Fear Free Grooming
What is Fear Free Pet Grooming?
Founded in 2016, Fear Free provides online education to veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners. The courses are developed and written by respected veterinary and pet experts including veterinary behaviorists, veterinary anesthesiologists, pain experts, veterinary internists, veterinary technicians (behavior), experts in shelter medicine, animal training, grooming, pet boarding, and more.
With all the false (and harmful!) pet information on the internet, Fear Free training aims to keep veterinary healthcare teams and pet professionals at the forefront as true pet health experts. Fear Free has become one of the single most transformative initiatives in the history of companion animal practice, providing unparalleled education on emotional well being, enrichment, and the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress in pets and improving the experience of every human and pet involved.
Even pet grooming salons can be designed to facilitate Fear Free grooming.
Certification Requirements
Many Pet Grooming Salons claim to practice Fear Free Grooming. Unfortunately, many of those are truly not certified; they just try their best. Certified Salons have the Fear Free Certificate hanging on the wall.
Certification requires an 80% grade on all segments of the program and annual ongoing education.
One-on-One Grooming
Other pets in the salon is one of the biggest sources of stress for pets. And moving from one groomer to another groomer is not much better.
I only practice one-on-one grooming... your pet and me; that's it. This allows your pet and me to build a bond that goes a long way to helping your pet feel comfortable in what can be a stressful time.
At Countryside Pet Care, I do not have a bather and a stylist and a "conveyor belt" system for grooming. One stylist from start to finish allows me to understand and bond with your furry friend.
Benefits of Fear Free Pet Grooming
Your pet may come home happier than when they left
- Reduced Stress: Fear-free grooming drastically reduces stress and anxiety in pets, creating a more enjoyable experience for them.
- Enhanced Bonding: Positive grooming experiences strengthen the bond between pets and their owners. Grooming becomes a time of trust-building and connection.
- Improved Well-being: By alleviating stress, fear-free grooming contributes to overall pet well-being, improving mental and physical health.
- Efficiency and Safety: Calm pets are easier to groom, leading to more efficient and safer grooming sessions for both pets and groomers.
- Positive Long-term Associations: Pets that experience Fear Free Grooming are more likely to approach future grooming sessions with a positive attitude.