Beth Belock, DVM

Canine Body and Mind

Dr. Belock has been caring for pets in the Michiana area since 2012. She worked in private practice for almost 10 years before starting her own business, Canine Body and Mind, in 2022. As a physical and behavioral wellness center, Canine Body and Mind offers veterinary primary care services in a low stress environment, behavior consults for problem behaviors and various training classes/workshops for dogs and puppies.

Dr. Belock uses a training approach that is Inspired by Kindness and Informed by Science. Her passion is creating the best possible veterinary and training experiences for dogs, and she is committed to using positive, evidence-based techniques. She completed the Fear Free Veterinary Professional course in 2017, is a certified Karen Pryor Puppy Start Right Instructor, a member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, attends annual CE events on various veterinary behavior topics and loves attending the Clicker Expo.

Neika Smessaert, RVT

Vet Tech Coach

Neika has been working with animals her whole life. From growing up on a farm to working at a local veterinary clinic during high school. She's a 1997 Purdue University Veterinary Technology graduate. She worked at Magrane Pet Medical Center for 20 years and then started her own business, Vet Tech Coach, LLC nearly 11 years ago, working both for several years. Neika is committed to force free handling and training. She is a level 2 Fear Free Certified Veterinary Technician and Professional Dog Trainer. She is also a member of the Victoria Stilwell Pet Dog Trainers and a faculty advisor for the Victoria Stilwell Academy helping students achieve their goals of becoming professional dog trainers as well. A recent area of interest for Neika is learning ASL. She's been a student of the language for nearly 2 years after spending nearly her entire life as hard of hearing. She is committed to doing the work to become fluent in ASL and be able to offer dog training services to deaf individuals and families. 

Sarah Story, CPDT-KA

A Canine Story

Sarah Story Owens began her professional dog training career in 2003, working with a company of certified trainers who emphasized force-free, science-based methodologies in training dogs and educating their owners. After a decade with that company, Sarah transitioned to a veterinary clinic, where she taught clients about canine behavior during veterinary visits, private lessons, and group classes. In 2016, after meeting her husband and relocating, Sarah established her own training company. She has since dedicated herself to improving the lives of both dogs and their owners by fostering healthy interspecies relationships, promoting positive associations, and ensuring fear-free (or as low stress as possible) interactions. Sarah continually advances her education to stay current with the latest developments in canine behavior and training. Sarah currently sees clients by appointment in their homes and teaches group classes for basic pet manners, obedience, agility, and more. 

Mariah Covey, DVM, KPA-CTP

Kryder + Harr Veterinary Clinic

Dr. Covey Graduated from Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006 and has worked at Kryder + Harr Veterinary Clinic for over 17 years. Dr. Covey is a general practitioner with a strong interest and additional continuing ed in behavior and sees all the clinic's behavior cases and a lot of the patients that struggle with coming to the clinic. Other interests include geriatrics and hospice care, internal medicine, shelter medicine, & society and public policy. In addition to working as a full time associate vet, she has also been the volunteer vet for SBARC for about 10 years, as well as helping at St. Joe and Elkhart humane societies to fill in or provide staff training. Last year she retired as the Chair of the South Bend Animal Welfare Commission (& is still a member) and also serves on the Mishawaka Animal Control Commission. She also served on the committee that updated South Bend's animal control ordinance almost a decade ago that, among other things, eliminated Breed Specific Legislation and arbitrary pet limits.