Wow.. I was kind of surprised to read this thread... But I was appauled at your response on hitting your baby
. You keep saying that you're not hitting her hard enough to hurt her... does that justify your actions?? I can't believe you think this is ok. Any dog can be trained through a stern NO and positive reinforcement. Just ask Victoria Stilwell. Besides she's 4 months thats only a BABY!!! Do you really expect her to be perfectly trained and 100% obedient at such a YOUNG age?? I mean we as humans aren't fully potty trained (on average) until about 2-3 YEARS of age and most of us never are 100% obedient. Most dogs are potty trained and very well behaved by the age of 1 or less, so the least you could do is work with her and give a LITTLE BIT OF TIME to learn. I can't believe that we as humans feel we even have the right to lay a harmful hand on another precious life... I don't care if its just a tap, it was done for the wrong reasons. Coming from a house where "physical discipline" (if thats what you want to call it) was used everytime I made a mistake. I feel very strongly about this. I'll spare you the details, but because your baby can't speak up and tell you what you are doing IS WRONG then I will join everyone else in saying that WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS WRONG! Please don't hit her.. How would you like it if someone was there hitting you every time you used the bathroom because you had to go??? I mean that's what you are doing to Sparta she's a baby and when she's got to go she's got to go, so if she uses it in the house that's your fault. You should've been watching her.
Another thing... you keep saying how your father did this and that with his dogs. Well just let me say... your father got lucky. Most dogs don't really tolerate "physical discipline" very well. I mean after a while they get tired and snap. And who could blame them??? Wouldn't you get tired of someone hitting you for doing things that were natural to you. Instead of them telling you what you did was wrong and showing you how to fix it?? Doesn't that just sound way better than being hit?? Every dog is different, Sparta is only a helpless harmless baby right now, but you can't continue to be physical with her. Who's to say she won't be the one to snap?? A dog can only take so much (the same goes for humans)... I guess what I'm saying is just put yourself in her place... Lets see how you take to being hit.