Is giving my dog a slight but firm spank abuse?

Question

No other methods have worked besides that. I don't use anything other than my hand, and I don't do it hard. It doesn't hurt her. It just startles her.

My cousin and Uncle tell me i'm abusing her?
It it?

Answer 1

No, I don't think you are abusing her! You want to use the least degree and amount of force/discipline as possible, especially physical, but you MUST use enough to be effective every single time.

When my German Shepherd misbehaves, (she was 4 when I got her) I usually give her a quick pinch on the back of her neck and say No!, quiety but urgently. If she needs more, I put my arm over the back of her neck(as a dominant dog would) and hold it there till she gets the point.

But two or three times, I have reacted so quickly that I yelled NO and smacked her on the rump before I had a chance to think. For her, that is a little too strong and she briefly cringes and looks panicky.

When my pit bull was younger, the yell and the smack and the dominance were barely enough. Now she is 3, and responds to the gentle urgent No, and nothing else is needed.

You will get there soon!

Answer 2

Spanking you dog is not abuse, but not a good way to train. Not only does spanking the dog confuse the animal, but can also foster an aggressive environment for the dog. Positive rewards are the best way to train your dog and if you have a difficult time getting their attention when they are misbehaving, look into something that makes a harsh noise, such as pennies in a can, a clicker (something you can purchase from most pet supply companies), a newspaper on your hand or anything else you can use to create a loud noise without actually touching the dog.

Please end violence, it does not help anything. The behavior will make you more upset and still possibly not work.

Answer 3

I didn't see what happened...but I will assume that she didn't repeatedly hit her dog and only used her hand. The "spank" most likely hurt her hand more than it hurt the dog. But hopefully it also let the dog know that what he was doing was not right. I personally do not spank my dog...but then again...my dog does not have a life threatening disease and I have not been put in a situation where my dog could lose her life if she did not listen to me. As far as it being abuse...I don't think that your sister would have her dog taken from her or arrested because of what happened. But if her dog is not entirely under voice control maybe it would be a good idea to spend some more time with him and train him to be more responsive to what your sister is telling him since his disease is life threatening. He needs to know to listen to her the first time she tells him something. (once again I am uncertain of the situation so she may already be working with him regularly!)

Answer 4

No, it's not abuse, but in most cases it accomplishes nothing because the dog will not make an association between the behavior and the discipline.
I personally go to great length never to use my hands for discipline because I use them to line a dog for a retrieve, and the last thing I would want is for a dog to shy away from my hand above it's head in competition.

Answer 5

Dogs need discipline and to respect you as the leader of the pack. If they don't think that there is a leader they may try to be the leader or will be very anxious throughout their life. Don't be afraid of giving your dog a little pain. Then flip your dog on its back ( a submissive position) and place your face right up against its throat. After that show your dog some love. Be very clear and consistent regarding the dogs boundaries both physical and behavioral.

Always eat before you feed your dog, make it sit in front of her food until you give permission for her to eat. You need to be the boss. You need to be the leader. Your dog will be much happier.

Answer 6

I think in a way it is. Would you do the same to your children. And why would you train a dogg with bads when you could train him with goods. For ex. if he chewed **** on the floor instead of hitting him. Next time when you come home look around for chewed up stuff and if there is none give him a treat or say good puppy good puppy. They listen to good boy more than bad boy, wouldn't you. I ain't hating on ya dude i did the same till i realized that it was wrong. My dog is so much more friendly now and he is more attentive. ya know.
remember your animal loves you and is there to protect you so please respect him, later dude
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Answer 7

Where do you hit her and does she yelp when you do it? And what does she do to deserve the spanking?

Hitting dogs usually ends up giving them some sort of disorder. She'll probably become hand-shy.. You're supposed to gently flip them to their backs and hold them down until they stop struggling. That way kind of mimics the way dogs/wolves do things in nature. She'd understand that much better.

Answer 8

Dogs (like children) respond to different types of disciplinary tools. It is okay to smack your dog on the rear with your hand as long as it is not done in anger and it is not done to "hurt." I t should get her attention, not hurt her. Your facial expression and your tone of voice will probably be enough when she is accustomed to you and your style of discipline. Your cousin & uncle should discipline their own dogs and let you do the same.

Answer 9

NO YOU ARE SHOWING YOUR ANIMAL THAT SHE CANT JUST WALK ALL OVER YOU JUST AS YOU WOULD A CHILD. YOU MAY NOT WANT TO USE YOUR HAND BECAUSE YOU MAY BE APPLYING MORE FORCE THAN YOU RWALIZE SO TRIED SOMETHING LIKE A ROLLED UO NEWSPAPER. YOU DONT NEED TO HIT YOUR PUP EVERY TIME SHE DOES SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE THEN SHE WILL JUST RESENT YOU LATER. AND WHEN YOU PUNISH YOUR PUP MAKE SURE YOU TAKE HER BACK TO WHAT SHE DID (LIKE POO) AND PUT HER NOSE CLOSE TO IT, THEN SMACK HER AND GIVE HER A FIRM NO. SHE NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT SHE IS BEING PUNISHED FOR OR HOW CAN SHE MAKE IT RIGHT. PLUS PUPPIES ARE JUST LIKE BABIES WHICH MEANS THEY DESERVE THE SAME LOVE AND CARE SO TREAT YOUR PUP RIGHT AND GOOD LUCK.

Answer 10

If she is doing something wrong, I dont think so... I know abuse, my neighbors son does it to their dogs. Anyway, if she did something wrong she needs something to tell her not to do that anymore. If you do it for any other reason than that, I would call it abuse, yes. But if you do it too much, she could become hand shy. Try saying "No" but say it sternly so she understands that its wrong.
Its like children, if you talk sweet talk like "Don't do that honey, no..." than they won't listen to you you need to talk stern to those kids to make them understand.