Mikkel Becker CBCC-KA, CDBC, KPA CTP, CPDT-KA
Mikkel Becker is the lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. She specializes in reward-based training and behavior modification with dogs, cats and occasional other species, including horses, pigs and orangutans.
Mikkel is a Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), a graduate of the rigorous San Francisco SPCA Dog Training Academy with Jean Donaldson with a certificate in training and counseling (CTC), a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine (CBCC-KA), a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and a Certified Dog Behavior Counselor (CDBC). Mikkel also majored in communications and minored in sociology at Washington State University.
Mikkel is regularly featured in publications that include USA Today, today.com, Woman’s Day, Real Simple and a nationally syndicated newspaper pet column. She was the resident trainer at vetstreet.com and now is the lead animal trainer at fearfreehappyhomes.com and fearfreepets.com Mikkel has coauthored six books, including the most recent release, From Fearful to Fear Free.
Mikkel lives in Spokane, WA with her daughter, Reagan and the love of her life—a Puggle named Indiana Bones. The rest of the critter crew includes an adorably naughty rescue pug mix, Otis, and a cuddly, teddy bear of a horse, Chili.
Session Description:
Putting the Treat into Treatment for Pets in your Care
Presenter: Mikkel Becker
There are numerous situations as a pet sitting professional where you’re asked to provide in-home husbandry or medical care for dogs and cats. The problem is, done the wrong way, the provision of such care can not only severely damage trust and the bonds that are built with the pet, but can also result in potential injury for both human and pet if an ensuing struggle results. Thankfully there are easy to implement strategies that help to lower fear, anxiety and stress and in turn promote emotional rest and physical cooperation as a result. Join Fear Free’s lead trainer, Mikkel Becker, as she explores different strategies to settle and soothe pets in ways that both prevent and alleviate rising stress. In addition, her tips have helpful takeaways that encourage animals to more willingly cooperate with their care, providing added value for your pet sitting services.
Learning Objectives:
- Why ‘just get it done’ doesn’t work in the long run.
- Overview of emotional and behavioral learning that occurs during handling and care; including how this understanding can promote increased happy participation of pets.
- Setting up a comforting, calm environment for care to take place.
- Gentle Control strategies to consider for better positioning pets.
- Using distractions in a more practical, safe way; including guidance for when moving past distractions to a more touch = treat type tactics.
