Dr. Marty Becker

Dr. Marty Becker pioneered the initiative to minimize fear, anxiety and stress in pets called Fear Free. Listen HERE to our conversation on Steve Dale’s Pet World, WGN radio. 

Dr. Becker offers examples of what Fear Free is all about – pets in the veterinary exam room, most cats and likely more than half of all dogs actually think they’re going to die.

Here’s an example: Veterinary staff taking the pet ‘in the back.’ What happens ‘in the back?’ How about 500 lbs. of people on an 18 lb. dog to trim nails. And the people who do this are exhausted after; imagine how that poor pet feels. No one wants their pet to feel that way. As Becker says, “Taking the pet our of petrified.’

He says that of all the many books he’s written, he’s most proud of his most recent, “From Fearful to Fear Free: A Positive Program to Free Your Dog from Anxiety, Fears and Phobias” (also authored by veterinary behaviorists Dr. Lisa Rodasta and Dr. Wailiani Sung as well as dog trainer/behavior consultant Mikkel Becker.

Currently around 40,000 veterinarians and veterinary professionals are certified to be Fear Free – that’s a significant percent of the profession in under two years. Amazing. And that doesn’t include entire veterinary practices that are certified, such as Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago (one of the first). Also, dog trainers, dog groomers, certified animal behavior consultants, and animal shelters are now being certified or about to be certified.

Even in our own homes, enrichment matters to minimize fear, anxiety and stress on a daily basis – a topic, which Becker notes I’ve been talking about for decades, and is addressed in his book “From Fearful to Fear Free.”

Learn more at the Fear Free Happy Homes website about finding a Fear Free professional, for good content/information about pets and also occasionally free stuff.