No dog deserves to be hit. However, the reality is different. Physical violence against dogs is still the order of the day in some countries in central Europe.
In this country, too, one or the other dog owner thinks they can punish their «töle» with beatings.
It is also commonly believed that a dog forgets to be hit.
However, the following article aims to make it clear that violence against dogs is a completely wrong approach that can have serious consequences.
In a nutshell: does a dog forget punches?
The answer to the question of whether a dog forgets hits is “yes”. A one-time «slip» will probably be forgotten by your dog if he otherwise feels comfortable.
But just one punch can do that relationship of trust disturb your dog in the long term.
The situation is different if you have your dog second-hand, from an animal shelter or from animal welfare.
This is where your dog can be so traumatized from hits by the previous owner or experiences on the street that you still have a lot of work to do.
the initial situation
Tips on how to deal with beatings or violence in dogs cannot be answered in general terms. So we’re going to look at different situations here.
Beats by previous owners
If you have your dog “second-hand”, he will certainly be shy at first when he moves in with you. This is completely normal.
After three to four days at the latest, your four-legged family member should have settled down to some extent.
However, he is anxious and afraid of peoplecan do that Abuse by the previous owner or overall bad previous experiences lay.
In this case your dog traumatized. Pay attention to what scares your dog, like fast movements, slamming doors, or similar.
Especially with dogs from animal welfare is theirs Little is known about previous history.
It’s going to be difficult, but with a lot of patience and affection, you can help your dog forget as long as he accepts you as the new pack leader.
How you can tell that your dog accepts you as the pack leader can be found in our article here.
I myself or a family member hit the dog
Many dog owners believe that corporal punishment is part of dog training.
But even apart from the upbringing, our four-legged friends, especially young dogs and puppies, just make a lot of crap, which annoys us.
Be it the dog chewed up Mum’s favorite shoes or destroyed Master’s TV remote control. You can slip your hand there.
Danger!
Violence against dogs is never justified. Neither as a means of education, nor as a means of punishment.
Clear rules and boundaries in a non-violent upbringing promise greater success here.
Dogs in particular that have been with their owner since puppyhood can usually be trained and socialized well.
The magic word here is gentle severity, consistency and patience. This is even more true for second-hand dogs.
Caution!
Especially with aggressive dogs it would be fatal to return aggression with violence. That would only increase the dog’s potential for aggression. This allows your dog to adopt negative behaviors, for example by your dog reacting aggressively towards cyclists.
When your well-intentioned attempts at parenting fail, don’t be afraid to have one dog trainer visit. This solution is a lot better than beating the dog out of desperation.
You should also examine yourself. are you up to your dog Does he accept you as the pack leader or is he just afraid of you?
If you quickly run out of patience and your hand slips easily, you should seriously consider whether a new owner for your dog might not be the better alternative in the final analysis.
Finally, physical violence is also a sign of being overwhelmed.
How long does it take for a dog to forget?
Contrary to popular belief that dogs quickly forget what they have experienced, they still have an amazing memory. Dogs are similar to us humans.
Bad experiences are suppressed, but are stored in the brain. As soon as a similar situation recurs, the memory is omnipresent again.
A one-off slip will not be forgotten by your dog, but overshadowed by the other positive experiences, so to speak.
Regular violence and abuse traumatize the dog. Within a short time, this can lead to the fur nose changing from a gentle and peaceful dog to an anxious and possibly even aggressive biter.
How do I regain my dog’s trust?
Giving your partner a loving gift because your hand slipped may reassure them a little, but it won’t make them forget what happened.
It’s the same with the dog, except that it doesn’t expect gifts and doesn’t understand verbal apologies either.
He will retreat after your punch. Give him the time he needs to be alone and don’t drag him out of his basket to pet him while he’s still in his frightened state. Feel free to do that later when he comes back to you.
Your dog and you are partners? You can regain his trust by continuing with your everyday life: going for a walk, being busy, cuddling.
Avoid situations that led to you hitting your dog.
Conclusion
Violence against dogs is a no-go. If you hit your dog, he won’t forget it either. It is now up to you how you behave in the future.
It is often more difficult with second-hand dogs. In many cases, only a dog trainer can help to normalize the traumatized animal to some extent.
What are your experiences? Have you ever slipped your hand or are you trying to raise a traumatized dog from a shelter?
Feel free to write us a comment.