Is hitting your dog acceptable?

[Suzanne St]

Do you think it is acceptable to hit your dog?

Do you think that it improves it's behavior?

[John Thomson]

Oh.I like this one Suzanne..........

What is hitting? Any kind of physical contact...or a good hard slap?
There is no doubt that you can re-direct your dogs attention with a firm touch and dogs understand and react well to this.....hitting is usually counter productive and most dogs struggle to understand this.

What is a hard hit to one dog is not to another so I believe is is very much down to individual dog/handler combinations..........I think this thread may run on for a bit.

for the record I ticked yes.........meaning gratuitous hitting not a correction tap.
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Sheryl]

I tap both keano and coby on the nose and also on the bottom for growling etc or a sharp tug on their lead if there not working for me!!

I have on occasion wrestled Keano to the ground using all my power to get him to summit to me!!

I think this is along the same line as 'smacking your kids'....I believe there is a very fine line!!!!

xx
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Kindest Regards,
PRINCESS Sheryl, Keano and Coby.

[Sheryl]

For the record I voted no its not cruel, coz I do it and if it were cruel I wouldnt.
But I dont think dog owners can take it too far!!!

x
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Kindest Regards,
PRINCESS Sheryl, Keano and Coby.

[John Thomson]

Dogs have different natures..........simply put you get 'hard' dogs and 'soft' dogs ( and everything inbetween)

A hard dog recovers quickly from a correction.......verbal or physical.........confident,dominant dogs are an example of the top end of 'hard'

Soft dogs do not recover quickly from a correction..verbal or physical........they are quiet timid in general.

As with people there are exceptions to every rule and this is a broad but correct generalisation.

So what is a abuse to a soft dog a hard dog may not even notice.

So it is all about dog/handler combinations
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Sheryl]

Totally agree with you there!!

I can only answer these kinds of questions with the experience I have with my two!

Keano I would say sits on the hard end although hes quite an anxious dog
Coby is soft, doesnt like getting into trouble, even if you raise your voice that can be enough to scare him!!

Therefore I have to adjust my corrections to suit whatever dog I'm working with at that point!!

Think its a great topic, well done for coming up with it Suzanne!!
Would love to know your thoughts on the matter!??
xx
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Kindest Regards,
PRINCESS Sheryl, Keano and Coby.

[Fiona]

When we first got Libby we hit her when bad and I felt terrible, this was before I knew other ways. Nothing horribly bad but just a tap on the nose and a slap on the bum. But When Star came along we decided to try other methods and they have worked wonders. I have never raised my hand to Star and he is just as obedient as Libby but not as nervous at times.

I think that its not acceptable to resort to smacking a dog and other methods can and should be used.

I agree with John that a strong correction with collar and leash is perfectly fine and also a tap side ways with your foot to get there attention if aggressive ie the Ceaser way!
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Dogs are like Chocolate, you just can't have one!

[Enid]

[Fiona]

Sheryl totally agree that you can only give advice on the experience you have had with your own dogs. Star and Libby are very "soft" dogs as John describes them. Libby can tremble with fear at a raised voice and its not even her that's getting in to trouble!
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Dogs are like Chocolate, you just can't have one!

[marcella]

Excellent thread Suzanne!!!!!!

I don't 'hit' either of our dogs, but I would not think twice about grabbing them by the scruff of the neck if they were being aggressive or refusing to obey a command. 'Hitting' no - a correction 'yes' But a correction must be a correction and not a slap, punch or kick. I'm against slapping a dogs nose ......... I read somewhere that it can damage their sense of smell????? True or not I don't hit their nose. But I don't think twice about a nudge or similar to distract their attention if they are ignoring you.

so in other words I voted yes, in that context.

[Magz]

Good thread, I am a firm believer of a commanding presence, If you appear confident and assertive with your dog a look or a collar correction should suffice. But think it would totally depend on the dogs in question I have been fortunate not to come across many dominant dogs.

[Janice]

I'm sure the answer to that one is no never hit but I suppose it depends on how you define hitting and on the individual circumstances

I know before we got Dale the breeder said she 'tapped' his nose and said No when he bit her face. Is that wrong? She certainly wasn't cruel and her way seemed to work for by the time we collected him it was ankles he liked to nip
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Janice and Dale

[Nicola]

I do not agree with hitting dogs.

However, around September time last year, my Westie, Molly started to eat crap off the streets (thankfully not any kid of oh I swore, although she has rolled in fox oh I swore once, and my god, she got verbal abuse for that and hasn't done it since!), things like chips that the school kids had thrown away at lunch time.

She done this 3 or 4 times, and each time I told her off with a firm, deep voice...She grabbed as much as she could then left the spot!

The last time she ate chips was the time I grabbed her with the scruff of the neck and told her 'don't you dare do that again!' and then ignored her for the rest of the walk. That was months ago and i'm glad to say she hasn't eaten anything she shouldn't have since! When she spots something like a chip, she looks at me, and I tell her 'no' and she walks on. I then give her a treat and lots of praise.

The thing is, she always spotted the stuff before I did! Or sniffed it out.....

[Isabel]

I think a correctional tap is ok, but more than that isn't. If they respond to your voice then it is prob best just to use this but as some of you have said you get different types of dogs. The dog I had when i was growing up was timid and if you raised your voice at all it would bother her. You can shout and holler at doogle though and he just thinks its funny!!! I have tapped him once but i try not too, if he is really naughty i grab him and look him in the eyes while telling him off, usually works. But as he is such an angel I never have to tell him off-mmmmm!!!

[shirley c]

I voted no its not cruel, but like everyone else it depends on what the term 'hit' is, I have smacked Pixel before but we are talking a short slap on the bum not raised hands and hammering blows.

Moya and Misty are soft, Scooby I would say is harder, but he came from greyhound kennels and although not cruelly treated I dont suppose he was cosseted either.

Pixel on the other hand and I know you are all going to say...nooooo not Pixel has some of the terrier temperament of her Bedlington ancestry and can be quite sharp and she likes to answer back and just push that little bit sometimes