My Husband Uses the Family Dog as a Discipline Tool Against Our Kids. It’s Sickening.

My husband “Evan” and I have a 6-year-old daughter, “Zara,” and a 3-year-old son, “Preston.”  A little over a year ago we got a cocker spaniel puppy, “Larry.” For the past six months, whenever the kids don’t comply with something Evan tells them to do or do something they aren’t supposed to do, he threatens to return Larry to the dog breeder, resulting in them becoming hysterical and begging me not to let their dad get rid of the dog. Zara and Preston aren’t out-of-control monsters; these are just normal little kid things, like forgetting to put away their toys or not wanting to eat their vegetables. I have said as much to Evan and asked him to stop, but his answer is that it gets instant results, so he won’t “get rid of the most effective tool in the parenting box.” It may get the desired result, but I hate seeing my kids despondent on a routine basis and think what Evan is doing is cruel and psychologically harmful. What can I do here?

—Dog-Tired of This

https://slate.com/advice/2024/11/dog-discipline-care-and-feeding.html