No kids but I beat my dogs when they need it, which is very rarely. I nip problems in the bud whenever possible, which means they don't pick up many bad habits in the first place.
I think the last time I had to beat one was when he was absolutely losing his mind over a stray on the other side of the fence, even trying to jump it. I ended up having to tackle him, pin him on his back, and choke a little to get him to calm down at all. He's a shepherd though, so being overly protective takes some extra effort to overcome.