I just have to get this off my chest and rant a bit. My boyfriends mum got a puppy a couple of weeks ago, and obviously is still "potty training" and learning. We went to visit yesterday and he peed a little on the carpet, my boyfriends mum swiftly got up pushed the puppies head/nose in his pee quite roughly and made him yelp and squeal, picked him up and took him outside, and when he came back in to his bed a few seconds later she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck which also made him squeal, yelled at him and took him outside again. When they eventually came back in he wasn't allowed off his bed even when he clearly went to go and have a drink, she just pulled him along by his collar to his bed or picked him up and chucked him on it! The poor thing was clearly scared and bothered by it he was shaking and didn't move after that he just went to sleep

I am a huge animal lover and I think all that was a bit OTT, I agree with discipline and training obviously but that, to me, was a bit much.

I heard them joke about smacking dogs noses with a newspaper and rubbing their noses in it before, but I didn't think anyone actually did it :/ it wouldn't be me anyway a strict tone and a trip out into the garden should be more than enough, along with puppy training pads etc.

Poor puppy. Well their not going to achieve what they want doing that for a start. What they will train him though is that his new owner's hurt him and hit him, which will teach him to be fearful, wary, anxious and aggressive as he'll associate hands and humans with pain. Rubbing a puppy's nose in it is cruel, old fashioned and not to the way to do it, it doesn't teach them what you want, the only thing it teaches them is their owner is someone to be afraid of, which is not a good start for a healthy, happy relationship with your dog.

Likewise with slapping their noses with rolled up newspapers, again this teaches them that hands mean pain, and some get snappy too, they associate something near their face as painful so snap at it to try and warn it off. Then your left with far worse problems when they snap at people and kids who stop to pet them, because they can't differentiate that one hand hits them with something and the other is trying to pet them nicely.

There are far better and much kinder ways of training a dog now, by positive reinforcement not physical punishment. Obviously you will get a dog that listens with physical punishment - because its scared of the consequences of not doing so, but it will be one very unhappy miserable dog. Training should always be fun to keep the dog happy and motivated. You get much more results rewarding the positives than chastising the negatives. Physically punishing a dog will teach it nothing except to fear its owner and avoid them at all costs.

How awful. As collie says it's not going to work, and it's only going to affect thier relationship with the pup. I'm guessing it's not a subject you'd be happy broaching? Perhaps for Xmas you could buy them the book 'perfect puppy' which gives some great, nice, training tips?

she shouldn`t have pets.

I don't think I have the words

Poor baby. And they are just babies, which need care and guidance.
Where did they get the puppy from, I wonder? Any caring breeder or rescue would be quite horrified if they knew this was happening. Good suggestion from Bazaar1 about the book. Education is needed here, if they are willing to listen.

I know, I just wanted to hug him, but at the same time he did pee on the carpet so I didn't want him to get confused and think its ok to pee anywhere. I will try to get the puppy book. Thanks all

That would make it sound like you believe punishment for peeing is more appropriate than a hug. Puppies do not know where we want them to go we have to just show them and they will get the message. If mine begin to wee I pick them up and hug them and put them where I prefer them to pee. Then wait until they go and they get a huge hug and loads of praise for being such a clever girl or boy.

Mollie got it within two weeks with just a couple of accidents and Betty got it in just 3 days !

They don't need telling off they are not being naughty or bad they are just not speaking your language yet. You would shout or tell off someone from another country just because they don't speak English so it isn't appropriate to do so to puppies either.

That poor puppy is being abused. I would remove it from her as she is unfit to keep an animal. i would also worry about who else she is abusing or has abused as treating animals poorly is closely linked to treating humans poorly.

The poor pup

The book sounds like a great idea, lets hope she's open to it.

It really is a fab book and easy to read, so it will look thoughtful but really might help them change thier ways.

That's disgusting, they shouldn't be allowed an animal. What would she do to a baby if it was laid down without a nappy and did a wee? It's just the same.

Puppies should be taken outside after every meal and nicely encouraged to go using a trigger word which they will learn to associate with it. Then they should be taken outside every hour as well and given lots of praise when they go outside.
Accidents in the house should cleaned up quickly with a proper cleaning product to remove the smell or the puppy will associate the wee smell in the carpet as the place to go. They can smell traces when we can't. The puppy should be put outside if it has an accident in the house but not unkindly and should not be punished.

Do they want a reliably house trained dog as quickly as possible because doing what they're doing won't achieve that.

Yes, she probably does the same thing to children.

You should call the social services and report her - just in case.

I'm sure they'll take it seriously.

I feel so sad thinking about a puppy being scared and hurt. I bought a West Highland White Terrier puppy a month ago, she's 12 weeks old now, and I'm using the 'clicker' method of training her. She still has accidents but I just clear them up and don't say anything, but praise her when she goes outside, use the clicker and give her a small treat. She mostly uses the garden now, but sometimes doesn't quite make it - but that's ok.

I wouldn't have been able to hold my tongue. Not a chance.

I used the clicker with my two. Second was much more hard work. Basically ignore if they go in the house. Praise like crazy and treat when they go outside.

Punishing does nothing.

I would have honestly torn her a new one.

Wow, if that had been me I would have rubbed her nose in it instead !!! Not sure quite how you kept your cool

Anyway, like others have suggested, if she is open to learning then get her a puppy book, or teach her how to clicker train or even reward train.

I had a 3 month old puppy in June this year and within a week she was housetrained to use the training pads (if door was shut and at night time) or go outside. Ignoring the pee and poo if done indoors and constant praise if done outdoors definately works.

Other than that, if she's not willing to take your advice, maybe try getting your boyfriend to have a word on the quiet.

Good luck !

Rubbing her own nose in it would produce exactly the same result as she has now.

The correct method is to take the dog outside A LOT - wait with it unil it does something - then praise it with petting and 'good boy' or 'good girl'. Maybe even a little treat like a pea sized bit of mild cheese.

The dog soon cottons on that that's what you want him to do, and will go to the door when he wants to go. Some take longer than others but this method works.

Yeah, i would've picked the puppy up there and then and walked out with him/her.

It all really depends on your boyfriends mother. Do you think she would respond if you tried to show her better ways of doing things? Like the book idea? Or do you think she's doing it deliberately? Because those two situations require very different advice.

I think people are being a bit harsh here, I'm the first to criticise those who use negative reinforcement, but going full force into this and saying you'd take the pup away is silly. Rubbing a pups nose in it, WAS the common thing to do not that long ago, as was walking them with a. Newspaper, it's not unlikely that the last time these guys had a puppy was back then, and if it worked last time it'll work again (in thier minds)c instead of shouting/stomping etc the op has done the right thing, held her tounge and asked for advice - which she's been given. Yes hy should be educated but if any of you were told in an aggressive manner that you were doing wrong for your pets you'd not welcome that advice would you?

There have been many threads on here where people say they've smacked thier dog for doing something, or yelled at it, or sprayed a cat with water for doing wrong. Those things are no different to rubbing a pups nose in it - they do nothing to help the situation. They are a negative association for the pup between you and x act and will only damage the relationship, yet many on her don't react int he same way as they have on this thread.

I actually trained my dog to use a litter tray

I agree taking the dog away is daft but way I look at these things is when we initially got our first puppy 1984 Barbara Woodhouse was the trainer on the TV her choke chains and rubbing pups noses in wee were the way many were training. Personally it looked wrong to us and we couldn't do it, so just a few years down the line positive training techniques started to become more the norm and now it seems like cruelty to even raise a voice. If those of us who lived through those times managed to change with the times then anyone getting a puppy now should be able to grasp this is wrong and there are so many resources out there now to find out what is best there really is no excuse to do it.


We did too, not always possible to take ours out due to vicious dog next door so rather than make them wait we now have them trained to use a tray. Not often but has been a god send on some occasions.

I think the hardback version of war and peace round her head would be more appropriate.

I have raised 3 dogs from puppy's, all housetrained in a matter of days.
I find if you give them regular access to outside, and make a fuss of them when they go in the right place then they soon pick it up.

Whilst I disagree with the boyfriend's mother's way of training a pup, this post is ridiculous.

By all means, the OP should try and find a way to broach the subject of more suitable training with the mother sensibly, maybe through the boyfriend, but social services...please!

the sad fact is that just like people listen to cesear, they listened to the negative type trainers, they were personable and showed what results you could have by mastering your dog - there are still numerous individuals that believe that. Whilst you are compassionate enough to not feel right about it, many are not, and owning a dog is hard, especially a pup and anything that will make it a bit easier for the owner will appeal to many.

I may be way off track but the negative trainers always seem to get on with people much better than positive trainers who seem more in tune with dogs than people.