After punishment, silence replaces understanding. The dog withdraws — not because it learned, but because it fears.
From the Series: Understanding Dog Punishment in China — A Behaviourist’s Guide
Punishment in China often comes from habit, frustration, and misunderstanding, not cruelty. Many owners genuinely believe these methods “teach” the dog, because they were taught the same way by older generations. But each method carries emotional and behavioural consequences that most owners never see.
This chapter explains the most common punishment practices — not to shame anyone, but to reveal what dogs actually experience.
1. Hitting or Slapping
Many owners hit dogs for toilet accidents, chewing, barking, or “disobedience.”
Why it happens:
- It feels immediate and “effective.”
- It’s what people saw used on children or animals growing up.
- It’s considered “teaching respect.”
What it causes:
- Fear of hands and sudden movement
- Flinching or cowering
- Loss of trust
- Defensive aggression
Dogs don’t connect the hit with the behaviour — they connect it with you.
2. Shouting or Yelling
Owners shout “No!” or “Bad dog!” believing the dog understands the words.
Why it happens:
- Frustration
- Emotional release
- Cultural belief that volume equals authority
What it causes:
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Shutdown behaviour
- Fear of human tone
Dogs don’t understand words — they understand emotion.
3. Dragging by the leash
Often seen in parks or streets. Owners drag dogs to force obedience or “teach” walking discipline.
Why it happens:
- Desire for control
- Impatience
- Lack of leash‑training knowledge
What it causes:
- Neck and trachea injury
- Fear of leash or harness
- Resistance and pulling
- Emotional shutdown
Dragging teaches fear, not respect.
4. Rubbing the Dog’s Nose in Urine or Faeces
This is one of the most harmful punishments still used.
Why it happens:
- Passed down advice
- Belief that smell creates understanding
- Misinterpretation of toilet training
- Confusion between human logic and canine learning
What it causes:
- Fear of eliminating near humans
- Hidden urination or defecation (behind furniture, under beds, in corners)
- Stress and panic
- Shutdown behaviour
- Risk of bacterial infection (especially with faeces)
Dogs do not learn from disgust.
They learn from safety, routine, and clear guidance.
5. Forced Isolation
Dogs are locked in bathrooms, balconies, or cages after misbehaviour.
Why it happens:
- Belief that solitude equals reflection
- Mimicking human “time‑out” logic
What it causes:
- Separation anxiety
- Destructive behaviour
- Emotional withdrawal
- Loss of trust
Dogs don’t “reflect.” They panic.
6. Tying the Dog Outside as Punishment
Some owners tie dogs outdoors for hours or overnight to “teach a lesson.”
Why it happens:
- Frustration
- Cultural norm in rural areas
- Lack of understanding of canine social needs
What it causes:
- Loneliness and anxiety
- Exposure to weather and insects
- Learned helplessness
- Aggression or depression
Isolation breaks the bond completely.
7. Withholding Food or Affection
Owners stop feeding or ignore their dogs to “make them learn.”
Why it happens:
- Emotional reaction
- Misguided belief that withdrawal teaches obedience
What it causes:
- Malnutrition
- Emotional distress
- Loss of trust
- Desperation behaviour
Dogs don’t learn from deprivation — they suffer from it.
8. Public Shaming
Owners scold or hit dogs in public to show others they’re “responsible.”
Why it happens:
- Saving face
- Social pressure
- Desire to appear strict
What it causes:
- Fear of strangers
- Social anxiety
- Damaged confidence
Punishment becomes performance — not education.
9. Human Role‑Play Punishment (“Demonstration Training”)
This is one of the most disturbing and misunderstood methods.
One partner crouches like a dog next to the dog.
The other pretends to give medicine.
The “dog partner” resists or turns their head away.
The “owner partner” slaps them hard across the face.
After the slap, the “dog partner” accepts the medicine.
They then repeat this pattern with the real dog.
Why it happens:
- They believe they’re “showing” the dog what will happen.
- They think pain creates obedience.
- They confuse fear with learning.
What it causes:
- The dog complies out of fear, not understanding.
- The dog becomes anxious around hands, faces, and medicine.
- The relationship shifts from trust to survival.
Yes — the dog “co-operates.” But it is fear‑based compliance, not learning.
Closing Thoughts for Part 2
These punishments are not born of cruelty — they’re born of misunderstanding, habit, and emotion.
Most owners genuinely love their dogs but lack the education to understand what these actions do.
Part 2 is not about blame.
It’s about awareness.
In Part 3: Why Punishment Fails, we’ll explore the science behind learning — how fear blocks understanding and how trust builds behaviour.