Leash walking
What is the engage disengage game for loose leash walking?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
The engage disengage game rewards your dog simply for noticing something distracting, like another dog or a jogger, and then choosing to look back at you. You mark and reward the moment your dog's eyes return to you, without asking for any other behavior, which builds a habit of checking in around triggers instead of pulling toward them. It is especially useful for dogs that struggle to focus in busy places.
How to play it in practice
Stand at a distance where your dog notices a trigger, such as a person 15 to 20 meters away, but can still look away from it easily. The moment your dog glances at the trigger and then back at you, mark with a word and reward, then repeat as the trigger moves or as you walk closer over several sessions.
Why looking, not ignoring, is the goal
Trying to stop a dog noticing things around it usually fails, since dogs are naturally scanning their environment for information. Rewarding the look back instead of demanding no reaction at all works with that instinct rather than against it, and most dogs pick up the pattern within 10 to 15 short repetitions.
Moving the game onto real walks
Once your dog checks in reliably in a quiet car park or garden, start playing the same game on actual walks whenever a distraction appears, keeping distance generous at first. Gradually closing that distance over several weeks, rather than days, keeps the dog under threshold and learning rather than overwhelmed.
Key takeaways
- The game rewards noticing a distraction and then looking back at you.
- Start at a distance your dog can handle calmly, often 15 to 20 meters.
- Close the distance gradually over weeks as your dog gets more reliable.