I know how you feel about people saying you abuse your dogs! I got Lacey from the shelter and she had been there for a month, from 6 weeks to 10 weeks old. She was kind of fearful and submissive. (she grew out of both) When you would go to pet her, she was a bit hand shy. Even my own brother said "you can tell you beat this dog" Of course I set him straight and wasn't nice about it either!