Animals are a bliss of life; they are silent creatures who show love and nurture happiness in many ways. Hence, many people choose to pet them due to extreme love and joy.
Petting animals, from dogs and cats to rabbits and guinea pigs, is quite common in the modern-day era; one can pet any animal.
However, petting an animal is an ongoing process because, just like kids, they need care and training, too.
For those interested in more unique pet choices, our article on animals that start with t explores some fascinating options.
Similarly, owners sometimes hit their pets while petting to create fear and discipline.
Many humans consider their pets children and teach them various things, so they sometimes hit them. However, do you think there is legal protection for pets regarding cruelty?
If not, then today, we will discuss the legal aspects behind hitting a pet and what you should know about the same if you are a beginner.
Legal Aspects of Hitting a Dog: State-wise
As we have already discussed, many people consider their pets as their children; hence, they teach them discipline so that they are obedient in front of others and behave in a certain way.
However, as per certain laws, hitting an animal is considered cruelty. Animal cruelty is generally decided as per the state and the force used while hitting them. Sometimes, hitting an animal can be as easy as spanking them a little, but some can use physical equipment to train them.
For instance, if we talk about Massachutues, torturing, tormenting, and hitting a dog is forbidden by animal cruelty law. Another example of North Carolina also states that it is forbidden to torture an animal, and it depends on how hard the hitting is.
A small peck or little spank will not be considered the same, but a stick used to hit an animal that causes injury, pain, or even death can lead to animal cruelty.
How to Teach Your Animal Discipline?
The best way to teach your animal discipline is by a muzzle or by spanning them slightly in submission. We have also seen people use a newspaper roll to beat their dogs, which is also considered a simpler way to teach them discipline.
We have also seen people shock their pets’ collars for a little pain, which is also considered a form to teach them obedience.
Apart from this, many easy ways change as per the owner to teach their animals obedience and build fear.
If we look closely, nowadays, people have stopped using physical pain for treating their animals, but some acceptable ways can be used in this case. A finger spotting or a little shouting can also be used to show dominance.
Physical dominance can sometimes make them a little more aggressive, and they can stop being even a bit obedient. Hence, whatever method you choose, it should be effective not only in the short run but also in the long run.
Difference Between Positive Training and Physical Domination
Knowing the difference between positive training and physical domination is very important because it will help you take the right measures and decisions about your pet. Before wasting further time, let’s get started and learn the difference between them.
- Reward-Based Training: Reward-based training builds a strong bond between the owner and the pet. It builds strength, trust, and belongingness with each other. It will also help your pet respond to commands, encourage discipline, and respect boundaries. Lastly, it does not lead to any legal repercussions.
- Physical Training: It builds an inconvenient trust and distrust between owners and pets. It can lead to poor bond formation between the both. It can create inconsistent insecurities and take you to legal repercussions. You can even be in a bad position as well.
Conclusion
If we conclude it further, it can be rightly said that a pet is the owner’s lovable property; they are the kids humans adopt. We love them like our own babies and teach them discipline and obedience in the same way.
One can use various ways and forms to teach their pets a basic understanding of trust and discipline. Every action has its repercussions, so it is essential to keep boundaries while doing it.
Lastly, as we discussed above, there are various ways to teach your pets, the most common ones being reward-based methods or physical training. Both these methods are quite popular and used mainly for dogs and cats.
The reward-based is better as it builds a stronger connection between the pet and owner and has no legal repercussions. As a pet owner, you can use whatever you want, but keep your actions within limits.
