My parents and I seem to have a disagreement on how to get a puppy to mind...?

Question

I have read that if you punish a puppy by, say by hitting it with a newspaper, that it will only ruin your relationship with the puppy, however, my parents think that if you lighty tap it with a newspaper on the end of the nose it will make it mind. I do not want my puppy to be afraid of us though. Any thoughts on this would be helpful! Thanks!

Answer 1

Here is a differrent take and is slightly off topic although it does deal with puppy training. I personally agree with the newspaper technique though rather with the below.

"•How will you correct her for making mistakes? Positive does not mean permissive. If your pup is well supervised she shouldn’t have the opportunity to make many mistakes, but they will happen. When they do, calmly interrupt the pup’s behavior with a cheerful “Oops!” and redirect her to something more appropriate. Make a mental note to ramp up your management or training to prevent the situation from happening again.

Puppies develop lifelong habits during the first several months of their lives. Extra management effort early on can save you years of headaches later. If you don’t give your pup the opportunity to learn that chewing sofa cushions is fun and feels good on sore gums, she’ll earn house freedom much sooner than a confirmed cushion shredder. When you see her heading for cushions or the coffee table leg, offer her a stuffed Kong instead, or engage her in a game of tug.

If she’s driving you crazy, grabbing your pants legs, and biting your hands, say “Oops! Time out!” and put her in her exercise pen for a bit. This will give you both a chance to calm down without resorting to corporal punishment. When she realizes that biting makes the fun stop, she’ll learn to control her urge to grab.

Sound like a lot to think about? It should! Accepting responsibility for the life of another living creature requires serious thought and commitment. The way you care for your pup will determine whether she spends the rest of her life sharing companionship and love with you or, like too many dogs, gets passed from home to home in search of one where she will be better understood and appreciated. She deserves a lifelong loving home. They all do. "

from Pat Miller

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/sample/pre_puppy_preparation.html

Answer 2

Disciplining a puppy with a newspaper used to be a common thing. The problem is the puppy becomes fearful of your hand rising up.

If your parents insist on using the newspaper they could just smack the paper against something like a table. The loud noise startles the dog and they begin to associate the sound which isn't pleasant to the bad behavior and they stop doing it.

Answer 3

Mom & Dad are right, im afraid. My dog s 9 months old & at first, like you, I was thinking that it would be just wrong to use discipline and that I would achieve results by being nice to him.

Unfortunately, this doesn't work when training a puppy. Puppys by nature are playful and giddy with an extremely short attention-span so training can be tough. They need to know what's right & what's wrong and saying so doesn't always work as he hasn't been with you long enough to know the full extent of your angry tones and words.

I've found taps on the nose very effective for training my puppy & he has responded well. You'd be surprised how sturdy they are, the taps don't hurt them at all. He's now almost fully trained and we have a great relationship.

Although iI'm the one who disciplines him the most, I'm also the one he comes to for cuddles the most. I think this is because he respects my authority. Dogs are pack animals and they need and like to know who their boss is. In my house, my dog clearly sees me as boss. We have such fun though and he's so loving. Light discipline has definately not damanged our relationship.

Good luck :)

Answer 4

To understand why the newspaper on the end of the nose works, you have to understand dogs.

In a pack (you and your parents are part of your dog's pack), dogs higher in the "pecking order" will correct lower dogs' incorrect behavior with a nip or snap to the nose.
The end of the nose is the dog's "I'm screwing up" sensor, if you will.
So, yes. Even a light tap on the end of the nose with a newspaper will correct a dog's behavior without causing the dog to hate or fear you.
You simply have to keep a line drawn between a corrective tap on the nose and beating the crap out of the dog... THAT'S what causes resentment and fear.
Also, if all of you are involved, at times, in correcting the dog's behavior, the dog will perfectly understand its place in the "pecking order" of the pack, meaning your family.

Answer 5

physical violence is never an answer. All hitting does is make them afraid of you , your hand or , in this case, a newspaper. The end of the nose is extremely sensitive and should never be an option. If you must correct them do it like their mother would. Make a claw with your hand a grab them on the side of the neck. if they do not respond ' bite' them a bit harder. They will listen. IF necessary, grab the neck and put them on the ground on their side. Never attempt to do this any place else - the side of the neck is where all canines discipline

Answer 6

The way to ruin your relationship with a dog is to be over aggressive with it. This will not only ruin your relationship but it will make the dog only cower whenever it comes in contact with you. However a dog must learn to obey and what is right and wrong so a slight tap on the nose is good for the dog just not a continual beating. No matter what the dog does understand it is only a dog and needs to be taught what is right and wrong.

Answer 7

In my opinion it's always best if you can avoid hitting. However, there are effective training techniques that advocate just what your parents are talking about... It's just not MY preferred method.

What is going to work best for you is to find a training program that fits your style and works. Get on the web and do some research. Find a training method that you like and try it. The best way to win your parents over to your way of thinking is with results. If you can discipline your dog and get it to behave... what can they say but ... Okay.

Answer 8

Your parents are wrong. They are used to old ways of dog training that never really worked in the first place. Hitting your dog will only make your dog fear you and he still wont figure out what you want. If you have cable check out The Dog Whisperer. Trainers hate him, but he is amazing and gets much better results than trainers do. He comes on the National Geographic Channel. Check your guide to find out when the show airs in your area. Good Luck. He really opened my eyes and his show has made me a better dog owner.

Answer 9

When your parents punished you,how long did it ruin your relationship?
Did it resolve your behavior problem?
Dog parents correct their babies by growling and snapping. I would use the newspaper on the rear end that will avoid the possibility of the pup flinching when you raise your hand to pet or caress it.

Answer 10

The puppy will become "hand shy" in that he might cringe when you go to touch him. I would reprimand in a harsh tone and definitely make an effort to begin obedience training with the dog so that he can learn what's best to do and be rewarded for good behavior.