Image copyright @BrookeHouts

YouTuber Brooke Houts says she's "not a dog abuser" after publishing a video of herself appearing to hit and spit on her pet.

Footage uploaded on her YouTube channel shows the vlogger's dog Sphinx jumping up while she tries to film a trick.

Brooke can be seen shouting "no" before smacking and spitting on the Doberman. The end of the video shows her forcefully pushing Sphinx away.

The film has since been taken down, as has her Instagram account.

Image copyright @BrookeHouts Image caption Brooke Houts uploaded this photo to her Twitter account before the current controversy

In a statement on her Twitter, the blogger defended her actions and apologised to anyone "affected negatively" by the footage.

She said her "outside life has been less than exceptional", but that she is "not going to play the victim card".

The YouTuber, who has over 300,000 followers, has also insisted she's going to get Sphinx trained.

"I'm looking at ways to improve how I personally train him at home".

Brooke regularly uploads YouTube videos with her dog which get thousands of views.

Since uploading the film, Brooke has received backlash from followers and animal activists with some calling for YouTube to remove her channel.

Fellow YouTuber Logan Paul also tweeted to say Brooke's actions are "remarkably grotesque" despite him causing controversy last year by filming the body of an apparent suicide victim for one of his vlogs.

An RSPCA spokesperson told Newsbeat: "The footage is really upsetting to watch and a completely ‎unacceptable way to react to your dog or to train your dog.‎

‎"Use of aversive training methods, such as pinning dogs down, can cause pain and distress."‎

‎US media are reporting that the Los Angeles Police Department's Animal Cruelty team are investigating.

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