# Would you beat your dog for showing aggression?



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Please feel free to explain if the choices don't fit.


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## justmejanis (Feb 25, 2007)

I wouldn't beat my dog for any reason!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Can't think of a reason to beat a dog. I might show him I am the dominant one but never a hit. If I had an extremely mean dog I might even do a Cesar Roll but I would never raise a hand to a pet.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

*Beat* your dog? Seriously?


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

"Beat" is a strong word.... I'd have no problem smacking one of my dog's noses if they were biting someone...

But I don't know that it would be needed. If they know they've done something wrong....they already know it. And I know that some of our play is rougher on them than getting smacked....


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Beating a dog or hitting a dog could make him more aggressive......


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Raising our voices are usually plenty for our dogs. They know when they've done wrong....


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Um... gosh... I can't help but be more than a little put off by the wording of that question.

I just can't imagine a discussion of when it might be appropriate to *beat* a dog....


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## desilu (Nov 2, 2006)

I don't hit my dogs. I don't hit people, either.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I'm going to guess that Jo Ellen was thinking along the lines of beating your own dog if it were aggressively going after something/someone? To "beat" the dog in an effort to break up the fight?

Hey Jo, am I right here? Otherwise, the question feels just plain creepy! I mean, I guess if my dogs were in a knock-down, drag-out fight and all the usual methods for breaking up a dog fight weren't working, I might resort to a physical attempt to break them apart....

Anyway... I think that's what you meant by the question, but I can't help it. "Beat" just has a creepy ring to it!


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Beat a dog for 'showing aggression' towards me????????? God no... 

I would resort to physically choking and/or mandhandling a dog under three scenerios I can imagine:

1) A dog is literally attempting to kill me and I must defend myself
2) A dog has my beloved dog in his jaws and is attempting to kill him. In such a case I would do whatever I had to do to get the dog to let go of my dog, including kill it I dare say
3) A dog is mauling another person and they are defenseless against the dog

Should a dog snap at me or show non life threatening aggression, I certainly do correct it... but IMO barring the above three unlikely conditions, it is never okay to hurt a dog


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

FlyingQuizini said:


> "Beat" just has a creepy ring to it!


I was thinking she meant hit/slap, though "beat" makes me think more of "beating the crap outta him."


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm talking about a dog/puppy that shows aggression...snarling, snapping, nipping, biting. But yes, ACC, non-life threatening aggression.

By "beat" (and I agree it's a creepy word!), I mean to hit it and hurt it.

Believe it or not, this came up on another forum and I was horrified to hear one person apparently advocating such a method for dealing with a strong-willed puppy showing extreme guarding behaviors with certain objects.


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## KatzNK9 (Feb 27, 2007)

NO, NOPE, NO, NOPE, NO ... 

Nope, NO BEATING ... a quick "finger thwack/thump" on the side of the snout, maybe ... or, if I felt it was very serious aggression, I might scruff his neck & give him my most evil eye & scariest sounding growly "NO".


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Jo Ellen said:


> I'm talking about a dog/puppy that shows aggression...snarling, snapping, nipping, biting. But yes, ACC, non-life threatening aggression.
> 
> By "beat" (and I agree it's a creepy word!), I mean to hit it and hurt it.
> 
> Believe it or not, this came up on another forum and I was horrified to hear one person apparently advocating such a method for dealing with a strong-willed puppy showing extreme guarding behaviors with certain objects.


That's really very sad... :no: There is never any reason to justify treating an animal that way. It's not even effective at correcting behavior problems. Violence begets violence. It you try and correct aggression WITH aggression, 99 percent of the time, it will eventually backfire on you.

Short of having to defend yourself (or your dog) during an attack, there is NEVER any reason to hit a dog. Period.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

No...........


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## woodysmama (Feb 25, 2007)

OMG NO!......The only in life that should be beat is the Yankees!!!!


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I will say I'm not going to start giving the dog goodies after it goes for me- I have just enough old fashioned in me to believe that's dangerous. For example, if my dog snarls at me when it's eating and I touch the dish, I am not going to back off and start tossing cookies in there. I personally am going to scruff that dog, give it a shake (but not a dangerous one), and take the food away. Then I will hand feed the dog. I will always correct ANY growling and take away the food.

I do not suggest this to other people, because if you don't know what you're doing, and sometimes even if you do, you could get snapped at. I am willing to take that risk myself. But still- definitely- I would never "beat" the dog. 

I will do a "pop" on the bum sometimes for some things- but it could never be described as beating.


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## Tom (Mar 3, 2007)

In general, no, but there are exceptions as ACC has clearly noted. 

Like some others here, I have no problem assuming and maintaining the alpha role. 

Here's a personal note on one of those "exceptions:" There was a time once when one of our dogs (a tiny one at that) was being attacked by (our neighbor's) two black labs. I was right there as was my 3-year old daughter as the dogs were ripping at her belly (she'd rolled over in a show of submission but their pack behavior was at full boil). In that case, I scared the dogs back, dropped down on all fours to shield the dog (while, by the way, she latched onto my hand deeply biting into the flesh) from her attackers. Had the dogs continued coming at us (they didn't), I wouldn't have hesitated to get very physical. In the end, our little Doxy required major surgery to repair abdominal muscles that looked like hamburger, had probably something like 60 stitches, and 4 surgical drains which I had to nurse for the next 4 weeks.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Come on, someone say they will. I want to see them get swarmed.


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## Kirby'sMom (Feb 26, 2007)

Beat, no. Swat on the butt or thump on the nose, yes, rarely, but yes. I think Kirby's had two light swats in his entire life. And I mean light ones. Hasn't needed another one since.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

vrocco1 said:


> Come on, someone say they will. I want to see them get swarmed.


When Lucky lunged at and bit my girl... he was chased around the living room by a livid husband and whaped on the butt till he crashed into his crate.

To this day he has a special respect for children. Though it was caotic and risky.....it turned out to be a good thing.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

AquaClaraCanines said:


> Beat a dog for 'showing aggression' towards me????????? God no...
> 
> I would resort to physically choking and/or mandhandling a dog under three scenerios I can imagine:
> 
> ...


 
Okay my curousity is peaked... do we say please if your dog is biting you????

Hooch <-----and no I didn't vote, maybe if it had been worded different, and I'm still wanted by a certain zoo because one of their ducks tried to bite my date's child 20 years ago.


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## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

I voted NO because of the word BEAT (if it had been SMACK I would have voted for MAYBE, DEPENDS).

Amber has had at least 3 big smacks *on the bottom* since we've had her (over her first year with us so far). Mainly due to food aggression and jumping/biting ACTIONS that my daughter could NOT control at the beginning. My husband and I had no problem working on and learning to control these actions but it was a little too much for our 11 yr old daughter at first.

I obviously always tried to call out first but if that *didn't work STRAIGHT AWAY* I was not prepared at the time to let this "new cute STRONG puppy" take over and hurt my daughter...(my child always comes first).

Indeed from a very early stage we understood the importance of training therefore there has been no further need of big/hard smacking. Now Amber is more obedient than the daughter!!! And the daughter has no fear of the puppy. Even when Amber growls now she just goes to her, bends down and kiss her on the nose!!! Last month Amber bit her on the leg during playing/wrestling time and Natasha retaliated and actually bit Amber's leg back!!! :bowl: :bowl: :bowl: 

Don't get me wrong we all love Amber to bits but I, as the mother must be realistic. Although Amber responds straight away to my voice (I am quite loud) I noticed that she doesn't listen as much to my hubby and daughter (they are more like the “FUN ONES”) so sometimes she takes advantage of that. 

If in future Amber should loose her temper for any reasons and that neither of them are able to control her and she ends up drawing blood then she will surely hear me and definitely get *a big smack on the bottom and that will probably hurt my hand more than her butt!!.* She will also get time out outside by herself at least 30mins… It all depends on the circumstances and the gravity of her actions. 

Don't get me wrong I love our cute puppy and as such treat her as a member of this family. We have dealt with food aggression etc... and by now she knows that it is not acceptable to hurt or scare any of us. 

However when I say hello to Amber and cuddle her at lunch time and after work I also love smacking her bottom (call me crazy but it feels good to me :uhoh.

There are many different types of smacking but as far of Amber is concerned, only the one part of a cuddling ritual applies on a daily basis  

PS: I know I am not going to be popular but I don't think smacking is such a big deal for human or animals...


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Shirley said:


> PS: I know I am not going to be popular but I don't think smacking is such a big deal for human or animals...


That is the way many people thought, until the hippies decided they were smarter then their parents.


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## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

vrocco1 said:


> That is the way many people thought, until the hippies decided they were smarter then their parents.


Are you a hippy?


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## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

Shirley said:


> PS: I know I am not going to be popular but I don't think smacking is such a big deal for human or animals...


Smacking becomes an issue if it occurs frequently/daily and therefore is more an ABUSE case and in my opinion if someone is capable of smacking a child/animal on a daily basis they must be capable of much more and will not stop at smacking.

It is not an issue for me because I do not smack my child or animal on a daily, weekly, monthly....basis (it is not a planned act). I do however remember a doctor smacking both my daughter and I on the bottom when we were born... Shall I sue him?


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Shirley said:


> Are you a hippy?


Nope!

...............


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

vrocco1 said:


> That is the way many people thought, until the hippies decided they were smarter then their parents.


Ain't that the truth....

Personally, I think the problem with kids today is that they don't even know what a spanking is.......


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

I voted no, just because I used to live with Bentley. As most of you know Bentley was aggressive. He resource guarded and had bitten my husband multiple times. Now not once was he "beaten" by us, but I truely belive he had to have been by a man sometime in his past. My husband simply raising his voice at Bentley or pointing a finger at him when he was angry was enough to send our dog into almost a fit of rage and "attack mode". I remember an incident one day where Bent had my husband backed into a corner and I honestly think he would have attacked him had I not walked downstairs to see what was going. I think "beating" your dog can cause an increase in aggression. Why resort to that when positive praise works so much better? Bentley always, always reacted so much better when he was praised. He lived for me to tell him what a good boy he was! 
My mother owns a beagle mix that is seriously borderline psychotic. The dog is nuts. At times I've witnessed her get a smack on the nose for getting in the trash or various other things. Now, does my mom hit her hard? No. But every single time I still scream at my mother not to hit the dog. It just drives me crazy for some reason. Have I swatted Park before? Never hit him.... now I've grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and given him a stern "NO" for doing something really bad, which I feel works 100% better for him, then hitting him ever would. I guess to each his own though.
There's a man in my obedience class that gives his dog a smack almost every reason. He's speaks very harshly to him, and jerks him around. His dog is very strong willed, so I guess he feels that is needed. I think if I used that method with Park, I'd break him! Now Camden on the other hand.... he's oblivious. It probably wouldn't even faze him. :


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## Griffyn'sMom (Mar 22, 2007)

hgatesy said:


> There's a man in my obedience class that gives his dog a smack almost every reason. He's speaks very harshly to him, and jerks him around. His dog is very strong willed, so I guess he feels that is needed. I think if I used that method with Park, I'd break him! Now Camden on the other hand.... he's oblivious. It probably wouldn't even faze him. :


I'm curious as to what your trainer does upon seeing this treatment? I'm kind of surprised it is allowed to continue. (Perhaps the man needs to get his dog's hearing checked.  )


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I wouldn't BEAT my dog, that sounds so harsh, but I have smacked him a few times for being a bad puppy (on the nose or sometimes the butt lol)

I don't see how anyone could hit their dog.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

*I think*

a dog shouldn't live with a person or people who beat him or her!


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## GoldenGratitude (Jan 25, 2007)

Dogs feed off our energy. If a person would "beat" or even hit a dog that is showing any kind of aggression, that dog will just become more aggressive b/c it is feeding off the aggression that is being directed towards it. People and animals are not for hitting! It solves nothing. That was the question - would you beat your dog for showing aggression.

If I saw an innocent person, especially a child, getting attacked by a dog, that would be another story. Then I'd do whatever was necessary to stop the attack. But that wasn't the question.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

*That*

would be for defence which is different!


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

Griffyn'sMom... I know she's talked to him about some things. He has his own methods of training he always tries to use... he says he's trained lots and lots of dogs before.... but our trainer has told him that he needs to use the techniques we are going over. For example he does this wierd thing with his dogs leash. (he puts it under his belly and makes a loop so he's hooked at the neck and theirs a loop towards her back legs that he can use to pick her up) I've never seen anything like it before. He's trying to train him for hunting, so he's trying to teach him to stop on command... he always picks the dog up off the ground by the collar and the loop at the back legs and yells "WHOA". I've noticed that in the beginning he was trying to do that during our loose leash walking, and she put a stop to it. She was speaking with him at the end of our last session, so who knows what was being discussed.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't beat him but I darn sure would be in his face and straightening him out. 

You cannot let that slide, if you do it will happen again and it will get worse. I've personally seen that happen with a chow I owned. Best to seek professional help if it is noted and get it worked with, as well as get a vet check to see if the thyroid isn't off or medical being the cause.


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## Griffyn'sMom (Mar 22, 2007)

hgatesy said:


> Griffyn'sMom... I know she's talked to him about some things. He has his own methods of training he always tries to use... he says he's trained lots and lots of dogs before.... but our trainer has told him that he needs to use the techniques we are going over. For example he does this wierd thing with his dogs leash. (he puts it under his belly and makes a loop so he's hooked at the neck and theirs a loop towards her back legs that he can use to pick her up) I've never seen anything like it before. He's trying to train him for hunting, so he's trying to teach him to stop on command... he always picks the dog up off the ground by the collar and the loop at the back legs and yells "WHOA". I've noticed that in the beginning he was trying to do that during our loose leash walking, and she put a stop to it. She was speaking with him at the end of our last session, so who knows what was being discussed.


He sounds like a weirdo! It's common courtesy to use the methods that your trainer is showing you. Otherwise - why on earth is he even there? It's one thing to use different commands - but different techniques? I don't get it.


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## jrue1985 (Jun 1, 2007)

NO NO NO
This is what happened to the Golden my fiance and I adopted, they kicked him and broke his hip. If one of my dogs is being "bad" I tap their bum to get their attention then say no. But it is not a slap, hit, smack or other wise it is a pet basically to say, "Hey, look at me when I am talking to you" lol. I would never hurt my babies, especially since I have now experienced first hand how it can hurt and disable an animal, physically, mentally, and emotionally!


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## MILLIESMOM (Aug 13, 2006)

I just tell her no in my stern alpha voice.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

I'll be flabbergasted if you get one Yes vote.


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## rosemary (Jul 7, 2007)

dont need to with mine just the threat of an empty 2 litre coke bottle accross my hand and they **** soon pack it in coke bottles in my house serve too purposes they are a toy if down at the river or they can be a detterent nd not once have i ever "beat" them with one i hink its just the noise


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