On the subject of emotionally scarring or not, I am not sure if this in particular would be a scarring event, but I think a toddler or infant can be traumatized and affected deep within their psychological development even by things they may not later remember. While thinking on it, I thought of an incident with Tasha when she was a puppy, when she was shyly approaching a man and he suddenly grabbed her by the collar and pulled her the rest of the way to him, triggering a terror response in her. From then on she tended to stay out of reach of people and got upset with stranger's hands reaching towards her, and she developed a particular mistrust of men. Surely as an adult, she would not specifically remember the event that happened as a pup, and yet psychologically it had a lasting effect on her that became instinctual. Not all pups I believe would have the same reaction, but Tasha is deeply sensitive and always has been. I suspect it depends on the individual in people as well, and the impact the action had on them.
In any case it's a shocking thing for an adult to do and I believe potentially damaging. I hope the poor kids are put into a better situation.
ETA: Have to disagree with the previous idea stated that this is a "man thing" or has anything to do with the father being in the military. Anyone can be cruel.
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