The thing that's really hard to remember when you're in the thick of potty training is that your dog is not having accidents to spite you. This really hit home for me when I started giving Thor special treats for good potties. He would get super excited and hang around the treats, trying to figure out how to get some... and then he would mark my coffee table.
So I don't think it's fair to yell at your dog or strike him when he has no idea what's going on. Even rougher trainers like Cesar Milan don't yell or hit their dogs.
I hope that you can develop some more patience and focus on more positive methods in the future (which have been shown to be more effective longterm, btw).
As for witholding water - Victoria Stilwell of Animal Planet fame recommends putting down ice chips so dogs can get a little water if they need it. This might not work super well in hot climates, but it's something to consider.
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