While the header is a bit of a misnomer, plenty of things in life are free, like beach walks and watching the sunrise, it refers to a long help principle for dog training. Some of the original methodology sounds a bit harsh, some of it you probably already do with your dog without realising. This is my version that I follow but you can adapt it to suit your dog and your lifestyle. It does make a difference to behaviour and effective communication between you and your furry friend.

Many of the common breeds we live with today are working dogs, from the bear hunting Akita to the Jack Russell Terrier, working dogs can come in all shapes and sizes. Thay do all have one thing in common and that is drive or desire to work. While I have absolutely no plans to take Keiko bear hunting, that does not mean she can consider herself unemployed. 'Working' a dog can be done in many ways, for me I teach Keiko some agility and some heelwork exercises. N.I.L.I.F traditionally isn't linked to working dogs, it's more geared towards making dogs earn their rewards, pack theory (which has been disproved many times over) and Premack's Principle- the suggestion that if a dog wants to perform a given activity, they will perform a less desirable activity to get to their desired outcome. As I mentioned earlier you may already do some of these yourself.