The invention is a system and method for the reduction of stress and anxiety responses by animals to unfamiliar events or circumstances such as veterinary visits. The method includes progressive scent identification conditioning. An animal associates one or more pleasing fragrances or scents with pleasure and safety and thus a reduced level of stress/anxiety. This association persists for a sufficient period of time so the animal is able to better handle unfamiliar events/circumstances by maintaining a lower level of stress/anxiety. Scent association conditioning is achieved by presentation of a reward such as edible treats of different sizes and effective taste intensities when scent exposure occurs. The time between scent exposure and receipt of a treat is gradually increased during conditioning to reach an optimal or maximum period in which the animal can maintain a low level of stress/anxiety.
