orchid,

I speak only for me not for all Dom/mes but I never set a task that I feel she will have to fail at. There is an old saying that I will probably mangle that goes like this, "It is a wise general that leads his troops where they want to go, it is a great general that can inspire his troops to want to go where they must".

When she fails a task I set then I have failed her. Punishment is given to correct the behavor and adjust the attitude but when punishment is for a real transgression then it should never be enjoyable to the sub/slave.

Russell