Date of intake:: 9/9/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender

Previously lived with:: 1 adult

Behavior toward strangers:: She avoids, hard barks, and lunges at strangers. As she spends time with people she becomes tolerant

Behavior toward children:: hard barks and lunges at children.

Behavior toward dogs:: tolerant, friendly, playful, and outgoing around familiar and unfamiliar dogs.

Behavior toward cats:: No experience.

Resource guarding:: She values toys and treats. She protects these items by hovering over them with a tense body.

Bite history:: No known Bite history.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Mia is noted in the prior home to display a high energy level.

Other Notes:: She is reported to have general and separation anxiety. She is fearful of loud noises. On walks she growls, barks, and lunges towards strangers, cats, and other dogs. She is a social, affectionate, vocal, independent, dog. She spends most of her time in the bedroom. She allowed her previous family to bathe her, brush her, and trim her nails. She pulls moderately on leash. In her previous home she would go on five 30-minute walks a day. She loves car rides. She knows, "sit", "stay", "leave it", gentle", "spin", "down", "no", and "paw". She loves playing with squeaky toys, and looking out the window. She is not bothered when held/restrained, when woken from sleep, when pushed off furniture, when her paws are touched, or when her collar is grabbed. She is fearful when startled.

Date of assessment:: 9/11/2025

Summary:: Mia has exhibited significant fear-based and defensive behaviors since intake, including growling, snapping, thrashing, and biting at equipment. A handling assessment will not be conducted at this time.

Summary (5):: 09/16/25: When the handler approaches, Mia is lying at the back of her kennel. As the handler prepares the leash, Mia comes to the front and allows herself to be leashed without difficulty. During the walk, she scans her surroundings and displays fearful behavior- scrambling, and frequently stopping to look around, tail tucked. She is then escorted to the play yard. Once there, Mia repeatedly attempts to exit, persistently going to the door and pressing her muzzle against it. Although the handler redirects her, she continues to return to the door and repeat the same behavior. After a few minutes, Mia is escorted back to her kennel where she is unleashed and safely secured. 09/15/25 Mia is lying down in the back of her kennel as the handler approaches. She rises and comes forward willingly, remaining in front of her kennel door. Mia allows leashing as the handler uses a wide loop in order to drape down onto her, proceeding outside for a walk. Mia appears anxious exiting the facility as she pants heavily as she walks with hast. She is hyper-vigilant, scanning her surroundings as she commences her walk. Mia remains tense throughout her walk, being returned to the facility with no issue. Mia allows clipping to the leash outside of the kennel room and will enter her kennel with no issue.

Summary (6):: 9/14/25: Mia's behavior is consistent with 9/12/25, and still remains highly anxious when outside. Mia will heavily pant, seek exit at every door and on walks begins to increasingly become more anxious with more stimuli, (cars honking, dogs passing, people talking). Mia does leash easier than she previously has, but still remains fearful and anxious in the care center. 9/12/25: Mia is approached by an unfamiliar handler and instructed to do the same as the familiar handler did from the day before. Mia will stay at the back laying down, and will not approach the unfamiliar handler. Mia when the familiar handler approaches and crouches down, she begins to walk towards the front and allows the handler to leash her the same way. Mia walks out kennel with a low body, and slowly makes her way outside with staff. Mia immediately walks onto the sidewalk and another dog begins to react towards her, but she does not react and quickly walks past. Lot's of different sounds begin to happen at once, with a semi truck passing, dogs barking and men doing construction Mia was taken to the back pen to explore away from the noise. Mia explores her surroundings, hiding behind the familiar handler and avoiding interaction. Mia will peer off to the side and watch strangers and dogs pass, but will not react. Mia is clipped to her leash and taken back to kennel, where she thrashes a bit in the kennel room due to a lot of items on the floor and is easily put back into kennel.

Summary (7):: 9/11/25: Mia is at the back of her kennel, laying down pressed against the wall as the handler approaches and begins to scale her kennel wall. Mia begins to low growl at the handler, and the handler crouches down and begins to offer her high value food, tossed away from her as far as possible which she will sniff, but not eat. Mia will sit in the back and begin to look away from the handler, as the handler gets there leash off there body, Mia begins to head tilt with the door slightly opened. The handler does not look at Mia, and crouches next to her kennel door to see if she will choose to approach on her own. Mia when baby talked begins to slowly approach, sniffing the gap of the door and allows the handler to slowly place the leash inside of the kennel, and leash her over the back of her neck. Mia slowly crawls out of kennel, and is taken to the behavior office very briefly to sniff around. Mia is heavily panting, exploring her surroundings, and avoiding the staff inside the room. Mia is brought back to kennel after a bit with no issue, and allows the handler to clip her leash. 09/10/25 Mia is at the back of her kennel hiding behind her karanda bed. As the handler opens the kennel door, Mia begins low-gorlwing at the handler. Mia will bare her teeth at at the hnadler as they attempt to lassoe her. Mia will quickly rise and snap at the handler. Mia is eventually lassoed and she is taken for a walk. Mia exits the kennel, and will thrash slightly before exiting the kennel room. While on her walk, she attempts to pull away from the handler. She displays a still frame while walking aimlessly while panting heavily. Mia is returned to the facility where she will whip around and stare at the handler while panting, when the handler attmepts to clip the ring of the leash. As they enter the building, Mia begins to thrash and will do so on her way to her kennel room. Mia is placed in her kennel and she will attmpet to flee. A hook is used to remove the leash.

Date of intake:: 9/9/2025

Date of initial:: 9/9/2025

Summary:: crouching in far corner of kennel, baring teeth, growling, lunges at door when approached. Needed to

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),No cats,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): We recommend Mia is placed in an adult-only home at this time. No cats: Mia is noted in the prior home to growl, bark, and lunge at cats. We recommend she be housed in a home with no cats. Place with a New Hope partner: Mia came intot he care center as an owner surrender due to eviction. She is reported in her prior home to have general and separation anxiety. She is fearful of loud noises. On walks she growls, barks, and lunges towards strangers, cats, and other dogs. She is a social, affectionate, vocal, independent, dog. She spends most of her time in the bedroom. She allowed her previous family to bathe her, brush her, and trim her nails. She pulls moderately on leash. In her previous home she would go on five 30-minute walks a day. She loves car rides. She knows, "sit", "stay", "leave it", gentle", "spin", "down", "no", and "paw". She loves playing with squeaky toys, and looking out the window. Mia has not adjusted well to the care center environment and has exhibited significant fear-based and defensive behaviors since intake, including growling, snapping, and thrashing. She consistently resists leashing, often requiring a lasso or double leash for safe handling, and thrashes, yowls, or attempts to flee when being moved. In her kennel, she growls, bares teeth, and snaps when approached, and has attempted to bite the hook during leash removal. On walks, Mia displays high stress—panting heavily, pulling away, freezing in place, or whipping around to stare at handlers. Mia is available for rescue through one of our New Hope partners experienced in working with fearful, defensive dogs. A slow decompression period, force-free handling, and structured support will be essential to her long-term success.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Separation anxiety,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Kennel presence,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding:In her previous home, Mia was noted to guard toys and treats by hovering over them with a tense body. This behavior suggests a moderate level of resource guarding. Training should focus on building trust, teaching trade cues, and using desensitization techniques to reduce possessiveness and promote safe interactions around valued items.Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Handling / Touch Sensitivity:Mia exhibits significant sensitivity to handling, particularly with leash pressure. She thrashes and snaps when leashed, indicating discomfort and fear. Training should include cooperative care techniques, slow desensitization to leash handling, and reinforcing calm behavior during touch to help her feel more secure.Please see handout on Handling / Touch Sensitivity. Separation Anxiety / Anxiety: Mia was reported to have both general and separation anxiety in her previous home. Signs include restlessness, vocalizing, and difficulty settling when left alone. A structured routine, calming enrichment, and gradual desensitization to separation can help reduce her anxiety and build independence. Please see handout on Separation Anxiety / Generalized Anxiety: Low Threshold for Arousal / Fearful / Potential for Defensive Aggression: Mia has a low threshold for arousal and displays fear-based defensive behaviors, including hard barking, lunging at strangers and children, and reacting to loud noises or sudden movements. In the Care Center, she continues to show intense fear responses such as growling, snapping, and thrashing during handling. She often requires a lasso or double leash for safe movement. Training should prioritize safety, trust-building, and slow desensitization to handling and environmental triggers.Please see handout on Low Threshold for Arousal / Fearful / Potential for Defensive Aggression. On-Leash Reactivity / Barrier Frustration:Mia has been observed growling, barking, and lunging at strangers, cats, and other dogs during walks, indicating on-leash reactivity and barrier frustration. Training should focus on managing distance from triggers, reinforcing calm behavior, and using counterconditioning techniques to reduce reactivity.Please see handout on On-Leash Reactivity / Barrier Frustration. Kennel Presence:In her kennel, Mia growls, bares her teeth, and snaps when approached, showing significant barrier-related defensiveness.