People have been arguing about the ethics of spraying dogs with water for years. Is it animal abuse or is it a necessary method for disciplining your pet?
The answer depends on who you ask. Some people say that using force against an animal is always wrong and should never be used as punishment under any circumstances. Others think that there are certain situations where physical discipline can be helpful in training your pet to behave properly.
Both sides of this argument believe they are right, but which side has the evidence behind them?
It’s the former. Almost every dog expert agrees that spraying a dog with water is abuse because it’s not necessary. There are far better ways to train your dog to behave properly.
5 Reasons Why Spraying a Dog With Water Is Wrong
There are a number of reasons why spraying water on your dog is considered wrong, among which the following seven are often cited by cynologists — people who study the behavior of dogs.
1. It Is An Ineffective Training Method
Spraying water is ineffective as a training method for dogs. Using force can actually make your pet’s behavior worse over time because it causes them stress that encourages negative behaviors. This kind of long-term anxiety can cause irreversible harm to your pet’s mental health which could lead to serious consequences down the line such as:
- Depression
- Aggressive outbursts towards humans or other animals
- Fear of water
Furthermore, there are many reports from veterinarians that show how physically punishing dogs for bad behaviors can have a negative impact on the dog’s health by giving them a more pessimistic outlook on life.
2. It Creates Fear of the Trainer
Spraying water is an unnatural training method because it causes your pet to act out of fear rather than respect. That makes it difficult for you to establish any kind of bond with them.
Furthermore, another downside here is that your pet is unlikely to listen to you unless there is an immediate threat present. Meaning that you will need a water spraying tool with you at all times in case you need to stop your dog.
3. It’s Missing an Appropriate Reward
Ask any dog trainer and they will tell you that the best way to train dogs is to implement a punishment and reward system.
So the method of spraying water is bad for your pet’s motivation because it only punishes them when they do something wrong. It doesn’t reward them when they behave well. This could lead to a lot of trouble down the road as curbing bad behavior through bad stimuli alone leads to fear, aggression, and anxiety for both parties involved.
4. Your Dog May Become Afraid of Water
Another reason spraying water is bad is that it may make your pet afraid of water in general, including rain or even sprinklers. What starts as a punishment can become an irrational fear that doesn’t go away over time and creates stress every time they see water.
It’s not just the idea that spraying water will be used on their body either. Dogs can become afraid of the hose or any other device that contains water. They may even develop a fear of baths!
5. Your Dog May Become Depressed
Negative reinforcement is known to cause depression in dogs, which could lead to abnormal behaviors like anxiety, aggression, and even self-harm. Fortunately, all you have to do to prevent all that from happening is never spray your dog with water.
7 Alternatives that Work Better than Spraying Water to Curb Your Dog’s Poor Behavior
When trying to curb your doggie’s bad behavior, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each bad behavior happens for a different reason and therefore requires a different solution.
Here are seven common unwanted dog behaviors and how you can train your pet to not do them.
1. Barking
Barking is normal for dogs. But there are times when your pet’s bark gets out of control. It could be because they’re bored or anxious and barking at everything that crosses their path.
A good way to deal with the problem is by using positive reinforcement like treats as a reward whenever your dog barks less than what you’ve set as an acceptable threshold. If they bark too much, you should simply use a command word, such as “stop” or “quiet”, to let them know that you want them to stop.
2. Biting
Biting is another common problem that can get out of control quickly. You can curb this problem by teaching your dog bite inhibition, which means decreasing the pressure they use when biting. This makes it easier for them to let go when they’re in a calm state of mind.
Furthermore, you should reward your dog whenever they stop biting because you told them to.
3. Jumping
Jumping isn’t really that big of a problem. However, some dogs can be a little too jumpy. Fortunately, this issue is easy to address. All you have to do is train your dog to sit on command.
4. Leash Pulling
Leash pulling can be difficult to curb. Once again, the best approach to get rid of this unwanted behavior is to implement a system of giving a reward when your pet obeys your command. You can simply use the phrase, “stop pulling!”. When you repeat it again and again, your dog will eventually understand what it means and will be motivated to resist their instinct to earn their treat.
5. Digging
Like many other animals, dogs love to dig holes in yards. Getting those holes fixed can take up a lot of your time. So to prevent that from happening, you can either use the reward system or get your dogs some doggy boots that will stop them from digging holes in the yard. Doggy boots can also prevent muddy backyard dog trails as well.
6. Chasing
It’s cute when dogs chase after something playfully. But it can also be dangerous if they chase after an object that could hurt them like a moving vehicle. So how can you prevent that from happening?
There are several ways you can go about it, including the following:
- Train your dog to come when called.
- Have a whistle or any other noisemaker that gets your pet’s attention immediately.
- Put a leash on your dog when you take them outdoors.
7. Inappropriate Excretion
Defecation and urination in inappropriate areas is a problem all dog owners face at some point. You should first try to fix this problem by setting one spot and using a reward system to train your dog to go there every time they have to excrete. But if this approach doesn’t work, you should call a professional for help. It may cost you some bucks but it’s worth all the hassle you will save.
Conclusion
Spraying a dog with water is absolutely unnecessary. It can even become abusive in certain situations. So you should avoid it altogether and use one of the seven discipline methods discussed in this post.
That being said, it’s worth noting that discipline and self-defense are not the same. If your dog is being aggressive, it’s absolutely okay to spray it with a hose or even pepper spray to protect the person or animal being attacked.
