Date of intake:: 11/13/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, No known history

Date of assessment:: 11/17/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social Call over: Approaches handler readily Sociability comments: Jumps up on handlers often and attempts to mounty Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Jumps up on handler often Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler readily Knock Knock comments: Approaches handler readily Toy Toy comments: Sniffs, No reaction

Summary:: 11/25/25: Melvin greets another dog at the gate with soft body and wagging tail. He becomes frustated and vocalizes.

Summary (6):: 11/28/25: Melvin is at the front of his kennel with a soft body; he jumps and stays on the kennel door as the handler approaches. The handler uses treats as a lure and leashes Melvin and brings him out the room. On the street, Melvin walks ahead, pulling forward. When seeing other dogs, Melvin stares at them with a neutral body and attempts to pull in their direction. He shows no interest in passersby. When the handler attempts to pet Melvin, he dodges their hand. Before entering the room, the handler tosses treat to Melvin; they then created a treat trail and then tossed a few treats in Melvin's kennel. Once he is inside his kennel and the handler closes the door, Melvin immediately jumps up and bites and holds the leash. After Melvin readjusts his bite, the handler tosses a lot of treats in his kennel. Melvin lets go of the leash and the handler is able to remove it from him and the kennel. When locking the kennel, Melvin jumps on the kennel door and looks at the handler. 11/26/25: Melvin is alert barking as handler approaches kennel. Melvin takes treats offered, is neutral bodied and easily leashed. Melvin exits with moderate pulling, becomes mild on sidewalk. Melvin visually fixates on dogs seen on walk, is not able to verbally cued to redirect, but maintains walk pace with handler, head turned toward dog. Melvin takes treats offered, is aloof with handler. Upon return and re-entering kennel, Melvin turns around bites and holds the leash. He does release when treats are dropped in but he immediately grabs the leash again. After several attempts the leash is finally removed. 11/25/25: Melvin was being returned to kennel by another handler. He began to walk slower the closer he was to kennel. Handler makes a treat trail to return Melvin to kennel. Treats are tossed into the kennel and as the leash is removed Melvin quickly turns towards the handler and grabs the leash. Handler quickly closes the kennel door. Melvin remains at the front with a furrowed brow, panting. Interaction was ended. 11/23/25: Melvin is reported to begin leash biting when returning back to kennel.

Summary (7):: 11/19/25: Melvin is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches, he is offered treats and accepts them exuberantly before standing and jumping at the kennel door while vocalizing. He is difficult to redirect using treats and handler has to consistently coax Melvin using treats for him to become distracted, eventually he is leashed and removed from kennel. Melvin pulls hard out the room and walks with handler out to the street for his walk. While outside he continues to pull hard and will pull toward people he passes during his walk. When seeing a dog from afar he briefly fixates on them but loses interest shortly after line of sight is broken. Melvin will briefly stop to sniff spots on the street and to relieve himself, after a while he is brought back inside and returned to kennel following tossed treats. 11/18/25: On whiteboard it is noted spray cheese is the best way to leash Melvin. 11/16/25: As handler approaches the kennel, Melvin is at the front with a soft and wiggly body. As handler attempts to leash, Melvin would attempt to push out between the handlers legs. He is then easily leashed using a treat lure and then taken for a street walk. He would have a mild pull throughout the walk and would sniff around to relieve himself. He would continue the walk and would watch people walk by with a neutral body. He is then easily returned back to the shelter and placed in his kennel with ease. 11/15/25: As handler approaches Melvin's kennel, they would call his name, and he would become loose and wiggly. He would sit for the handler and allow himself to easily be leashed and removed from the kennel. He would then have a mild pull out of the room and be taken to the yard, where he would relieve himself and become loose-bodied again. Shortly after, he would then jump onto the handler soliciting pets. Melvin would then spot a dog barking in his direction, and he would slightly tremble but would walk the opposite direction with the handler and become soft-bodied again. He would remain social with the handler and continue the walk with no issue; he was then easily clipped and returned to his kennel with no issue. 11/14/25: Melvin is lying on his kuranda bed upon approach. As he looks at the handler, he slowly approaches the front and allows himself to be slowly leashed. Melvin is then removed from his kennel and would have a mild pull out of the room towards the yard. While out in the yard, he would walk around with a tense body, and as the handler called him, he would begin to visibly shake. Handler attempts to coax him using treats and a squeaker, which he then ignores. He would then relieve himself in a corner and would continue the walk whilst ignoring the handler. Shortly after, he is then clipped and easily returned to his kennel.

Date of intake:: 11/14/2025

Summary:: Growling and barking at handlers

Date of initial:: 11/14/2025

Summary:: Growling and baring teeth. Opted to sedate

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Melvin so we cannot be certain of their behavior in a home environment. However, they will need daily mental and physical activity to stay engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct their energy and enthusiasm.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful behavior and a low threshold for arousal we recommend a home with no children. We recommend placement with a New Hope rescue partner who is able to provide an experienced, adult-only foster home. Force-free, reward based training and/or consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended.

Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Basic Manners: Melvin has been obsvered to jump up on handlers often. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Sit" and "Off" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach them to control their impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward-based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic Manners. Fearful Defensive: Melvin was left in the behavior office due to escalating to growling and hard barking when approached. He has been observed to hard bark, growl, and bare teeth when approached. It is important to move slowly with Melvin, to build positive associations (treats/toys/praise), and to allow them to initiate interactions with new people. They should never be forced to greet or to interact if they are not comfortable and soliciting attention. Please see handout on Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Leash Biting: Melvin has been obsvered to spin around and begin biting and pulling the leash into kennel. We recommend walking them with a toy to dissuade them from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach them to focus on you rather than grabbing the leash. Please see handout on Leash Manners. Arousal: Melvin has been obsvered to jump up on handlers and attempt to mount them. Positive reinforcement training should be used to teach DOG to remain calm during arousing situations. If they begin to escalate, people should pause the interaction, and create distance from the trigger. Pattern games such as 1-2-3 treat and the cue “mat” can be used to reinforce calm behaviors. Please see handout on Arousal.