Why We Are Fear Free Certified
Mama Walks Dogs is committed to following Fear Free practices when caring for all the fur-babies that we are entrusted with. Every staff member is either already fear Free Certified OR in the process of becoming Fear Free Certified. I know what you’re thinking: “What is Fear Free?” and “How does this affect my furry family members?” Let’s dive in!
What is Fear Free?
Fear Free is a science-based approach to animal care, focusing on reducing fear, anxiety, and stress in animals. It’s about creating a positive and calming experience, no matter what they are going through, and respecting each animals’ personhood and perspective.
When going through the training to become Fear Free certified, we learn about different ways to ease animals through potentially stress-ful situations by setting them up for success. This includes different ways to approach, touch, and introduce tools to dogs and cats. We learn how to set up the environment to reduce stress, gain consent from the animals in our care, enrich their environment, and to respect when a dog or cat gives us a hard NO.
How does this affect YOUR dog or cat?
We believe that all dogs and cats deserve to feel safe and comfortable. We want to make sure that our team is equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to create a positive experience for your fur-baby at every interaction.
We know that fear and anxiety can lead to behavioral problems (aggressions, destructiveness, separation anxiety, etc). By helping your dog or cat feel more comfortable and relaxed, we can help prevent these problems from developing.
Here are some benefits to having your pet care provider Fear Free certified:
Reduced stress and anxiety leads to better overall health outcomes for your fur-baby
Peace of mind knowing that your pet care provider has an education in animal behavior and skilled in up to date, science backed care techniques
When difficult situations arise your pet care provider is trained and ready to respond in a safe manner
YOU get to have a knowledgeable resource to ask all your weird pet behavior questions (we don’t know it all, but we do know a lot!)
Finally, we believe that being Fear Free certified and operating under the Fear Free guidelines is the ethical way to provide excellent, reliable animal care. Our dogs and cats are our family, and we want to do everything we can to give them the best possible experiences in their short lives.
With puppy and kitty love,
Lily the Dog Mama