The Negative Effects of Animal Punishment

Animals often act in unruly ways: relieving themselves where they shouldn't, tearing holes in clothes and hanging out on the sofa when you don't want them to. It may be tempting for pet owners to punish animals who exhibit unwanted behaviors. An owner may wonder what harm a quick swat on the butt will do. However, punishing animals can have unintended negative consequences, according to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.

  1. Fear

    • Negative punishment can make animals fearful of their owners and maybe even people in general. Animals lack the logic that humans possess and may not understand why you're punishing them. They may begin to fear the person who punished them and ultimately distrust that person. This fear can lead to distrust or fear of an animal's surroundings. An animal, instead of feeling happy and joyful, may start to express fear as its predominant emotion.

    Increase Unwanted Behavior

    • Pet owners may punish their animals to show them which behaviors to avoid. However, punishment can actually make animals persist doing the unwanted behavior, according to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Consistency is key when training animals. If your method of training involves punishment, then you must punish your pet every time. If you don't punish your pet, it will see the lack of punishment as a reward. Since animals respond more to positive reinforcement than negative, they may repeat the behavior in the hopes of an eventual reward.

    Aggression

    • Animals subjected to punishment may become aggressive. Aggression can range from growling or barking to more dangerous behaviors, such as lunging, biting or scratching. Once an animal crosses the line and become aggressive, a problem is created that must be addressed. Aggressive behaviors may become dangerous to humans, and may even result in having to euthanize the dog. At the very least, an aggressive animal causes stress to its owners.

    Impact Relationship

    • Most people bring animals into their homes to enrich their lives and experience the unconditional love that a pet offers. However, your animal will associate you with punishment you give and the association may impact your relationship, according to animal behavioralist Kellie Snider. Your pet may avoid interacting with you and may run the other way when you call its name. If punishment damages the relationship you have with your pet, extra effort may need to be taken to repair it.