ScarletRose: Honestly..when he was little he NAILED me BAD and yes,it was just a natural reaction that I popped him,soflty THANK GOODNESS because I did it without thinking.I did it as a natural refelx to the sudden pain.She stood there while he was biting her ankles so the hit wouldn't have been a "refelx action" it would have been a dileberate hit to him.I suggested that since my husband came out,he should have taken the dog and put him in his crate for a few minutes so the dog could settle down.A dog does not understand being hit as a form of punishment.