I have, as I said, a very mixed view of corporal punishment.
One of my step-fathers (who came from a very different tradition on the subject) hit me with a belt a couple of times. It hurt, a lot. Had it been more than twice in the five years, it might have bordered on abuse.
We're still close, and I know why he did it, but I think he was wrong.
My mother would, on rare occasions (and never past the age of about 11) paddle us with a wooden spoon. I think I could probably recall the times, and the reasons. The threat of the spoon (rattled in drawers when we were too rowdy) was probably more useful to general order than it ever was.
It stung. One rubbed one's bottom for a few minutes.
I have, as an NCO, used the tap to the back of the head to get a troops attention. What I can't see is using pain to teach my kid.
As you say, I don't do it with my dog (though I have to say it might not be so bad for Dobson. If he has truly established an alpha relationship with his dog. The one time I pounded on Oliver, it was out of fear and frustration [I was afraid he was going to injure a horse, or get stomped... when I got him out of the stall I was crying and punching him... I don't think I have ever felt so sad and self-guilty and relieved in my life. He just lay there and took it. Mind you, it wasn't a belt). I've seen large dogs cowed by little people It helps the person to have been in charge since the animal was a puppy).
What I am afraid of the blurring of the lines. When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.
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Re: Not only that, he beat the dog in a total frenzy!
Date: 2005-03-01 04:31 pm (UTC)One of my step-fathers (who came from a very different tradition on the subject) hit me with a belt a couple of times. It hurt, a lot. Had it been more than twice in the five years, it might have bordered on abuse.
We're still close, and I know why he did it, but I think he was wrong.
My mother would, on rare occasions (and never past the age of about 11) paddle us with a wooden spoon. I think I could probably recall the times, and the reasons. The threat of the spoon (rattled in drawers when we were too rowdy) was probably more useful to general order than it ever was.
It stung. One rubbed one's bottom for a few minutes.
I have, as an NCO, used the tap to the back of the head to get a troops attention. What I can't see is using pain to teach my kid.
As you say, I don't do it with my dog (though I have to say it might not be so bad for Dobson. If he has truly established an alpha relationship with his dog. The one time I pounded on Oliver, it was out of fear and frustration [I was afraid he was going to injure a horse, or get stomped... when I got him out of the stall I was crying and punching him... I don't think I have ever felt so sad and self-guilty and relieved in my life. He just lay there and took it. Mind you, it wasn't a belt). I've seen large dogs cowed by little people It helps the person to have been in charge since the animal was a puppy).
What I am afraid of the blurring of the lines. When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.
TK