successful he is, the more confident he will become, and the more quickly he learns that working with me is a very rewarding activity.
Instead of throwing my dog into a situation that I know he cannot handle, I start small and we take small steps together. He works for each step, and gets rewarded for it with food, play, affection, and more.
I make sure to only reward good behaviors, and not give him anything for bad behaviors, including my attention and affection. Instead, when he does something undesirable, he may lose a reward or privilege.
In this way, a dog learns to repeat good behaviors because he gets what he desires most. Similarly, he stops bad behaviors because it gets him nothing, or he loses something that he desires. With NILIF dog training, we build a relationship that is based on trust and respect, rather than one that is based on confrontation and fear.
The Spirit of NILIF
Some people interpret the nothing in NILIF in the most extreme way. In particular, they give a dog access to some resource if and only if he completes a requested task. At other times, the dog is kept in a kennel or crate, so that he does not have his freedom, which in itself is a desired resource.
Confinement also prevents the dog from getting other desired resources on his own, including sticks to play with, or objects to chew on. In short, the only way he gets any and all resources is through us.
This may be one of those instances where we are trying so carefully to follow the letter of the law, that we end up defeating the spirit of the law.
The spirit of NILIF, as it is widely used today, is to build a strong bond with our dog that is based on trust and respect rather than on confrontation and physical force. We would hardly be doing this by keeping our dog locked up all day, with short bursts of freedom to hero-worship us. Such a strategy focuses purely on the human, and leaves nothing for the dog.
I train my dogs and use NILIF, not to boast about my dog training prowess, or to follow random rules for no reason. My ultimate goal is to provide my dogs with a good quality of life. Constantly depriving them of freedom and activity would hardly achieve this goal. Common sense dictates that this extreme interpretation of NILIF is not only untenable, but also unproductive.
When I implement NILIF, I reward my dogs for good behavior. It does not matter whether I asked for a behavior or not; if they behave well, they get rewarded. They are still working for their resources by behaving well, therefore they are not getting resources for free. However, I see absolutely no need to explicitly control every single action by my dog.
If my dog follows house rules, then he gets to roam freely in the house, play, rest, drink water, chew on toys, or whatever else. If he breaks an important house rule, then he may lose a reward, or very temporarily lose the privilege of his freedom.
Sometimes, I also reward my dogs with food and affection when they are resting calmly together. They get rewarded for sitting while greeting people. They get rewarded for staying calm while out on walks, and much more.
Isn’t the ultimate goal to get our dog to behave well on his own? Isn’t that much better than dictating his every move – like a robot controlled dog? It is extremely unhealthy to set ourselves up as the sole focus of our dog’s world, and take away all of his freedom and options. It is unhealthy for us, and unhealthy for our dog.
I like giving my dog options and helping him fulfill his needs. In my book, that is what trust and respect mean. That is also what love means.
We can nitpick on terms until the cows come home, and twist words to win online debates. At the end of the day though, what matters is not the terms used but what we do, and how we strive to give our dogs what they deserve – a good life that is safe and filled with happiness.
Hello, I got my 3 month old beagle from a shop. It was been 3 weeks. It knows how to Sit and Down commands. However, it loves to bite on my pants, socks, and shoes. I’ve tried correcting him by leaving him in one place, redirecting to chewing toys and food.
However, lately he starts growling while he chew on my pants! and his bite is quite hard. and I also noticed he growls when he eats in his bowl while i pet him.
I haven’t been taking him for walks cause’ he has not completed his 2nd injection yet. I guess that’s the problem he is bored and lacks exercise (we live in an apartment, no backyards).
Any advice? Thanks! š
What do you mean by “leaving him in one place”? Do you put him in timeout? Where is his timeout area? What is his reaction after timeout? Does he redirect to the toy?
Also, I do not give my puppy food when he bites on me. Giving him food then, rewards the biting behavior and may reinforce it. Redirecting to a toy can be useful for playful puppies because it teaches the puppy what is ok to bite on and what is not.
In terms of biting, this is generally what I do with my puppy-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-i-trained-my-husky-puppy#bite-training
However, dog behavior is very dependent on context, so what I do also depends a lot on the current context. Timing is also very important. This is why working with a good professional trainer can be very helpful.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
For exercise, I do obedience training, grooming, structured games, puppy training class, and puppy socials at a nearby daycare center. I make sure to visit the daycare center first and make sure that they check all the puppies for vaccination records.
My dogs work for all of their food from doing the activities above, and by following house rules. Whatever is left over they get through interactive food toys.
Here is a bit more on food aggression and resource guarding.
Thank you for the excellent, detailed information on your website. I am going to adopt an adult female Sibe from a rescue organization. As far as I can tell, she has lived in a good home and not been mistreated; she was bred for sled-racing, but was unable to meet the standards the original owner made. The current foster home also seems very accommodating and pleasant; the only issue is that she and the older female dog don’t get along.
In looking to bring her into my home, I’m lucky in that it’s just me and no other pets, however I’m unsure of how much freedom to give her to start out with, and how best to make her feel welcome and comfortable. Do you have any recommendations for making her adoption into my home a smooth transition?
Thank you!
Congratulations and four paws up for helping out a Husky in need of a home!
I think that would very much depend on the temperament of the dog, background, routine, and more. How old is she? Have you met her? Is she shy towards people? Does she get along with most other dogs? What type of training has she had? What does she like to do? Is she leash trained? Does she live nearby? What is her current routine?
For a smooth transition with food, my Husky breeder usually gives me a bag of kibble so that I can slowly transition my Husky over to her new food. I do it in quarters, 3/4 old food, 1/4 new food for a few days. If everything is going well, then I do 1/2,1/2, and so on.
Hi there, we are the proud owners of a four month old shiba inu called shika. We have four children in the house. And although shika was quiet when we all arrived home together she has started to bark in the house at the children when they move around the house. We are thinking of controlling her movements around the house so that when she does see the kids we can reward her for coming into the room and not barking. Is this a good method or would it be more productive to have all the kids sit in a circle around her with treats or would that be too confrontational?? Thanx
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy!
Personally, I would *not* do that. My Shiba, Sephy, does not like being hemmed in or restrained. If he feels trapped, he will get stressed, and may respond with aggression. Sephy also likes having his own space and does not like being forced into a greeting. He was also very sensitive to touching and handling.
What works well with Sephy is to let him come to me when he is ready. I did a lot of touch exercises with him, and I also make sure that he has his own space to rest when he needs it – without being disturbed by my other dogs or by people.
In addition, Sephy also loves playing chasing games. If there is a lot of quick movement, it will get him excited, and he will want to join in and play. When he was young, he got over-excited very quickly, and also got mouthy. I always have him on-lead when there are young children around, I hold the lead, keep a very close eye on him, and I always manage his level of excitement. I make sure that everyone is calm, and I establish clear interaction rules so that everybody knows what to expect.
Much of the training will depend on the source of the behavior, temperament, routine, and surrounding context.
What is Shika’s body language like when she is barking? Is she trying to play or is she feeling uncomfortable, and is asking for space? What do you usually do when she barks and what is her response? What is her current routine? Does she play with the children? What type of play?
Since there are children involved, it may be best to consult with a professional trainer.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Big hugs to Shika!
I have to tell you how very much I appreciate the wisdom and clarity I have found on your blog! We recently got a new male puppy (Shiloh Shepherd) and have an existing female Terrier Mix rescue we got from our local SPCA several years ago. It was a long haul socializing her and getting her fear down and confidence up. She is doing soo much better. Our new puppy has an amazing calm temperament and is not always in her face, which is just a gift in itself.
I am sooo grateful for the NILIF concept you explain so well š We are adopting this method with both our new puppy and our Mixed Terrier girl, and we are seeing improvement every day. It has been 9 days with the new pup and we are slowly allowing them to be together for short periods, and rewarding both for calm, good behaviour.
We tackle each room of the house slowly, and with rewarding good interactions, as our girl is still quite territorial of some areas in the house, but I believe your method is really making the transition successful. This morning they actually played in the yard together, first time š
That is so good to hear. They sound like a fun pair, and it is great that they have such a good mom. š
Big hugs to Shiloh and your Terrier girl!
I just recently adopted a 3-year-old male Shiba inu. Not sure what his past is like, but he’s generally a good boy. Having some problems with leash training though: He likes to pull and bark at other dogs. I’ve been trying to de-sensitize him by making him sit when we see another dog on our walks, and I give him some treats if he keeps quiet. What can I do when the other dog gets too close and he starts barking? I also try to keep him at my side with treats, but it seems like he’s learned that if he pulls on the leash and I stop, he can walk back to me and get a treat. The result, therefore, is that he will tug on the leash just so I stop (“red light”) and he will end up getting a treat by coming back to me. Help!
Also, I’ve tried to teach him how to sit, and down, on command with treats. But it seems like half the time he is just sitting down to get a treat, without me even asking. Should I stop giving him treats for every single sit?
Thanks so much, I love reading your website!
What works with my dogs is to create distance. Distance helps to weaken the stimulus of “the other dog” so that my dog is able to stay calm throughout the encounter. To create distance, I usually move into a driveway or cross the road. Moving my Husky behind a barrier (e.g. car) can also help, but distance is best.
With Shiba Sephy though, I usually create distance (by crossing the road) and then move him along. If I stay still, he starts to obsess on the other dog, and psychs himself up. Here is a bit more on what I do with Sephy and how I desensitized him to other dogs.
By moving out of the way, I set Sephy up for success so that the other dog doesn’t ever come too close. At the same time, I do desensitization exercises in a controlled environment to raise his tolerance for “other dogs”.
In the controlled environment, the other dog is specially chosen based on Sephy’s current level of tolerance, and is also under the control of another trainer. In this way, we only go at a pace and at a distance that Sephy is comfortable with, and can handle. With practice, I am able to move Sephy closer and closer to the other dog without him over-reacting.
If a dog gets too close because of actions that are beyond my control, and Sephy starts to react, I no-mark, and move him away. This creates distance again, and gives him the chance to calm down and refocus on me. I always try to stay very calm throughout. My energy is very important in helping Sephy to stay calm.
Re: leash training
With leash-training, I reward or don’t reward Sephy by giving him more or less freedom. If he pulls, then I stop, shorten the leash, and bring him in. In this way, he is right next to me and can’t roam about and smell. When he is calm, I reward him by starting to walk again. If he walks nicely, then I give him more lead, so that he has more freedom to roam and smell.
Re: giving treats
I usually reward Sephy very well when I am teaching him new commands. Once Sephy has learned the command, then I only reward him on a variable schedule. When done right, a variable schedule of reinforcement (only reward sometimes) works better than a regular schedule. This is why slot machines are so popular. š
http://shibashake.com/dog/operant-conditioning-and-dog-training
Hugs to your Shiba boy. Four paws up for adopting a dog in need.
I HAVE A BOSTON TERRIER THAT I GOT IN DECEMBER SHE WAS 9 MONTHS OLD WHEN I GOT HER. THE PEOPLE THAT I GOT HER FROM HAD TO ABUSED HER .SHE IS SCARED OF BATHS, LEASHES,LOUD NOISE’S ,SCARED OF HUMAN CONTACT,AND SCARED OF GETTING HER CLAWS CLIPPED AND WILL NOT LET ANY ONE TOUCH HER. SHE DONE TRIED TO BITE ME AND MY HUSBAND. I AM SO CLUELESS. I JUST DON’T KNOW HOW TO HELP HER.
Here are a couple of articles on how I help my dogs with their fear and anxiety issues –
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-anxiety-problems
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-calm-a-fearful-reactive-dog
I also desensitize my dogs to touches and hugs.
The key with desensitization is to start small (with a very weakened version of the scary stimulus) and to go very slowly. For fear aggression issues, it may be best to get help from a professional trainer.
At what age can I start the NILIF on a Shiba Inu?
I start NILIF with my dogs really early on. However, I make sure to be flexible, to set my dogs up for success, and to give them ample opportunity to work for the resources that they want.
For a new dog, I start small, make initial tasks really easy, and practice in a quiet environment with few distractions. In this way, the likelihood of success is much greater, which helps the new dog to learn, to associate people with positive events, as well as to build confidence and trust.
I always listen to my dog and tweak techniques according to his temperament and needs.
Hi I was just informed about the NILIF method and am interested in starting it with my new puppy. He is a rottweiler and lab mix and about 9/10 weeks old. His mother died shortly after birth so we adopted him a little early. He LOVES biting, growling, barking and chewing on everything. When we are walking, he will attack our feet and pant legs and when we tell him “no” in a very stern voice, he just growls at us. Then we pet him and he will try biting our “mouthing” our hands. Again we tell him “no” or “ouch!” and he just continues to do it but worse and growls/barks. I have noticed his aggressive behavior getting worse and it’s to the point now that he’s beginning to show his teeth. I’ve used the timeout method when he gets really bad and even tried to calmly put him on his side for a few just so he realizes that he can’t push me around. He has plenty of different types of chew toys ranging from rawhides and nylabones to plush squeak toys. Nothing seems to be working and I wonder if the NILIF system will work for this and if so, how should I approach this? He’s doing great with potty training and picked that up very quickly but his aggression is something different. We are having a baby here soon and I am in desperate need of fixing this before he arrives. Help please!! š
Congratulations on your new puppy!
Re: Yes and No
In terms of “Yes” and “No” – these words are just markers. Initially, they will mean nothing to our dog. For them to mean something, we need to tie them to consequences. For example, yes is paired with a desirable consequence (e.g. affection, food), while no is paired with a undesirable consequence (e.g. timeout). With repetition and consistency, a dog will learn to associate the “yes-mark” with something good, and the “no-mark” with something not-good.
Here is more on markers and how I trained my puppy.
Re: Timeout
Can you elaborate on what happens with a timeout? How does puppy respond? Where does puppy go for a timeout? How long is puppy in a timeout? What happens when puppy comes out?
Re: Putting a dog on his side or back
This technique is also called an alpha roll. It was also something that I tried on my Shiba Inu when he was younger. It ended up making him very sensitize to handling, and we were also starting to lose his trust. I later learned that the alpha roll is a very risky technique, that can also encourage aggression. Here is more on my experiences with alpha rolls.
Re: NILIF
NILIF gets our dogs used to following our rules and commands. It is a great way to achieve and maintain pack leadership by controlling our dog’s resources. With my dogs, I use NILIF together with redirection and timeouts to stop biting.
Consistency, calm energy, and timing are all also very important in dog training.
For aggression cases, it is usually best to get help from a professional trainer. As you know, dog training is very context dependent. A good trainer will be able to read our dog’s body language, get to know his temperament, as well as observe his environment and routine. Aggression can result from many different things – and how we retrain the behavior will also be dependent on the source of the behavior. Here is a short but useful article from UC Davis on the different types of aggression-
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/whatsnew/pdfs/The_Truth_About_Aggression__Dominance_dogs.pdf