Hitting dogs: is it OK?

If  the dog does something that you dont like then you should hit yourself, that means you are not as good setting boundries and limitations to your dog as you think, that means the dog is lacking of something you are not providing for him, like excersice, mental estimulation, play time, etc. That means there is something you are not doing right
 
If is the first time your dog does that think that your dog was not born knowing what is right from wrong
 
Just like my sig says []

ORIGINAL: luvinmydoggies

Yeah, I like the "ouch" method.  Works real well with puppies to show them limits.  Very effective without being mean or violent.  It works with my older dogs, too.  If they play too rough, I say it strongly with a hurt "owie" tone in my voice and stick my bottom lip out and pretend to sob.  They respond very well to it.  I know it's kinda silly, but it works and I'm not hurting them at all.  Besides, how would a littermate show another puppy that they are biting too hard, they would probably yip, right?  Works for me!

Yes, it DOES work very well.  We have used this with Jack and he does not play bite humans--even kids that are asking for it.

ORIGINAL: espencer
If  the dog does something that you dont like then you should hit yourself, that means you are not as good setting boundries and limitations to your dog as you think, that means the dog is lacking of something you are not providing for him, like excersice, mental estimulation, play time, etc. That means there is something you are not doing right

 
You're full of it ^_^  It has nothing to do with boundaries, it has to do with frustration, and ANY frustrated dog will let you know he's frustrated, usually through some physical action.

If is the first time your dog does that think that your dog was not born knowing what is right from wrong

 
That sentence doesn't even make sense.

Just like my sig says []

 
Your sig is gramatically incorrect.
 

ORIGINAL: Charlie06

I NEVER hit my dogs.....When my puppy is missbehaving I sit on him.....I do not put my weight on him, but I do get on top of him and gently grab the back of his neck.  He immediately calms down and lets out a big sigh, then I know he got the message.  Whenever he gets out of controll I say "do you want me to sit on you"  and he stops it.....

Yet another reason why the disclaimers are there...[:'(] 
I'm glad I'm not your dog.  Instead of sitting on him, why not just train him? []

Folks, just popping in while I'm supposed to be working.....lets not get into personal attacks when we don't agree with a poster.  I'm kinda tired of Jaimes red ink.....

Well it wasn't a personal attack.  What I posted was true.  Not everything has to do with the dog having a "lack of boundaries", his sentence DIDN'T make sense, and his sig is gramatically incorrect.
 
Considering my dog and I are actively training in/competing in 5 or 6 different sports, he goes for long jogs EVERY day, etc etc, I'm pretty sure that my dog is getting enough physical and mental stimulation.  So when somebody infers that my dog doesn't know his "boundaries" or that he's not getting enough of this or that...it's obnoxious.  Even more so when (though veiled) dominance theory is being shoved down my throat[8|]

Ok I have a question that I have always been SO embarassed to ask but this topic fits so I'm just gonna spill it.
My dad who has the most obediant dogs, ya know the kind that wont pee, fart, or poo without his permission, anyhoo he bites his dogs when they bite him as pups to supposedly teach bite inhabition. They never bite as adults but I did try it on Rory one time (yes shame on me) OH MAN it was like I had offeneded her in the highest regard I actually cried.......i cant imagine how confused she was, a bite and then a cry......oh man

o.O  Did he watch snowdogs (man what an awful movie xD)?

Xeph?  I didn't say that I didn't agree with what you said.

So like i was saying, if a dog does something wrong is not the dog's fault, the owner maybe has to try harder, the owner maybe needs to do something different, maybe there is enough discipline but not enough excersice, maybe has enough of both but gives love at the wrong time, too many combinations to name
 
Mistakes happen and not because of that you will have to hit your dog, any dog came to this world knowing what to do from day 1

ORIGINAL: Charlie06

OK, this is my last post about this.  I only do this as a last resort when he is biting and won't stop.  I DO NOT actually sit on him.  I lay his on his side and to do that I have to get on top of him.  He is a big and strong puppy and I will not let him bite my kids. 
OK...you can continue bashing........ 

This is not the way to stop puppy nipping.  In fact, you could make things much worse.  Have you ever gone to puppy class?  If not, perhaps you should attend a really good positive training class in your area.  You will learn some new techniques that don't require you to be nasty to your dog (because that is what you have been, whether you like to think of it that way or not).  I'm not trying to bash you, but you are ill-informed, and need to learn how to do this properly so that you can keep BOTH your kids and dog safe.
And, if you aggress against him now, he may aggress back when he is no longer a pup.  If you love your kids, why take that chance?

So like i was saying, if a dog does something wrong is not the dog's fault, the owner maybe has to try harder, the owner maybe needs to do something different, maybe there is enough discipline but not enough excersice, maybe has enough of both but gives love at the wrong time, too many combinations to name

 
I disagree with this whole notion that dogs are somehow empty vessels that do nothing more than reflect the successes and failures of their humans. I also don't believe that every mistake or naughty thing a dog does is nothing but a handler mistake. I think that is an awful way to set you and your dog up to fail, imposes an unfair level of guilt and anxiety on the owner, and does not respect the dog as an animal with its own personality and will. Dogs are sentient beings and make their own decisions, how we shape their decision-making is really what training is about.
 
That's my off topic rant, my on-topic comment is no, hitting dog is not okay for all of the reasons already stated and many more. Despite his teeth and in some cases physical power, a dog is your dependent and you are the one in the position of power and control. Even if in hitting your dog you don't physically injure him, you're abusing your power, undermining your relationship, and losing his trust... why would anyone want to do that?

I also don't believe that every mistake or naughty thing a dog does is nothing but a handler mistake.

 
Ding ding ding ding ding!!!  If a dog is taught to go out, and to keep going until the handler says "Dog sit!" and the dog has come to do it 98% of the time, and then all of the sudden, the dog decides "Nah, not gonna!" it's not the handler's fault.  The dog understands what he is supposed to do...he's choosing not to.  And that's not the fault of the handler, that is the fault of the dog in this case.
 
Back on topic...hitting rarely conveys anything to a dog other than "Ow, that hurt!"  They don't connect why we smacked them with what they did, and I'm sure that's partially because we're inconsistent about a lot of stuff.  

ORIGINAL: Xeph

It's wrong and I refuse to see any situation where striking a dog or sitting on a dog will teach the dog anything. 

Schutzhund is an example.  The dog is hit with a padded stick and sometimes the hand of a helper, not to be mean, but to reinforce to the dog that he is NOT to let go, no matter what happens to him.

One also has to separate "Is hitting ok for discipline?" and "Is hitting ok for play?"  because I thump and bang on Strauss all the time, and he loves it.  He plays the same way with other dogs (and they do the same with him).  They run into each other, smack each other with feet, etc etc.

Have I hit my dog before? Yes.  Have I regretted it?  Of course.  I did belt him a good one once during agility because he bit me in the stomach...rather hard, and it was just a knee jerk reaction.  Would I hit him for "discipline" on purpose?  No.

 
Xeph,  good point.  I didn't consider Schutzhund, though most of us don't train our dogs in Schutzhund.  But that is a very viable point.  Thank you for clarifying this.

ORIGINAL: jones

I disagree with this whole notion that dogs are somehow empty vessels that do nothing more than reflect the successes and failures of their humans. I also don't believe that every mistake or naughty thing a dog does is nothing but a handler mistake. I think that is an awful way to set you and your dog up to fail, imposes an unfair level of guilt and anxiety on the owner, and does not respect the dog as an animal with its own personality and will. Dogs are sentient beings and make their own decisions, how we shape their decision-making is really what training is about.

That's my off topic rant, my on-topic comment is no, hitting dog is not okay for all of the reasons already stated and many more. Despite his teeth and in some cases physical power, a dog is your dependent and you are the one in the position of power and control. Even if in hitting your dog you don't physically injure him, you're abusing your power, undermining your relationship, and losing his trust... why would anyone want to do that?

 
No you are missing the point, if a dog gets on the bed you dont hit the dog to make him go down, you just teach him/her that behavior is not acceptable (if you dont like your dogs in your bed)
 
If a dog destroyed the couch, you dont hit him to make him stop, robably he is bore or anxious so you ste more lay time or give him more excersice
 
If the puppy was let alone in the house and pee al over, you dont hit him, you create him or take him out to pee before you leave
 
If the dog barks at your relative, you dont hit him, you redirect the behavior or make the dog trust the relative
 
You name it, everything can be prevented by the owner, if it happens once to teach, if happens twice maybe he did get it right the first time
 
The dog can have all the personality and will you want, is the owners job to let know the dog what can be done and what is not allowed and that can not be teached by hitting
 
Blaming the dog's personality or breed for the bad things that happen is and easy way out, is an easy way to get rid of the guilt for not fufilling the dog's needs