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Helping Our Feline Friends Feel Fear Free with Dr. Tony Buffington

Helping Our Feline Friends Feel Fear Free with Dr. Tony Buffington

In this webinar, Tony Buffington, DVM, PhD, Clinical Professor UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, will remind participants “who cats are” and why they are particularly prone to fear in confined situations (i.e., hospitals, shelters, homes, etc.) After defining fear and stress in cats, Dr. Buffington will explain what people can do to minimize their fear, particularly in caged contexts—including how to enrich the cat’s surroundings, both inside and outside of the cage, and how to recognize both red and green flags by “asking” the cat. Resources for training staff and where to learn more about effective environmental enrichment for cats will also be provided.

After this presentation, attendees will be able to:

1. Recognize fear in confined cats
2. Identify threats that may be causing the fear response
3. Reduce fear by making changes in the cat’s environment

Brought to you by our friends at Virox, makers of Rescue disinfectants

Next Level Nail Trims: Cooperative Care Behaviors

Course Overview

This course builds upon the foundational concepts covered in the Fear Free Nail Trims: Trimming Away the Terror course, which included finessed use of distractions, desensitization and counter-conditioning methods, and finely tuned choice of nail care tools.

An understanding of these foundational nail care concepts is recommended before starting this more advanced course. Cooperative care techniques taught in this course are useful both as preventive strategies to improve ease of nail care and as an interventional approach to address already existing FAS with nail care.

Since there is no “one size fits all” approach to nail care training that will work for every animal every time, this course aims to empower you with many options to choose from, depending on the animal you are working with at the time.

There are six short lessons in this course:

  • Lesson 1: Communication & Consent Cues
  • Lesson 2: Treat-Ment Stations
  • Lesson 3: Chin Rest and Bucket Game
  • Lesson 4: Offering Paws and Zen Down
  • Lesson 5: Scratch Board Training
  • Lesson 6: Problem Solving and Coaching Clients

This course was written by Mikkel Becker, CTC, KPA CTP, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC.

Fear Free Boarding and Daycare (Individual) Certification Program

Boarding and daycare environments are often fraught with potential stressors for dogs and cats. Pets are away from home, their family is gone, unfamiliar people and animals surround them, and their daily sleep/wake schedule is thrown off. But there are several steps you can take, from setting up the environment itself to adjusting the way in which you interact with dogs and cats, that can help reduce stress and increase calm and safety for both pets and staff.

The Fear Free Boarding and Daycare Individual Certification Program will help you ensure you are thoughtful in every interaction with boarding and daycare pets—from greetings to kennel introductions to overexuberance or shyness. You’ll learn what a Fear Free boarding and daycare environment looks like, feels like, sounds like, and smells like. And you’ll get practical advice on what to do in the moment if a dog or cat struggles when you try to give them needed medications or care, drags you into the play yard, or refuses to enter or leave their kennel.

The purchase of the Fear Free Boarding and Daycare Individual Certification Program provides you with a Fear Free membership, which requires an annual renewal fee and completion of additional annual CE to maintain your membership.

The Fear Free Boarding & Daycare Individual Certification Program is a wonderful educational addition to the pet care service industry. Boarding & daycare facilities will immediately see value in this certification program as staff learns to identify and mitigate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. The pet owner will be assured that their pets are in the care of professionals who are knowledgeable about the physical and emotional needs of each individual pet. Boarding & daycare facilities will be proud to be considered as “best in care” providers as they promote the wellbeing of their staff and the pets in their care. IBPSA is proud to be part of the Fear Free programs. —Carmen Rustenbeck, CEO and Founder, International Boarding & Pet Services Association

This course was reviewed by the IBPSA (International Boarding & Pet Services Association) and PACCC (Professional Animal Care Certification Council).

The Path to a Great Bath: An In-Depth Look at Fear Free Bathing

Course Overview

Bath time is scary for many animals—whether it’s the sound of the water, the feel of it on their skin, being restrained, or the tub itself. This one-hour module will teach you how to break down the bathing process into individual components that can be worked on separately to allow for calmer, safer bathing experiences. We will provide step-by-step desensitization and counterconditioning plans for every component—introducing the shampoo bottle, entering the tub, introducing water, and introducing the sound and feel of the dryer. You’ll also learn what you can do to modify the bathing environment to make it more inviting and less stressful for animals.

There are three lessons in this course:

Lesson 1: Overview of Fear Free Bathing and Positive Reinforcement
Lesson 2: Introduction to the Tub
Lesson 3: Modifying the Environment for Success

This one-hour course was designed for Fear Free groomers but is also open to our veterinary professional and trainer members. It was written by Terrie Hayward, M.Ed., KPA Faculty Member, CPDT-KA, CSAT, co-author of the book Grooming Without Stress, and is approved for one hour of RACE CE.

A Close Look at Canine Enrichment: What, Why, and How?

Course Overview

True enrichment goes way beyond simply providing dogs with food puzzles each day. For instance, a comprehensive enrichment strategy incorporates all types of enrichment: social, occupational, physical, nutritional, and sensory. This course will show you how to engage all the senses, as well as how to thoughtfully determine which enrichment activities are most appropriate for individual dogs, how to enrich the lives of dogs in a veterinary clinic, and those who are recovering from an injury and on restricted exercise.

This course, approved for 1 RACE-approved CE hour, was written by Laura Ryder, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, IMDT.

This course consists of four lessons:

  • Lesson 1: Exploring enrichment using all the senses
  • Lesson 2: Identifying the right balance
  • Lesson 3: Enrichment for dogs in the vet clinic
  • Lesson 4: Enrichment for dogs on restricted exercise or cage rest

Alone in the Wilderness

Course Overview

Are you the only person in your clinic who has a passion for Fear Free? It’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated when we are surrounded by obstacles. This course provides tools to achieve your Fear Free goals even when you feel like you are all alone in your work. Learn how to get buy-in, implement strategies from the ground up, and encourage your colleagues to join your heart’s work of protecting the emotional welfare of our treasured animal patients.

This course, approved for 1 RACE CE hour, was written by Monique Feyrecilde BA, LVT, VTS (Behavior).

This course consists of five lessons:

  • Lesson 1: The essence and importance of Fear Free Practice
  • Lesson 2: Understanding the dynamics of change
  • Lesson 3: Implementing change within your practice
  • Lesson 4: Addressing common push-back topics
  • Lesson 5: Thrive where you’re planted, or transplant to a new garden

Now You’re Here, Now You’re Not: Preparing Your Pet for Yet Another Change

Now You’re Here, Now You’re Not: Preparing Your Pet for Yet Another Change

First our pets had to get used to their humans being around more than usual as people sheltered in place. For many pets, this was a positive change, but even positive changes can be stressful. They’ll face upheaval again when pandemic precautions relax and people go back to their normal routines. In this webinar, Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, DACVB, DACAW, will help you determine which patients may be at an elevated risk of increased anxiety and stress due to changes in routine, and offer practical, straightforward tips that you can share with your clients for preparing these pets for a return to “normal.”

Brought to you by Ceva.

Fear Free Nail Trims: Behavioral Considerations to Trim Away the Terror

Course Overview

For humans, nail trims are mundane experiences. But for pets, nail care can cause stress by imposing on their personal space, restricting their freedom to move, and sometimes causing discomfort or even pain.

Successful nail care encompasses more than just being able to physically maintain nails. True success is found in gaining calm participation and trust from the animals you’re working with.

This course will teach you to:

  • View nail care from the pet’s perspective and identify several common causes of FAS
  • Understand the uses, benefits and drawbacks of each common nail trim tool: clippers, nail grinders, nail files, and scratch boards
  • Incorporate the Fear Free concepts of Gentle Control, Considerate Approach and touch gradient into nail care
  • Describe how, and just as importantly, when, to use food distractions, desensitization and classical conditioning, or consider medications to achieve Fear Free nail trims

This one-hour course is open to all professionals who are signed up for a Fear Free certification program and is approved for 1 RACE CE hour and one hour of CEUs from CCPDT, IAABC and KPA

This course consists of four lessons:

  • Lesson 1: Nails, from the Pet’s Perspective
  • Lesson 2: Tools of the Trade
  • Lesson 3: Applying Fear Free Core Concepts to Nail Care
  • Lesson 4: Going Beyond Food Distractions

20 Surprising Treats to Tempt Your Patients

Steve Dale, CABC
Just as we have our own individual taste preferences, so do dogs and cats. And food can be the way to their hearts. Many Fear Free Certified veterinary practices and Fear Free veterinarians even offer “menus” and keep track in pets’ records of personal preferences.

Of course, many cats will do anything for tuna. And dogs love those hot dogs. Those statements won’t stop the pet press.

However, veterinarians and veterinary technicians can also think outside the treat box. Sometimes, just because it’s novel, a treat may be more enticing. Also, at home these items might be used for training or for animals needing a bit of an appetite boost (always only with veterinary approval).

Who knew, for example, that many cats have a thing for olives (no pits please) or marshmallows. Or that dogs, and not necessarily Australian Cattle Dogs, love Vegemite, an Australian food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract with various vegetables and spices. Most Americans disdain Vegemite, but many dogs love the stuff.

With Fear Free founder Dr. Marty Becker contributing, here’s a list of 20 surprising treats:

  • Anchovy paste
  • Apple
  • Baby food (without onion)
  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Bonito fish flakes (known as katsuobushi in Japanese cuisine)
  • Braunschweiger
  • Cheerios
  • Cheez Whiz/Easy Cheese
  • Churros (fried-dough pastry)—hold the chocolate sauce
  • Green beans
  • Liverwurst
  • Marshmallow cream
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Olives (no pits)
  • Peas
  • Peanut Butter (avoid sugar-free peanut butters containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol, which is toxic to pets)
  • Rice cakes (plain)
  • Sardines (in pesto, in olive oil or in water)
  • Vegemite

Remember to keep portion sizes small, appropriate for the size of the pet. You don’t want to send him home with a tummy ache!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Steve Dale, CABC (certified animal behavior consultant), hosts two national pet radio shows and is on WGN Radio, Chicago. He’s a regular contributor/columnist for many publications, including CATSTER, Veterinary Practice News, and the Journal of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. He’s appeared on dozens of TV shows, including Oprah, many Animal Planet Programs, and National Geographic Explorer. He has contributed to or authored many pet books and veterinary textbooks such as “The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management” and co-edited Decoding Your Dog, by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. He speaks at conferences around the world. www.stevedale.tv.
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