Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Program Overview

Welcome to Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Program!

Completing the Fear Free Animal Trainer Program allows trainers to work in partnership with veterinary teams to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress and improve an animal’s emotional wellbeing during veterinary care and home care. This certification program is designed to give qualified animal trainers the knowledge and tools required to begin implementing Fear Free techniques with their clients’ pets at the veterinary hospital, through in-clinic training classes for puppies and kittens, and in day-to-day training of animals in the home.

Trainers who complete the Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Program will acquire the skills to manage and handle dogs and cats alongside the veterinary team during veterinary visits and care to ease the pet’s apprehension regarding exams, procedures, and other care. The techniques may also be used in a home setting for carrying out or administering specific veterinarian-prescribed care plans or routine care like grooming. Most important, the Fear Free animal trainer is equipped to prepare pets for what to expect at the veterinary clinic so they have an enjoyable, stress-free experience.

By collaborating with and complementing the veterinary team’s efforts, the trainer can better provide preventive services and partner with the veterinary team to address training and behavior concerns, working from a whole health concept and with the oversight of the pet’s vet. In doing so, the pet and pet parents have a higher quality, unified team providing quality, complete care.

The purchase of the Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Program provides you with an annual membership for the program, which requires an annual renewal fee and completion of additional annual CE to maintain your membership.

Course Overview

Eligibility and Requirements for Registering

The Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Program is open to training professionals who meet prerequisites that ensure a specific level of knowledge, education, and experience. Trainers seeking Fear Free Certification are highly encouraged to have experience working in a veterinary hospital/practice setting. Eligible trainers will meet the following prerequisites:

Passing score on the intake exam that tests baseline knowledge (preview the exam below)
Current certification with an approved organization and/or proof of completing an approved continuing education course from At least one of the following:

Academy for Dog Trainers Graduate or have Academy for Dog Trainers Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC) from former SF SPCA program
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists Diplomate (DACVB)
Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer or Animal Behavior College Certified Cat Trainer
Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (ACAAB)
Canine Training Technician (Accredited) (CTT-A)
CATCH Canine Trainers Academy Certified Dog Trainer
Certified Behavior Consultant through IAABC (Certified Behavior Consultant Certified in the Dog, Cat, Horse or Avian Species or Certified Shelter Behavior Professional
Certified Behavior Counselor Canine (CBCC-KA)
Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA or CPDT-KSA)
Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB)
Delta Institute Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training
Dogma Certified Behavior Consultant (DCBC)
Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP)
Member of American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB)
Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT)
Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (Accredited) (PCBC-A) through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board
Professional Canine Trainer (Accredited) (PCT-A)
Professional Development Diploma in Canine Behavior Analysis and Counseling through the American College of Applied Science
Veterinary Technician Specialist with Specialty in Behavior; VTS (Behavior
Victoria Stilwell Academy Graduate or Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training approved member
International trainers: If the organization you are certified/accredited with teaches the principles of ethical, humane, positive reinforcement training, such as the organizations listed here, proceed to register. Enter your organization under the bullet “other” listed in question one of the pre-requisite quiz. Fear Free will conduct research on the organization you listed, and if it does not teach the principles of ethical, humane, positive reinforcement training, we reserve the right to cancel your membership without refunding your fee.

Certification and Passing Requirements

To successfully complete the program and attain certification as a Fear Free animal trainer, all qualified registrants must:

Pass each online module with a score of 80 percent or higher.
Sign the Fear Free Pledge, a commitment to uphold a humane, emotionally protective code of conduct and ethical standard for pet care, training, and professionalism.

Annual Renewal Requirements

This certification program requires an annual membership renewal fee of $49. In order to keep your certification and membership active, 2 hours of Fear Free-specific CE and 2 hours of CE of your choice need to be completed annually. CE can be easily recorded in our convenient CE Tracker within your account.

With every annual renewal, you will have unlimited access to a number of complimentary courses available for Fear Free Certified Animal Trainers to facilitate the CE requirement.

Maintaining Fear Free Certification also requires remaining in good standing with the Fear Free organization by upholding ethical standards and codes of conduct.