Does anyone else feel really guilty after yelling at their pet? (1 Viewer)

[Josh Lowe]

I have a cat who is pretty well behaved. I've had her for over 2 years now and I can count the number of times I've yelled at her on one hand. I had to do that tonight. There is a new plant upstairs, it's a big artificial tree in a pot with some fake twigs and grass or whatever around the base. It's behind a chair in the living room. My cat is fascinated by this tree and keeps jumping into the pot, and starts rooting around through the grass and "dirt". I keep shooing her out of there and she'll run away just long enough for me to go back to what I was doing, then get back into the pot. Finally, while I was in the middle of trying to eat dinner and watch the news, I saw her sneak back behind the chair and get into the pot again. So I stood up and I yelled at her "ERIN! I SAID GET _OUT_ OF THERE AND WHEN I SAY GET OUT, YOU _STAY_ OUT!"

Since I never yell at her, she's of course not used to being yelled -at-. So sure enough a split second later the terrified kittycat goes running out from behind the chair and down the stairs to hide, with a look like "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" on her face. And of course I sat there for 10 minutes, feeling terribly guilty for no reason.

I am such a pushover. She came back upstairs about 10 minutes later and sat on my lap and I apologized for yelling at her. But she hasn't gone for that plant again.

 

[Steven K]

Pets need proper punishment, just like human beings do. The only time I feel guilty about yelling at our cat is if I yell at her for something that isn't her fault. For instance.

About a month ago, she took a dump right in front of me, on the carpet. I yelled at her: "Isabel, bad cat!" and a few other things. However, she threw up about 10 seconds after that, and then threw up the entire day. We found out she was sick, and probably couldn't help it.

However, she does things that definitely warrant a good scolding... ie, not very often, but some times, she does. Sometimes, she even gets a spanking (not very hard, just enough to let her know not to do that again). The problem is that now days, you're looked at as being "wrong" or "evil" if you spank your kids or your pet.

 

[Philip_G]

man then I should feel extra super guilty for the shock collar then
but I don't

 

[Rich Romero]

Don't even get me started on shock collars and why they shouldn't be used. The fact that you used smilies in your posts pisses me off even more. I'm sure others will back me up. (Rain? where you at?)

 

[Evan Case]

I hate yelling at my dogs, which is why I'm glad all three are the most well-behaved dogs I've ever owned.

I do think that my Yellow Lab came with a guilty conscience though (my family adopted her at 7 or 8). All you have to do is snap your fingers or point to the ground (even if you aren't directing it at her or are even hostile about it) and she immediately squints her eyes and lowers her head in shame. I know for a fact the previous owner was not abusive, so who knows where she picked up this trait.

Of the other two, the Golden Retriever is too stupid to feel guilty (though I'd never do it, I know I could probably spank him and he'd immediately be willing to play again--the only thing that unnerves him is ear medicine), and the other one is too nice to do anything wrong in the first place.

Like Rich, I don't much care for posts supportive of hurtful implements to discipline one's pets.

Evan

 

[CaseyLS]

I like to play fight with my cat. Usually I just hold up my hand and he'll swing at it, then I try and hit his hand. Everyonce in awhile he'll charge and try to bite me so I have to smack him with my finger tips to let him know that was uncalled for. I usually try not to do it hard but sometimes I too get a little too into the game.

My dog on the other hand barks at night because we have some over-active squirrels in our yard because it is very close to the lake where they drink. We usually just have to yell at her to be quiet but occasionally we have to role up a news paper and tap, actually tap not hit, her on the nose. One time when she was young she snapped at my mom and my mom was already in a bad mood and she got whaled on. From then on though she has respected newspapers and my mom. We haven't had to spank her for a good 4 years now.

 

[Rich Romero]

My golden retriever is the same way. He's dumb in a funny way. He never does anything wrong though so I never need to do anything anyway. He hates his ear medicine also and is always rolling his ears on the carpet and kicking his legs in the air.

 

[Evan Case]

Yeah, he's dumb as a post but he's also my favorite dog of the eight I've owned in my lifetime. The most affectionate creature on the planet.

Evan

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

You should have heard me when I stuck my head out the back door to witness the dog tugging on a formerly buried but now severed coax cable, which fully explained why I suddenly couldn't reach any web sites.

 

[Rain]

Rain? where you at?

I'm here, but I'm just going to stay quiet and hope this thread gets locked.

 

[Jim_F]

I almost never yell at my birds. They seem to find it entertaining and look for ways to push my buttons.

Besides, I try not to say anything to them that I wouldn't want to have said back to me for the next 50 years.

Plus, they can yell louder than I can.

 

[Walt N]

Proper correction for a pet does not include yelling, spanking, or any other form of corporal punishment. Kids are different, they understand why they're being spanked or yelled at, but pets don't and these techniques are not necessarily effective. Go to any animal shelter and what you'll see is pet after pet who will cringe down and nearly crap themselves when faced with a raised hand or newspaper because some malicious or ignorant cretin smacked them around before abandoning them. I have two dogs that I rescued from a shelter, both were "spanked" by previous owners and still show fear to humans who assume a certain posture even after 6 years. I still managed to housebreak them and get them to behave without ever physically harming them, and there are a multitude of books that will teach you how to do the same. Part of assuming responsibility for a pet includes educating oneself on how to do it properly. A good pet training manual is not expensive and the techniques are not terribly difficult to implement, but they do require some time and patience.

 

[Josh Lowe]

i don't believe in hitting at all. maybe for a mid to large size dog a -light- swat with a rolled up newspaper, but there are better ways than that. and hitting a cat is just plain absurd and wrong. if i raise my hand my cat immediately rushes over expecting to be petted.

 

[Jay H]

I'd yell at my tarantulas, but I don't think they'd care either way. Bad spider, no cricket for you!
Jay

 

[Philip_G]

Don't even get me started on shock collars and why they shouldn't be used. The fact that you used smilies in your posts pisses me off even more. I'm sure others will back me up. (Rain? where you at?)

oh please :rolleyes
perhaps you'd prefer dissing your dog

 

[Dave Morton]

I have a bad dog that likes to go up on the kitchen counter and take food. She used to wait until we walked out of the room but lately she just waits for my back to be turned. I have a spray bottle handy and squirt her. She's better now.
As for the shock collar, I don't think there is anything wrong with it. Some villages won't allow fences to be put up and the only thing you can use is the electronic fence. The way I look at it is that there are a couple of devices and all are kind of cruel. You can shock them, pinch them, or choke them. Use whatever method works. For my dog, I need the pinch collar for walks. She could care less about being choked. Rarely is it ever used. It only takes once for her to realize that she shouldn't be pulling on the leash.
I certainly understand how others would be against some devices. I think those are the ones with the good dogs

 

[CaseyLS]

As long as shock collars arent just used for fun I see nothing wrong with them. A neighbors dog would always try and run away when it was young so the put a shock collar on him. They put on the lowest setting and only had to use it 3 times and the dog caught on. We used to have one of those electric collar fences and our dog learned to not go past a certain point. Once again as long as you don't turn it all the way up or use for your personal enjoyment, I have nothing wrong with it.

 

[Walt N]

Using a training collar to contain a dog in conjunction with invisible fencing or to correct a barking problem can be effective when other means won't work. I had to use one during specific training sessions to help with a late evening nuisance barking problem, but it's important to use these devices according to instructions and not just leave a sound activated bark collar on a dog all day long when you're at work. With either type the animal is surprised and frightened, but after the first or second zap they will respond to the tone that's emitted prior to the charge and avoid the shock altogether.

I believe this is better than having an uncontained dog hit by a car, or a barking dog being taken to a shelter due to noise complaints. When other means fail, they can be a necessary evil. Other may disagree. For me no other means of correcting nuisance barking worked, while the collar did after only a few observed training sessions. Fortunately I haven't needed to use it again for several years now. My objection above to an earlier post in this thread was over my interpretation of it's meaning. The way it was phrased seemed to infer a humorous aspect to the use of a shock collar and it's startling effect on an animal. I've removed my comments on that post giving benefit of the doubt and I'll assume I was incorrect in my assumption.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

wow. if my dog barks, i bring her inside.
and my dog barks a lot. i would never consider shocking her into not barking. she's a dog. dog's bark and dig holes. also, i'm glad my dog barks. she lets me know when someone is anywhere near the front of our house.

 

[Stefan A]

No, I have never felt guilty about yelling at an animal. Although, other then a quick shout to stop them from scratching, I never throw a tantrum at a cat. I find a water spray bottle to be more effective anyway. The animals don't understand what you are saying anyway. And the thing about apoligizing to an animal cracks me up. You are doing that for yourself - not the animal.

And, thank you Walt for your contribution.