More FDSA Education

Building Bravery is a six-week, game-based class designed to help dogs grow confident, curious, and optimistic in the face of new challenges. Using play, communication, and trust-building exercises, you’ll discover how fun it can be to turn worry into wonder and hesitation into resilience.

Each week blends practical training with concepts to help you create meaningful, confidence-boosting experiences for your dog. You’ll learn how to recognize when your dog is thriving versus when they’re overwhelmed—by developing the skill of reading subtle body language and emotional signals. This awareness allows you to tailor experiences so they truly support your dog’s internal emotional state- building bravery and optimism-  not just their responses.

Through a mix of physical games, shared language, and teamwork challenges, your dog will learn to:

• Explore new environments with curiosity and enthusiasm
• Recover quickly from startle or surprise
• Build physical coordination and body awareness
• Become more confident in social situations
• Problem-solve with persistence and creativity
• Trust their handler’s support and their own ability to cope

And you’ll learn to:

• Identify and interpret subtle signs of negative stress, over-excitement, and confidence
• Adjust training intensity to stay in the “learning zone”
• Use play and relationship-based training to nurture resilience
• Develop handling strategies that support feelings of safety in stressful moments
• Apply the Recover–Rest–Reboot model to build emotional stability

By the end of this six-week journey, you’ll have a practical toolkit of games and strategies that strengthen your dog’s emotional fitness, plus the confidence to keep building bravery long after class ends.

This class is perfect for proactively building bravery and optimism in puppies, and for helping shy or sensitive dogs to thrive!  

Teaching Approach:

Instructor: Erin Lynes

Erin (she/her) is a lifelong dog enthusiast from Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. Erin is certified as a Karen Pryor Academy Training Partner, a Certified Profesional Canine Fitness Trainer, a Licenced Family Dog Mediator, and as a Cani-Fit Leader, ...(Click here for full bio and to view Erin's upcoming courses)