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!