Is your dog afraid of life, the universe, and everything in it?
-
Do they cower at the sight of a truck, flinch at the sound of a siren, or bolt at the sudden movement of a bicycle?
-
Do they freeze when they notice that couch that appeared on the curb overnight?
-
Do they act like they’re being abducted by aliens when you try to pick them up or do their nails?
-
Do they treat guests like alien invaders and spend the whole time hiding from them or growling at them to go away?
We can help your world stop shrinking and get your dog’s world to start expanding.
When you got your dog, you dreamed of going on adventures together. Unfortunately, your dog would rather stick to what’s familiar and safe - and that’s a small category.
​
You don’t want to force your dog to do things that they don’t want to do but you’re starting to feel trapped as your world keeps shrinking to keep them comfortable. You worry about the inevitable discomforts of life - the vet, grooming, being on leash - and how to help your dog handle those moments better.
We can help your dog feel safe, build their courage, and get your world expanding again.
Imagine:
-
Being able to bring your dog places without them panicking.
-
When your dog gets startled or spooked, they look to you for guidance, and you know just what to do to help them through the moment.
-
You grab the nail clippers and your dog races you to the couch to get their nails done, no cajoling required.
-
Having guests over and actually focusing on your visitors instead of worrying about your dog!
Ready to expand your dog’s world and your own?
People-shy Skye relaxing near two guests at a trainer assisted dinner party
"In May 2025, we adopted Skye. Between her first home, foster home, next owners, being passed around and then a kennel, we are the sixth place she has landed. She is terrified of people and the world in general.
Skye is making slow and steady progress, including learning how to have people in the house. Last week, he guided us through the very real experience of having people over for dinner. Our friends and we, and mostly Skye, benefited tremendously."
- Heather B. & Paul G. & Skye
Program Details
.png)
Our Cosmic Courage Private Training Program is designed to support the human side of the leash as much as the dog side. This 3 step program takes minimum 8 weeks to complete.
​
Step 1: Mission Control
Step 2: Private Lessons
​
Once you've completed the base program, you can expand on your training with bonus step 3 Field Trips.
Step 1: Mission Control
We start with a 45 min Zoom call to get all the details down. This call will include a taking a detailed behaviour history of your dog, discussing your family's goals and dreams for your dog, any accessibility notes such as allergies or learning styles, and 2-3 exercises to get you started on your training journey.
Step 2: Private Lessons
These are 45 min lessons in your home. Your trainer will show you exercises and walk you through them. They will provide you with feedback and adjustments based on what you and your dog need in the moment. They will teach you about your dog's body language signals and what to do when you notice them.
Step 3: Field Trips
As your training progresses, we may choose to take your training on the road! There are two variants.
​
Step 3A: Group Rainbow Field Trips
These are members-only meetups at different public locations. Great for dogs with big feelings about other dogs or people and who benefit from semi-controlled settings.
​
Step 3B: Solo Field Trips
These are private lessons at different public locations. Great for dogs with big feelings about traffic, different objects, being outside, and other situational fears.
Ready to explore the cosmos with confidence?
Cosmic Courage Private Training Package
New Cosmic Courage Client Package
​
This package includes 1 Mission Control Consult and 4 Private Lessons and focuses on teaching you and your dog core skills to get you off the ground.
Great for dogs who are afraid of only 1-2 types of things or for families with training experience who want to refine their approach.
​
More complex cases (dogs with many fears, who won’t leave the house, who don’t like being touched, or who struggle to eat food in the moment) will likely also require an In Orbit Refill package (or several) to maximize success. We will discuss the possible length of training during your Mission Control.
How Training for Bravery Works: The Magic of Counter Conditioning
Training your dog to be less afraid looks a little different from obedience training. Instead of requiring your dog to do something (like sit), we want to change their emotional response to whatever they find scary.
If you're here, chances are your dog's current emotional response is some form of alarm or fear. They notice the trigger and then they feel big negative feelings about it.
We shift these feelings by pairing the trigger with something that your dog has very good feelings about. For most dogs, food works well. They notice the trigger and then they get yummy food.
​
Notice that your dog's behaviour is not important right now. We're going right for the emotional response. Why? Because once we get the emotional shift, it's much easier to get your dog to listen to you. In most cases, we don't even have to ask, our dogs start offering us an automatic sit.
After many repetitions where your dog notices the trigger in a manageable setting and they get food, your dog starts to anticipate the food. The meaning of the trigger has changed from "oh no" to "yay cheese".
​
Then we can start to ask your dog to do something else like sit, walk away, walk by, approach, and so on.
​
At Moonbeam, we focus on shifting your dog's emotional reality.
"Logan has been a steady source of guidance and support. He sees things in Skye's behaviour that we miss. He has supported us in ensuring she feels safe and gains confidence.
I could truly write an essay. I wholeheartedly recommend Logan."
- Heather B. & Paul G. & Skye & Dori
People-shy Skye investigating family friend Grace while people-loving Dori waits eagerly for her turn.