Episode Details

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In today’s episode of Blunt Dissection, Dr. Dave Nicol is joined by America’s Veterinarian, Dr. Marty Becker. He is the founder of Fear Free, which works to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them.

Dr. Becker was the resident veterinary contributor on ‘Good Morning America’ for 17 years and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of American Humane. He is also the organization’s Chief Veterinary Correspondent, a founding member of Core Team Oz for ‘The Dr. Oz Show,’ and a member of the Dr. Oz Medical Advisory Panel. His special fondness for older pets has led him to a spot on the Advisory Board of The Grey Muzzle Organization, which is dedicated to helping homeless senior dogs.

He has written 23 books that have sold almost eight million copies, including three New York Times best-sellers. He also writes the weekly nationally syndicated newspaper feature Pet Connection with his writing partner, Kim Campbell Thornton.

Get strapped in as Dr. Dave goes onto the journey that is Dr. Becker’s multifaceted life as a husband, father, author, scholar, film buff, gun collector, and, of course, renowned vet. He reflects on the evolution of the industry, why today is the best time to get into the veterinary profession, and the skills that aspiring vets need to master in order to become financially and emotionally wealthy.

Outline of this episode:

• [03:23] How Dr. Becker ended up in veterinary medicine
• [08:17] The deepening of our relationship with animals over the centuries
• [16:21] Why today is the most exciting time in the history of veterinary medicine
• [19:59] The future of the veterinary profession
• [27:21] How to build financial and emotional wealth in veterinary medicine
• [34:39] How Dr. Becker has sustained his incredible energy throughout his career
• [44:03] Dr. Becker’s mentors and the secret to his amazing communication skills
• [48:44] Dr. Becker’s veterinary heroes
• [56:07] What Dr. Becker is most proud of
• [59:10] How Dr. Becker makes decisions
• [1:03:30] The advantages of applying Fear Free® in your veterinary practice
• [1:07:51] Dr. Becker’s kryptonite
• [1:10:38] The best piece of advice Dr. Becker has ever received
• [1:12:52] The worst piece of advice Dr. Becker has ever received
• [1:13:55] Dr. Becker’s favorite books
• [1:14:50] The coolest thing that Dr. Becker has bought in the last six months
• [1:18:57] What Dr. Becker wants to be remembered for
• [1:21:29] The one Tweet Dr. Becker would want the world to read
• [1:23:24] What Dr. Becker would have done differently in the past
• [1:25:25] Where Dr. Nicol’s joie de vivre comes from

Connect with Dr. Marty Becker at Dr. Marty Becker

Resources Mentioned:

• All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
• Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution by Tom Peters
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness by Stephen R. Covey
• Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff . . . and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson
• Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne