🐾 What Does “Free Dog” Mean?

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“Free Dog” is a release word that lets your pup know they’re officially done working. But it’s more than that—it’s also an extra layer of positive reinforcement for doing a great job in training!

👉 Ideally, your training sessions should last 3–5 minutes. At the end of every session, release with Free Dog! This isn’t just giving them permission to stop—it’s a chance to celebrate the work they just did. 🎉

When you give the Free Dog cue:

Be excited — shoot them some love straight from your heart.
Pile on the praise — verbal praise, physical scratches, happy energy.
Make it fun — have a little “you did it!” party.

Even service dogs need breaks. Free Dog is their chance to decompress, reset, and enjoy being a dog for a moment before the next task.

I use Free Dog in all kinds of situations:

After training at home 🏡
Between work sessions in public 🌎
Before releasing a dog to go potty 🚽 (example: have them sit, stay, praise, then Free Dog! so they know they’re released).

💡 Think of Free Dog as your pup’s paycheck bonus! They worked, they get paid—with love, praise, sometimes treats, and the freedom to just be a dog. Then, when you’re ready to get back to work, give your next command and they’ll know it’s time to focus again.

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