ron2
Posted : 10/6/2006 3:44:37 PM
There was a time in American schools where rapping children across the knuckles for inattention and/or simple failure to learn a lesson was an acceptable method of teaching. Paddling a child for minor transgressions of behavior was also considered acceptable. Later, it was found that children were fearful and resentful, had less respect for their teachers actual instructional methods, and learned less when these behaviors were employed.
That's how I was raised, with the paddle, tree limb, thick leather belts, stirring spoon, whatever was handy. I was fearful of getting spanked. The fear of getting spanked would sometimes keep me from doing something I wanted to do that might get me in trouble. That is, the punishment was stronger than any fun I might get out of misbehaving. My mother loved me, and I respected her and followed her rules, whether I liked them, or not, whether I agreed with her, or not. And there was motivation, at times, to make her happy. To do things that were responsible without being asked, to see her smile.
My mother is dead. My grandparents only live about 40 miles from and I haven't seen them since 1989. Growing up, they didn't spank us often. But I had to endure hours of psychological battering, and non-inclusion, and the promise of rewards that would later be denied. That is, my grandparents hardly laid a finger on me and I don't see them to this day. My mother, and step-fathers, who administered most of my corporal punishment are people that I respect and would still talk to today, given the chance. And I say that in honesty, not as a point of debate. My mother always kept her promises. If she promised you heaven, break out your halo. If she promised you hell, dress for warm weather. The spanking was to curb bad behavior by attaching a negative consequence to it. By learning to avoid the bad behavior and a spanking, I could do the right thing and be rewarded for it. Nor was it always a spanking, There was grounding, extra chores, removal of priviliges. Spanking was usually reserved for the high crime of lying, and any behavior that might be life-threatening, such as running into traffic after being told not to.
Most of the physical control I see described for dogs, including what is shown on that famous show, comes nowhere near the physical, or even psychological punishment of my upbringing. Again, I am not fearful or resentful of my mother and I still respect and admire her to this day, though she passed away on 3-14-87.
I'm not saying that dogs are like humans, either. I would never hit a dog. For one thing, dogs lack the abstract reasoning to understand what it means. They simply see it as an attack and either return right then, or wait for their moment to get back. But if I have to physically control one, I will, though I would rather use treat-training and endless repetition, if possible. In most training schemes, I think it is the attitude that is more important, though different dogs do respond to different motivations, etc.