Hit Your Dog?

[360]

I was playing with my dog the other day and although it is generally very well behaved, it started to play bite. I won't tolerate that, especially because we have young grandsons who visit. I tried correcting the dog by giving a verbal command. I noticed that the dog was wagging it's tail the whole time. My wife said that our dog doesn't respond to strong verbal commands because we hardly ever do that. We almost always give positive reinforcement. Our dog is pretty spoiled, but has it's limits. It isn't allowed on the furniture or in bed. We don't get on the floor and play with her. We try to keep it in it's place. I have always thought if I have to use corporal punishment on my dog that I have failed it. What say you? Do you hit or swat your dog on occasion when it does something you consider very bad?

Why have a dog?

I have three dogs. I finally figured out that they ALL respond very effectively if I yell "G.D'it" (abbreviated of course). Why that word works is beyond me, but it does.

One peeve of mine is people who have dogs and leave them tied up outside. What's the point of having a dog as a pet if you leave them outside tied to a post or a tree?

 

[Benny]

Why have a dog?

I have three dogs. I finally figured out that they ALL respond very effectively if I yell "G.D'it" (abbreviated of course). Why that word works is beyond me, but it does.

One peeve of mine is people who have dogs and leave them tied up outside. What's the point of having a dog as a pet if you leave them outside tied to a post or a tree?

*To your response from the post you quoted*

While my puppy is allowed on the furniture(when I invite him) I can understand why some people don't allow it...Hair can get everywhere and claws can damage it. It depends on the person(health issues) if they want to roll around on the ground with their dog; I feel like it forms a greater bond if you do so, so I do...If he/she gets to0 rough, put it in it's place by putting the dog on it's side by grabbing it's neck. That's just an extra way of showing your dominance over your dog.

*To your last paragraph*

Chaining a dog up in the back yard ****es me off to no avail. My best friend from high school had a neighbor with a beautiful Husky that was chained up to a tree every second of it's life. Those ***holes didn't even feed and water it everyday either.

I was over there a lot and would jump the fence and play with it almost everytime I was over there. I would feed it and give it water all the time.

One day I decided this dog needed better than it's getting so I knocked on the door and asked them if they would like to get rid of it...The person that answered the door looked at me like I was crazy and not-so politely declined. I had thoughts of just taking the neglected dog in the middle of the night, but used my better judgement and didn't. I've never stolen anything in my life, but I know that dog would have loved to come live with me; he was way more excited to see me when I went out there than his owner, which is really sad.

 

[chezuki]

My dog bit me once, Ive bit my dog once, we are even and have not had any problems ever since.

+1
I had a husky that would nip at me when he was young. After a wrestling match that ended with him on his back and me placing a firm bite on the bridge of his nose, he never bit me again. You HAVE to establish dominance.

You can also grab their snout when they're playing too rough and make their top lip curl over their teeth. This make biting down on you uncomfortable to them which is a sensation they will remember.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I was playing with my dog the other day and although it is generally very well behaved, it started to play bite. I won't tolerate that, especially because we have young grandsons who visit. I tried correcting the dog by giving a verbal command. I noticed that the dog was wagging it's tail the whole time. My wife said that our dog doesn't respond to strong verbal commands because we hardly ever do that. We almost always give positive reinforcement. Our dog is pretty spoiled, but has it's limits. It isn't allowed on the furniture or in bed. We don't get on the floor and play with her. We try to keep it in it's place. I have always thought if I have to use corporal punishment on my dog that I have failed it. What say you? Do you hit or swat your dog on occasion when it does something you consider very bad?

I'll admit I used to do it. Sometimes I'd be pretty angry when I was doing it. A lot of times I'd feel pretty guilty about it later.

Now I've used Cesar's technique of holding the dog down in a submisive "puppy" position and firmly pushing spred fingers holding them down until they give up full submission. The fingers feel like mother's teeth and I still make it obvious I don't like what they did and I'm quick to punish in this manner and angry about it until they submit. Then it's bygones are bygones and act like nothing happen unless they repeat the bad behaviour and then it's right back on their back and finger/teeth in their throat with angry voice or even a growl if they've made me angry enough.

Watch a mamma dog when she's fed up nursing them and ready to break them. There's no game playing going on then and they learn quick the free lunch is all over. With Cesar's advice on it and imitating this I've been absolutely amazed at how fast they can learn what you want them to do.

 

[BE Mike]

Someone asked, "Why have a dog?" I guess there are a lot of reasons. One can have a dog trained to hunt. Others can have a dog trained to work, i.e. police work, herding, or rescue, etc. I have a dog now just for companionship. She makes me laugh at least once a day. I really like playing with her. I do believe in training a dog. I really think that a trained dog is a happy dog. I know that I'm happier with a trained dog. Mine does a series of around 10 tricks and also sits by her bowl at feeding time until given the "go ahead" to eat. She heels pretty well and walks pretty good on the leash.

My wife and I believe that people furniture is for people. We also don't want guests to be intruded upon by a dog who thinks he owns the house and furniture. I didn't tolerate ill-mannered kids when we raised them and certainly won't tolerate ill-mannered pets. With us, people come first. I don't roll around on the floor with the dog, primarily because I think it gives me more dominance over the dog. A dog that knows it's place is a happy dog.

My parents divorced when I was young and I lived with my mother. We had owned two big dogs before the parents split. My father ended up giving the dogs away. He took me to visit the dogs and the new owners had tied them up. The new owner's kids teased the dogs, and it broke my heart to see these big dogs turn from obedient, loving animals to tormented creatures that barked incessantly and became mean. I would never tie up a dog.

I think I'll try the guidance by some here who recommend turning my back and ignoring my dog when she play bites. She is very gentle and does have a terrific disposition, but the play biting has to stop. She only play bites on rare occasions when she gets overly exited.

I don't think I'll be biting my dog's snout. She puts that snout into some pretty disgusting places and eats some pretty disgusting stuff, including rabbit poop. So to those who do that eeeeuuuwwww, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

Thanks for all the suggestions, even if I can't get my head around all of them.

I

 

[MrsGungho]

I tried the water bottle trick with our basset hound, she just drank the water and then took a nap

Must be a Basset thing. Our male who, has been gone a year now, would do the same thing. Our female, gone 3 mths now, well it worked like it should for her, but she also wouldn't go out in the rain to potty.

Yes I swat my dogs, with a rolled up newspaper. It was said earlier, never raise your hand to the dog for punishment as they come to fear that hand movement. Always use an object, rolled newspaper, so they see the object causing the ouch, not you.
Had 2 bassets for 15 & 13 years respectively, now I have a 1 year old and a 4 1/2 month old Basset. They have all been trained the same and I don't have issues with aggressive behavior.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

Squeeze the lip to mimic the mother dog nipping that they do in the wild. This will go away as the dogs get older and the dog whisperer submission thing works with older dogs.

Dogs are like kids. Nonharming physical pain is what they respond to at a young age. Assertion of social position is what they respond to when they're older.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

If you were "inadvertently" I.D.'d and attacked by a "police dog"
-- that is, a trained (and "sworn" (LOL!!) dumb-animal under the
(supposed) control of a LEO -- and you were truly the innocent
by-stander, and you subsequently drew and shot and you killed
the dog, how would you expect to be prosecuted?? Pat

***Raises hand***

I'm confused...How does this pertain to the OT?

I'm just confused can I get a translator please I don't speak Pig Latin.

Translation. If a LE dog was to bite you by mistake. And you shot it. What would be the penalties.

My answer is expect to be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Which is a D felony.
Indiana Code 35-46-3

I chuckle at those here who say "don't abuse the dog" as if being physically rough with the dog is abuse. It isn't.

Most of the ones who said "don't abuse the dog" didn't say to not use physical correction. Just don't overdo it. ie My daughter gets an occasional swat on the butt, I don't feel that is abuse. If I were to use a cattle prod or pepper spray or beat her until she was limp imo that would be. And my dog gets the same swat on the butt or nose which again imo is not abuse, but if I were to kick the living crap out of it would be.

Chaining a dog up in the back yard ****es me off to no avail. My best friend from high school had a neighbor with a beautiful Husky that was chained up to a tree every second of it's life. Those ***holes didn't even feed and water it everyday either.

I was over there a lot and would jump the fence and play with it almost everytime I was over there. I would feed it and give it water all the time.

One day I decided this dog needed better than it's getting so I knocked on the door and asked them if they would like to get rid of it...The person that answered the door looked at me like I was crazy and not-so politely declined. I had thoughts of just taking the neglected dog in the middle of the night, but used my better judgement and didn't. I've never stolen anything in my life, but I know that dog would have loved to come live with me; he was way more excited to see me when I went out there than his owner, which is really sad.

If they weren't feeding and watering it imo you should of snagged it or at least reported it. One of the best dogs I have ever had, was given to me by someone who did just that. I didn't consider her stolen, she was rescued. The original owner was starving and beating her to make her into a "mean guard dog" The guy that took her told him if he didn't stop he would take her, he didn't so he did.

 

[southern.in.guy]

This sounds like this dog does think of as the alpha . This a respect issue the dog needs to know you are in charge. This doesn't mean you have to be mean just stearn and only give affection when the dog is in a calm state. If you haven't ever hit the dog a touch well usually work to snap him out of what hes doing wrong. Watch the Dogwhisper on discrovery channel he use's this. I breed American Pit Bull Terriers all my dogs are trusting and loyal family pets but they know who is the boss. I have three children and the dogs have to think that all humans in there pack are pack leaders. Its pretty amazing to watch a 3yr old have control over a 70pound APBT but if the dog is tought right it can be done. Your dog needs to be a dog frist and a friend second all dogs want a pac leader you just need to be that pac leader or he well asume the rule which sounds like whats going on right now.

 

[Benny]

If they weren't feeding and watering it imo you should of snagged it or at least reported it. One of the best dogs I have ever had, was given to me by someone who did just that. I didn't consider her stolen, she was rescued. The original owner was starving and beating her to make her into a "mean guard dog" The guy that took her told him if he didn't stop he would take her, he didn't so he did.

The problem is I was not over there enough to know if it was being fed everyday. I do know when I was there I very rarely saw food or water in his bowl. If it was sickly looking I probably would have taken it. It was a bit on the thin side, but it didn't look like it was being starved to death. Also, there were no signs of physical abuse...Just neglect.

BTW, I would consider your dog to be rescued as well.

 

[Benny]

I'm definitely now having second thoughts on the whole hitting your dog thing...

The other day when my son walked into the room and Leonidas growled and snapped at him, I gave him a good little whooping(open hand on his butt 2-3 times, but brisk).

Well, tonight, the spoiled little brat(dog, not son) had a better dinner than most people on this board had; 12 ounces of NY strip, cooked squash and zucchini(left over from last night), fresh carrots, apple slices, broccoli and a scoop of yogurt.

I walked over to him while he was eating and patted him on his side and told him how spoiled he is and he peed all over the floor; he's been potty trained since he was 8 weeks old...Apparently he hasn't forgotten about being punished last week.

If I have to swat him again, it'll definitely be with a rolled up newspaper or something besides my hand.

 

[infidel]

The key is not to beat him to within an inch of his life and scare him so bad that the next time he sees you he loses control of bodily functions.

But really, I haven't had much experience training dogs, but the newspaper/magazine instead of a hand sounds like a good idea that I will remember for when the time comes.