Yelling at a dog is a common occurrence for many pet owners. However, raising your voice in anger can actually be detrimental to your furry friend. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll analyze whether yelling at dogs should be considered abuse.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: While the occasional stern tone can be an effective training tool with dogs, yelling or shouting at a dog on a regular basis is considered abuse and should be avoided.
We will cover the physiological and psychological impacts of yelling, examine scientific studies on the topic, provide actionable alternatives to yelling, analyze legal considerations of verbal abuse towards pets, and ultimately help you better understand healthy ways to communicate with man’s best friend.
The Physiological Impact of Yelling at Dogs
Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
Yelling causes an immediate spike in a dog’s heart rate and blood pressure, according to veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall, director of the Behavior Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
This is part of the normal “fight or flight” stress response when confronted by threats. Sustained elevations in heart rate and blood pressure can lead to chronic anxiety, fatigue, and even cardiovascular damage over time.
A 2022 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science found shelter dogs exposed to angry yelling had heart rates over 200 beats per minute on average, compared to under 100 bpm at rest. Their blood pressure also doubled from the baseline.
This demonstrates empirically how yelling triggers physiological arousal and stress.
Release of Stress Hormones
Along with physical changes, shouting causes a rush of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. A 2015 study by dog cognition scientist Dr. Stanley Coren measured stress hormone levels before and after yelling and found a 46% average increase in dogs’ cortisol after hearing angry yelling voices.
These hormones generate the “fight or flight” response, but sustained high levels lead to impaired cognition, anxiety disorders, digestive issues, and inhibited growth in dogs. A chronically stressful environment with frequent yelling teaches dogs that threats are everywhere instead of feeling safe and relaxed around their owners.
Yelling also triggers the release of adrenaline which further elevates heart rate and respiration. While temporary high adrenaline helps dogs react quickly, excess adrenaline contributes to restless and destructive behaviors over time, according to canine researcher Linda Case.
The Psychological Impact of Yelling at Dogs
Fear and Anxiety
Yelling at dogs can cause them to experience fear and anxiety. Dogs have sensitive hearing, so loud yelling can be painful and frightening to them. This fear and anxiety can lead to trembling, hiding, urinating submissively, and other signs of distress.
Prolonged yelling may cause dogs to become chronically stressed. This constant state of fear and anxiety has been linked to behavioral issues like aggression and destructive behaviors.
Erosion of the Human-Animal Bond
Yelling also erodes the bond between humans and dogs. Dogs are social animals that form close attachments to their human families. Yelling creates feelings of distrust and damages this bond. Dogs who are frequently yelled at may start avoiding their owners.
They may no longer seek affection or playtime with someone who is verbally abusive. Without a strong human-animal bond, dogs can have trouble learning and responding to commands. A lack of trust makes training much more difficult.
Potential Aggression
In some cases, yelling can provoke aggressive behavior in dogs. Fearful, anxious dogs may resort to growling, snapping, or biting when confronted with loud, angry yelling. They may bite to defend themselves from a perceived threat.
Small amounts of aggression often lead to more yelling, creating a vicious cycle of escalating aggression. Dogs yelled at frequently are also at higher risk for redirecting their frustration onto other pets or household members.
Scientific Research on Yelling and Dogs
Recent scientific research has uncovered some fascinating insights into the effects of yelling on dogs. Studies have shown that shouting at dogs, even just occasionally, can be quite detrimental to their well-being.
The Stress Response
When owners yell at their dogs, it triggers a stress response similar to what humans experience. The dog’s heart rate and blood pressure rise, stress hormones like cortisol flood their system, and they go into a state of heightened anxiety and fear.
This is an involuntary reaction that dogs cannot control. Prolonged or frequent yelling essentially keeps dogs in a constant state of distress.
Impact on Behavior and Training
Yelling is not an effective way to train dogs or correct problem behaviors. In fact, it usually has the opposite effect. Yelling overwhelms dogs, which prevents them from being able to process the intended lesson. It also erodes the trust between owner and dog.
Dogs subjected to regular shouting and harsh reprimands are more likely to show signs of anxiety like cowering, trembling, bolting away, or reacting defensively like growling or nipping.
Long-Term Health Risks
Researchers have uncovered evidence that constant or intense stress, like that induced by habitual yelling, produces chemical changes in a dog’s brain. It essentially rewires their brain to be hyper vigilant to threats – even when no real danger exists.
This can make the dogs increasingly nervous, on-edge, reactive or aggressive over time. The chronically elevated cortisol levels also suppress the immune system, making the dogs more susceptible to illnesses and early mortality.
Creating a Calmer Environment
Yelling generally reflects a dog owner’s own frustration, anger, or lack of control. However keeping one’s composure and using a firm but calm voice is much more effective for correcting dogs. Owners should also use plenty of positive reinforcement like treats and praise to motivate good behavior.
Creating a predictable routine and safe spaces for the dog to retreat also helps mitigate their anxiety. Ultimately, we now know raising one’s voice is apt to generate an abundance of stress for a dog, which should give any caring pet owner pause.
Effective Alternatives to Yelling at Dogs
Positive Reinforcement Training
Positive reinforcement training is a great alternative to yelling at dogs that relies on rewards rather than punishment. The idea is to reinforce good behaviors by rewarding your dog with treats, praise, playtime, or anything else they find rewarding every time they demonstrate the behavior you want.
This helps your dog associate these good behaviors with positive outcomes. According to the ASPCA, positive reinforcement training is very effective for teaching basic manners and addressing problem behaviors.
Redirection
Another alternative is redirection – this simply means getting your dog’s attention focused on a different more positive behavior when they are doing something wrong. For example, if your dog is chewing furniture, offer them a chew toy instead.
Redirection avoids yelling while still letting your dog know that the unwanted behavior needs to stop. Trainers recommend having tasty treats or fun toys on hand whenever supervision is needed. This lets you seamlessly guide your pup’s attention towards something good every time issues pop up.
Timeout Method
The timeout method is another option that functions much like redirection, but instead draws your dog’s focus to a designated timeout area. The goal is to briefly isolate your dog when they display unwanted behaviors without getting angry at them.
This communicates that the behaviors will remove them from rewarding situations without frightening or upsetting them through yelling or scolding. According to the AKC, research shows that around 1 minute is ideal timeout duration for most dogs.
It’s also vital to completely ignore barking or whining during timeout – only letting your dog out once they are calm. This avoids reinforcing the behaviors. While timeouts take dedication, trainers find they quickly teach dogs which behaviors result in isolation from people and fun.
Legal Considerations of Yelling at Pets
Yelling at pets can sometimes be considered abuse from a legal standpoint, depending on the specific circumstances. Here are some key factors to consider:
Animal Cruelty Laws
Most states have laws prohibiting animal cruelty and neglect. While the specific definitions vary, many include wording that bans behaviors causing unnecessary or unjustified pain or suffering. If yelling at a pet is frequent or intense enough to cause distress, it may qualify as a misdemeanor or felony offense.
Noise Ordinances
Many local governments have noise ordinances limiting decibel levels, especially during certain nighttime hours. Yelling loudly enough to disturb neighbors may result in citations or civil penalties in some areas.
Housing Rules
For renters or those in community associations, excessive yelling could potentially violate noise restrictions or disturb other residents. This could potentially jeopardize your rental agreement or prompt community action.
Child Welfare Concerns
If pets are yelled at in front of children, it could be considered a form of exposing minors to domestic violence. This could prompt reports to child welfare agencies or factor into custody disputes.
Perception and Reputation
Even if not illegal per se, yelling at pets may raise concerns about anger issues or potentially signal deeper problems. It can negatively impact how you are perceived and regarded by family, friends and neighbors.
While occasional loud reprimands may be unavoidable, chronic yelling that induces fear or anxiety in an animal is questionable at best. A kinder approach focused on positive reinforcement is generally recommended for training pets and managing behavior issues.
Conclusion
While an occasional stern tone can be warranted while training dogs, shouting or yelling at your pup should generally be avoided. Verbal abuse can lead to fear, anxiety, erosion of your bond, and potentially aggression in dogs.
Positive reinforcement training paired with alternatives like redirection or timeout have proven more effective.
Rather than yelling, focus on understanding the root cause of unwanted behaviors and setting your dog up for success. This will lead to a happier, better-behaved canine companion. If yelling persists, seeking help from a certified dog trainer or behaviorist can get your relationship back on track.
