Episode 028 - The “Leash Up” Trick: A Dog Training Game That Could Save Your Dog’s Life

Season #1 December 09, 2025

Show Notes

The “Leash Up” Trick: A Dog Training Game That Could Save Your Dog’s Life

Quick Answer

What is the leash up game in dog training?

The leash up game teaches a dog to voluntarily approach and put their heads through the loop in the leash or their collar. By turning leashing into a rewarding game instead of a struggle, dogs learn to move toward the leash when asked. This skill can prevent stressful situations during walks, training sessions, or emergencies and may even help keep your dog safe if they accidentally get loose.

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Maximum Fun Agility podcast, Lorrie Reynolds shares a powerful real-life story about a simple training game that probably saved a dog’s life.

Many dogs resist being leashed, which can turn everyday activities like walks or training sessions into frustrating struggles. Teaching a dog to voluntarily approach the leash and put their head through removes that conflict and builds a safer, more cooperative behavior.

In this episode, Lorrie explains how the “leash up” game works and why it is an important skill for every dog to learn.

Topics Covered

leash training for dogs, teaching a dog to leash up, dog safety training, recall and leash skills, positive reinforcement dog training

In This Episode You’ll Learn

• Why teaching your dog to voluntarily leash up is important
• How turning leashing up into a game improves cooperation
• A real-life story where this training helped prevent a dangerous situation
• Why practicing simple life skills can dramatically improve safety
• How leash training can reduce everyday stress for dog owners

Key Takeaway

Teaching your dog to voluntarily leash up turns a common struggle into a simple training game. Practicing the leash up game regularly can reduce frustration during daily routines and may even help keep your dog safe if they accidentally get loose.

Resources Mentioned

YouTube Training Videos

https://youtu.be/Cvim2D933NA The leash game - newer version
https://youtu.be/wsgCbKVilJ4 The leash game - older version

Maximum Fun Dog Sports
https://www.maximumfundogs.com

The Agility Playground
https://courses.maximumfundogs.com/2025-bb-tap1-7D

Stay Connected

If you enjoy the Maximum Fun Agility podcast, consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing the show with a friend who trains dogs.

You can also explore courses, eBooks, and free resources to help improve your training at Maximum Fun Dog Sports.

Related Episodes

Episode 022 – The Benefits of Training for Dog Sports
Episode 027 – Are Sit and Down Really Dog Tricks?

Additional Resources:

Website: https://www.maximumfundogs.com
Shop: https://courses.maximumfundogs.com/shop
Email: [email protected]
Articles: https://www.maximumfundogs.com/articles
The Agility Playground: https://courses.maximumfundogs.com/2025-bb-tap1-7D

Episode Transcript

Lorrie [00:00:09]:
Welcome to the Maximum Fun Agility podcast. I'm Lorrie Reynolds, owner of Maximum Fun Dog Sports. We help both halves of your agility team build your relationship, communication, confidence, and fun in training so that you can joyfully succeed on any course. In this episode, we'll talk about the dog training game that could save your dog's life. I'm often touched by messages I receive from students, but this one brought me to actual tears because of the happy ending. My online tricks class has a lesson titled Lifesaving Tricks. It includes teaching dogs things like leave it and the leash game. While taking that class, one of the students sent me a message.

Lorrie [00:00:57]:
The dog's name has been changed for privacy. Here's what she wrote. "My dog can be a brat when it comes to leashing up. One of the many reasons she's never ever off leash. Normally, it's a 5 minute game to get her leash collar harness on her unless I leash her out of her crate. Well, I wanted to see what would happen, so I started playing the leash up game with my other dog, not my problem child. He caught on extremely quickly, but he always does when food is involved. But then 'Trouble' saw him getting treats and wanted to play too.

Lorrie [00:01:34]:
Now keep in mind, I only did this in one training session early this week. Well, last night, we took the pups to our local Cabela's for a doggy photo with Santa. The pups did great, but in the parking lot, 'Trouble' shook, and her leash came off. Here we are standing in the middle of the parking lot, 500 yards from Interstate 70. I immediately started to panic! I said, 'Trouble, leash up'. She walked right up to the leash and stood there!!!" There were lots of exclamation marks with that statement, by the way.

Lorrie [00:02:10]:
She continued on. "Let me give you context by saying this is the same dog who 3 years ago had the same thing happen in the same parking lot, and she bolted. She was only stopped because a bird in a bush caught her attention, and her harness got caught on a branch. Last night, she didn't have her harness on. This was a lifesaving game. I will continue to play it even just a couple of times a week for a minute. Thank you!" I continued the conversation with her and learned that she has always been frustrated by not being able to put a leash on that dog, and it caused her a lot of stress.

Lorrie [00:02:50]:
She was overjoyed that she had found something that worked and eternally grateful that this simple game may have saved her dog's life. If you've ever had difficulty leashing your dog after an agility run, when getting ready for a walk, or in any other situation, this game is a super fun and rewarding way to solve the problem. This week, take a look at The Leash Game videos and play the game with your dog. Teaching your dog to voluntarily leash up will save you frustration and heartache and may even save his life. The link to the videos on YouTube is in the show notes. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Maximum Fun Agility podcast. If you are ready to fix your leash issues, there are extended lessons for The Leash Game inside The Agility Playground. It is one of the many critical lessons in the membership.

Lorrie [00:03:46]:
The Agility Playground is a low cost membership that meets you where you are on your dog agility journey and helps you propel your team to new heights. You can check out The Agility Playground and join our community at www.maximumfundogs.com. See you next time.