Simply Dog

02/24/2026

Many of you know I train dogs While I train and have taken numerous courses in training and continue to do so I have not tested yet with an organization (It’s complicated but the simple answer is school got in the way) Anyway this does not mean I can’t train it means I recognize there are limits to what I can currently offer clients Which specifically means I don’t advertise I complete behavioral assessments I work with dogs that have behavior plans who have been assessed by a credentialed individual or veterinarian but I currently do not do my own plans

So what do you do if you feel your dog needs to have a behavioral assessment?

Who can legally assess dog behavior in Indiana — and why credentials still matter

Indiana does not license or regulate dog trainers or behavior assessors. That means anyone can legally say they do “behavioral assessments.” There’s no state test, no oversight board, and no required education.

And that’s exactly why experience and credentials matter.

Behavior assessments influence:
• Whether a dog is adopted or euthanized
• Whether a dog is labeled “aggressive”
• Training plans, housing decisions, and public safety
• Shelter liability and adopter trust

When a state doesn’t regulate, the responsibility shifts to us to ask better questions.

Who can assess dogs in Indiana?

Legally?
➡️ Anyone.

Practically and ethically?
Look for people with documented education, mentorship, and real-world experience, such as:
• Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP)
• Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
• Licensed veterinarians or veterinary behaviorists (for medical or pathological behavior)

Credentials don’t make someone perfect — but they show accountability, continuing education, and adherence to humane, science-based standards.

Questions you should ask before hiring someone who says they do behavior assessments:
1. What education or certifications do you have? (And can I verify them?)
2. What methods do you use? (Force-free? Science-based? Or punishment-based?)
3. How do you define “aggression,” “reactivity,” or “dangerous behavior”?
4. Do you assess behavior in context (environment, stress, health, handling)?
5. How do you document assessments? Written reports? Observable criteria?
6. What experience do you have with shelter dogs or high-stress environments?
7. How do you rule out medical causes before labeling a behavior?
8. Will your assessment be used to support the dog — or to justify removal or euthanasia?
9. What continuing education do you complete each year?
10. Can you explain your assessment process without defensiveness or jargon?

Why this matters

Labels follow dogs.
Bad assessments don’t just fail dogs — they harm them.

In an unregulated state, credentials aren’t about prestige — they’re about protection:
• Protection for the dog
• Protection for adopters
• Protection for shelters and communities

If someone can’t clearly explain how and why they assess behavior the way they do, that’s your answer.

Indiana may not require licensing — but we can still require competence.

Connie Swaim Canine Behavior Services
Behavior of Indiana
Humane Training Alliance of Indiana

02/14/2026

10 years ago, we didn’t often get cattle dogs in our shelters here in BC. Now, you’ll find one or a mix almost always available for adoption. They’ve gone from purpose-bred farm hands to condo living in a generation. On top of that, they come equipped with software that isn’t welcome in most homes.

I work with more cattle dogs than any other breed, and many of them face rehoming, relinquishment to a shelter or much worse. They are often trained with punishment and force by backyard trainers who don’t understand them and are at high risk for poor welfare.

Don’t be fooled by Instagram VS reality. These are fun, athletic dogs and are wonderful to work with. But they are not always a good fit for a novice handler.

My recommendation, if you’re not committed to working with and sharing a home with a dog who is prone to reactivity, dog/dog issues and a strong inclination to use their mouths, would be to adopt an older dog, as their behaviour is developed and more predictable, allowing you to be more sure of what you’re taking on.

Cattle dogs need careful socialization and training as pups, and adolescence can be particularly long and gruelling as their breed behaviours come to fruition.

They are one of my top 2 favourite breeds, and I love everything about them, but that does not mean they are a good fit for everyone!

Find out all of my thoughts on ACD in my book, Urban Sheepdog: https://amzn.to/3Kx3yK0

12/22/2025

Merry Christmas from the crew!

09/21/2025

It’s been a while since I have posted on my training page Not that I am not training Just a lot of it has been happening behind the scenes with Shelter Saturdays with the Parke County 4-H Dog Club If you want to see what we are up to I encourage you to also follow our Public page Parke County 4H Dog Club

02/23/2025

Written by Zac George Shared to bring awareness

Dogs don’t use force to teach each other. So why are they telling you to?

Balanced trainers, those who use both positive reinforcement and punishment through pain or fear, often claim that prong collars, shock collars, and leash pops mimic how mother dogs “correct” their puppies.

They say that because dogs sometimes growl or muzzle-grab, using force is just “speaking their language.”

This is not backed by scientific evidence or research, and it’s not even a logical argument.

Here’s what the research actually shows:

Dogs avoid physical conflict whenever possible, using body language, vocalizations, and space to communicate.

They aren’t shocking or pinning each other to “teach respect.”

When mother dogs do intervene with puppies, it’s brief, controlled, and non-damaging; nothing like the repeated and sustained pain of a prong collar correction or an e-collar shock.

Studies show that dogs trained with aversive methods exhibit higher stress levels, more fear-based behaviors, and a greater risk of aggression.

Aversive training does not enhance learning, it inhibits it and suppresses behavior through fear, which is fundamentally different from how dogs naturally communicate.

Imagine stubbing your toe hard on a table leg, and right at that moment, someone demands you solve a math problem. Are you focused on learning, or are you just trying to deal with the pain? That’s what happens when dogs are corrected with pain, they aren’t learning a lesson, they’re just trying to avoid the next hit.

When humans deliver corrections through pain or intimidation, research shows that dogs do not respond as if they are receiving a “natural consequence.”

Instead, they exhibit increased stress behaviors, avoidance, and even defensive aggression - reactions that are starkly different from how puppies respond to natural maternal guidance.

When corrected by their mother, puppies typically adjust their behavior without signs of fear or distress, as maternal cues are brief, controlled, and non-threatening.

This contrast suggests that dogs perceive human-imposed corrections not as meaningful communication, but as unpredictable, aversive events.

If corrections really worked like dog-to-dog communication, we wouldn’t see so many side effects. Yet study after study shows that dogs trained with force are more anxious, less engaged, and more likely to react aggressively.

So why do some trainers keep pushing this claim? The answer is simple: it provides a convenient justification for using outdated, harmful methods that prioritize control over effective and humane communication.

That trauma may not always be immediately obvious, but research shows it can manifest in chronic stress, anxiety, and behavioral fallout, undermining a dog’s well-being long after the training session ends.

And I don’t say this to stir controversy, but to inform the public: a trainer calling themselves “balanced” is openly admitting to a lack of modern, science-based knowledge. The industry has moved forward, but they haven’t.

Dogs learn best through trust, not fear.

The best trainers in the world don’t rely on intimidation, they rely on knowledge, skill, and ethical communication that affirms the dogs emotional state at all times.

There will no doubt be upset balanced trainers in the comments, but pay attention, because while they may resort to insults or deflections, they won’t provide peer-reviewed evidence to support their claim.

The question now is not whether this myth is false, but whether we will finally move beyond it and do right by the dogs and the public who trust us.

Sources:
1. Herron, M. et al. (2009). Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.12.011
2. Ziv, G. (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs – a review.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2017.02.004
3. Vieira de Castro, A.C. et al. (2020). Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225023
4. Lezama-García, K. et al. (2019). Maternal behaviour in domestic dogs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6776987/
5. Blyth, T. (n.d.). If a mother dog snaps at her pups, why can’t we use ‘corrections’ to train?
https://www.tarynblyth.co.za/post/if-a-mother-dog-snaps-at-her-pups-why-can-t-we-use-corrections-to-train

A video that I saw a while ago is doing the rounds again on social media. I often just try and ignore these things, as the points made are so utterly stupid that I hope most people will see through them easily. However, this one is cropping up a bit too much, so I thought I better take the time to a...

11/28/2024

Happy birthday Nina!

10/16/2024

Today was not a good day for this trainer. People misunderstand and think that as trainers we have perfect dogs. We have perfect skills and in every situation we react perfectly. I am here to tell you that isn’t the case. I am not going to sugar coat it and tell you having dogs is easy that it’s a cake walk. Because it isn’t. We as humans communicate everyday we just happen to use verbal language and dogs use their bodies.

Today I had a dog react and go after another dog. Many would say it was a dog fight but it wasn’t. Other dogs tried joining in and it was a cluster for a quick moment. I would be lying if I said I was calm cool and collected. Because I absolutely was not. I was scared and freaked out because one dog had another and the one was yelping. The three dogs that jumped into the fray responded quickly to my call. I got them removed The dog that had reacted still had not let loose and the other dog kept trying to get to me. Of course I was yelling (I was not calm, I was not someone in that moment my dog would or could respond to). I reacted too. Luckily my reaction was enough that the dog let loose and I carried her to the kennel. All the while the other dog kept following me. I then checked her out. No puncture wounds and I really expected to see her hide torn and was expecting to take her in for what I figured would be sutures and a drain plus antibiotics. I was wrong. Not a puncture not a tear. A little blood from her eye but from what I could tell it seemed to be from blood vessels not teeth.
To calm us both down we went for a walk. Then she went into her crate. I took 30 minutes to decompress myself. Beating myself up for the reaction.

Then I began to dissect the situation. See without doing this I would have been mad at the dog that reacted and punished her. It’s what most would do. She should know better. Yet that would be so wrong. Over the course of several weeks my dogs have been communicating with me I just wasn’t paying attention

First the dog that was the trigger has become a focal playmate for another dog. Yet she doesn’t want to play with the dog. Yet this dog doesn’t listen to her body language. It takes another dog putting herself in between them to get the dog to realize she’s playing too rough. And when we walk the dog that was the trigger today stays by my side. Not because we are practicing a heel but because she is placing me in the position of the barrier from the dog that is playing too rough. So mistake number one

Mistake number two. The dog that reacted needs a lot of “me” time and I was giving her time with the dog that plays rough because they play well together. Yet that isn’t the same as me time. Me time is important to this dog because she is task oriented and always checks in with me. She doesn’t like chaos and lack of order When we have chaos and disorder she will organize it whether I ask for it or not. Forgetting to check in well because we haven’t been practicing checking in. She just wants me time.

Mistake number three not recognizing mistakes 1 and 2 so when I decided to take a walk with the group I had a dog that wanted to be close by my side and another that doesn’t like chaos and change. So this was the trigger which was the dog next to me and then the other dog reacted. When I called the dog off she would not come. I lost my composure and yelled. Reacting myself to what I feared was going to be a horrible injury and a costly repair. Again my reaction was escalated which didn’t help either dog. This was my fourth mistake my reaction. My fifth mistake was not recognizing all of the signs and the perfect storm I created my not listening to my dogs

My dog wasn’t disobedient. She is also young and I know she struggles with distractions. She’s impulsive and independent and can forget to check in with me especially when we havent been working
on me time. Dogs out of place are a distraction not checking in adds to it and she reacted accordingly.

So how do I work with this? The two dogs that I regarded their play I will work with. One needs to learn to respect and read language given by the other dogs. She doesn’t take their cues but she responds to mine. So their time will be supervised time with me.

The dog that has attached herself to me we’ll see need to work on her confidence and this will come when we work with the dog that isn’t respecting her. As the other learns to respect I am sure her confidence will gain her courage to disengage from me. That takes us to the dog that reacted. First we spend time working on her focus on me. One on one and then with another dog she plays well with. I know her focus is lacking so we need more time. How long will this take I don’t know and honestly it is my responsibility to help them learn so timing isn’t as important as them learning. Maybe we go out several weeks and then test putting my reactive dog on a leash but only when the trigger dog has shown some confidence and will disengage from me. It’s not a magic pill and it’s not a quick fix but I have multiple dogs multiple personalities and must address those individually for all of us.

I’m also lucky that when I was decompressing I could text Connie Swaim and she can remind me I am a good dog mom even in the moments when I’m not feeling like I am.

09/06/2024

Dog adolescence. Frustrating and the hardest stage of development for a dog human bond. If you need help reach out

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/DuRauWNtYd3Yzxpq/?

Adolescence occurs between six months and 18 months of age—a time when guardians typically struggle the most with their dogs. Some guardians are so overwhelmed and underprepared for this developmental stage of their dog’s life, they choose to surrender the dog to a local shelter or rescue group. In a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science found that the majority of the surrendered dogs (47.7 percent) ) were between 5 months and 3 years of age (M.D. Salman,John G. New, Jr.,Janet M. Scarlett,Philip H. Kass,Rebecca Ruch-Gallie &Suzanne Hetts, 2010)

The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that alter both the structure and function of the brain.

During canine adolescence, changing s*x hormones effect the animals stress responses. Adolescent dogs have a decreased ability to process information they are receiving from the environment including the presence of dogs, vehicles, people, or really anything around them. They behave in ways that might feel frustrating or upsetting for the dog’s person.

The connectivity between the frontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) decreases, resulting in less behavioral control. We see increased risk taking and more sensitivity to fear.

So what does this mean? This could mean that what was once no big deal to the dog now feels scary; what was once easy to do is now stressful; what once made sense is now confusing. At times, the world can feel like ‘too much’ for the adolescent dog.

As your puppy undergoes this transition into adulthood their inner world is intense, even chaotic. Many pet owners experience an increase in undesirable behavior and find themselves becoming increasingly frustrated. In turn, our own frustration and impatience can cause us to act unpredictably. This adds to our puppy’s inner turmoil. When the inside and the outside are both unpredictable it can be difficult for our dogs to adjust.

If you have an adolescent dog, what can you do? You can give your dog the time and space to observe what is going on around them when on leash at a distance away from the activity when possible. You can give your dog long walks to sniff and explore in nature, giving their brain time to decompress. You can offer your dog a quiet space to sleep so that they can consolidate memories effectively. You can continue training various skills, breaking them down into easier steps that can be generously reinforced.

By understanding what our adolescent dog is experiencing we gain greater compassion and understanding. When we approach adolescence with patience we create a world that is predictable and gentle so our puppies grow up to be their best adult selves.

09/01/2024

It’s been a while since we have had a puppy class. Was able to offer one after fair. We had three pass their AKC Star Puppy. Ready to start working towards their Canine Good Citizen. Goals are good to have for you and your dog. It keeps you interacting and you both continue to learn and develop a stronger relationship. Relationship Centered Training is what it is all about.

Check out our puppies!
Congratulations! Very proud of the relationships you are building

09/01/2024

It’s been a very busy spring and summer helping 4-H kids learn their dogs. They had a great show in July!