How to teach your dog to ask permission?

A dog who sees the handler as the conduit to everything they want and need, sees the handler as a very valuable person in their life - someone they can't live without. When the dog is trained to wait for permission to engage in an activity, the handler has control of his body, even without a leash. The dog's job is to look to you and wait for the go ahead: to go through a door, a gate, in or out of a car. To go greet a visitor or meet another dog. To eat, fetch a ball, or run free in the woods. A release word is like saying "NOW you may go there, do that, have that thing that you want. Say "When"! A consistent word or phrase: "ok", "all done", "free dog", "that's all!" which tells the dog that the training moment has concluded. In other contexts it might tell the dog that he is free collect his reward or do what he was waiting for permission to do - like eat. The release is essential for teaching self control.