My puppy is biting and scratching after kennel abuse. How to help?

Question

I had to leave Deuce with a kennel service because I had to leave on business and couldn't take him with me. I've been gone for about two weeks and I found out that one of the employees had been abusing him. Is there anyway to reverse his aggressive behavior towards me when I tell him no and try to redirect him? He has both scratched and bitten me since I've had him back. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 7 days old | 21.8 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

I'm so sorry you and Deuce have had such a bad experience. Some dogs do very poorly with negative reinforcement and as you have seen can develop inappropriate responses that escalate the situation. From your post, it appears that Deuce is a puppy, so you have plenty of opportunity to correct this behavior. First, I would eliminate all negative reinforcement techniques. This means that you have to ignore all bad behavior (unless it could cause Deuce physical harn), but positively reinforce all good behavior (with treats and praise). For example, if Deuce is chewing on your shoe, ignore that behavior, but call him over to you and have him sit for a treat. This technique may be enough to reverse his behavior of scratching and biting since it is new behavior. Be sure not to put yourself in a situation where you get bit. However, I would also recommend doing a puppy obedience class with Deuce to help you work on your bond. If that simple positive reinforcement technique does not work, I would recommend asking your vet for a recommendation for a trainer. You might need to employ some more advanced training techniques. But be sure to do them sooner rather than later. The first 12 weeks of a puppy's life is the most important for socailization and behavior training. Good luck! Please let me know if that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My puppy is biting and scratching after kennel abuse. How to help?

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