If Elsie's totally over-stimulated, saying, "Elsie, SIT," a a loudish clear voice and touching the tip of one finger very gently to the base of her tail is the thing that will get her to come back to earth and sit down (even if she's barking). That's not punishment, I don't think; she doesn't act like it bothers her, and there's really no way touching her gently there hurts her. But, I could see how you could do basically the same action and call it the same thing but do it in a painful way.
There's been a couple times I've lost my temper and gotten physical with Elsie in anger, and I really deeply regret them, both in a purely moral way and because she's the softest dog I've ever lived with, hands down.
Elsie is pretty hung up on me, and it makes me feel awful that I might fail to be as wonderful as she thinks I am. I adore that dog, and I want to be the person she thinks I am. Growing up, I had a terribly temper, and Elsie really is actually helping me overcome that, because getting angry with her doesn't work. It just crushes her.