08/16/2025
When the "problem" is rooted in instinct and mismatched environment how is constant intentional physical punishment as feedback fair?
Lets take livestock guardian breeds as an example. Im not an expert on these wonderful dogs. I have had the pleasure of working with a few and each has been described and presented as non motivated by food, toys or praise rewards, and have little interest in taking direction from a human.
Yes, each dog is an individual, but these breeds were literally created to function without human direction. Their “reward system” is not toys or treats or human praise, but the satisfaction of doing the job they were bred for: calmly watching, independently deciding, and protecting, its beautiful to watch.
When we transplant them into an urban environment, full of noise, traffic, strangers, fences instead of open land, we are asking some of them to go against every fiber of their genetic blueprint. And when they “fail” (from a human’s perspective), punishing them is acceptable?
We dont think this could add stress and frustration, and still fail at changing their internal motivation?
Worse, it can erode trust with a dog whose relationship with humans is already meant to be more equal partner not obedient servant.
The real problem isn’t the dog. It’s the mismatch between environment, breed, and human expectations.
You can’t punish away independence, suspicion of strangers, or a low food/play drive, those aren’t “behaviours,” they’re identity traits.
You can punish a dog enough to shut them up, you just leave all those emotions bubbling away with a fear of expressing them, how sad.
So, no: punishment doesn’t make sense here. What does make sense is:
Education for owners about what dogs are and aren’t.
Management strategies and finding suitable outlets to meet breed triats.
Respect for their nature, understanding them for who they are.
Careful rehoming, because some of these dogs simply won’t thrive in a city, no matter how much work you put in, (the same for some street dogs, home is a prision)
It’s heartbreaking to see people blame the dog for not bending to an environment they were never designed for.
I want to be clear some will adapt, some wont, each dog varies, but.......
Just like left-handers weren’t “wrong", some breeds/types of dogs when placed in urban environments cant cope, they’re in the wrong context and intentional physical punishment to make them " fit" just doesnt sit well with me.
