Date of intake:: 8/7/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray (Limited History)

Previously lived with:: Adults, Cats

Behavior toward strangers:: Storm is outgoing and playful with strangers

Behavior toward children:: No experience

Behavior toward dogs:: No experience

Behavior toward cats:: Storm is fearful of cats and will bark at them

Resource guarding:: Storm will growl snap and bite if someone touches food, a bowl, a toy, treat, bone, or rawhide.

Bite history:: Storm has a significant bite history: Five of the bites have occurred when Storm had a bone and adopter approached her. She has let go of the bone and bitten him. This is improving now that he has had her longer, but she is growling when he approaches. Advised keeping distance when she has a bone or any type of treat and tossing her higher value food from afar. One bite occurred when Storm was under the bed. She goes under and growls when owner walks by. He was sitting at his desk, near the bed, and moved his foot towards it. She bit his shoe, a quick bite and then retreated. One bite occurred when Storm woke up. Adopter was near her and when she woke up she bit him, also quick bite and release. The bite that broke skin happened when adopter tried to give Storm her medication from a spoon he was holding near her face, she turned her head and bit his finger leaving one puncture.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium Energy

Other Notes:: Storm may growl, snap, and bite when pushed or pulled off of furniture, when held/restrained, or when someone disturbs her sleep. Storm may become afraid when someone tries to give her a bath or trim her nails. She may growl or bark if someone unfamiliar approaches the house, yard, or a family member. Storm's previous owner described her as friendly, independent, aloof and fearful. Previous stay- 2/1/22: Stray

Date of assessment:: 8/11/2025

Summary:: *8/11/25* Storm arrived at MACC as a stray with a limited history. Storm has a multiple bite history pertaining resource guarding and fearful defensive behaviors. Five bites occurred when Storm had a bone and the previous adopted approached her. Storm would growl in warning then release the bone and escalate to biting. These bites did not break skin. One bite occurred when Storm was under the bed, she would go under the bed and growl when the owner would walk by. The owner was sitting at their desk that was near the bed, they moved their foot and Storm escalated to biting. Storm bit and released the owner’s shoe. This bite did not break skin. Another bite occurred when Storm woke up. The previous owner was near her when she woke up and Storm escalated to biting. This bite was a bite and release that did not break skin. The eighth bite occurred when the previous owner tried to give Storm medication from a spoon. The owner was holding the spoon towards her and Storm turned her head and bit them on the finger. This bite did break skin and left one puncture wound. Storm’s previous owner also states that she may growl, snap, and bite when pushed off furniture or when held/restrained. During her stay in the care center Storm has allowed handling however, when a handler attempts to interact with her she quickly escalates to becoming tense, freezing and growling. Due to the multiple bite history, Storm is not a candidate for a handling assessment at this time. **08/08/25** Upon Entering the assessment room Storm displays a neutral body posture and briefly approaches assessor to sniff them, they do not accept treats when offered and briefly explore the room. Assessor carefully approaches Storm and presents a collar to them, when gently touching Storm on her back she is observed to look up at handler and lip lick. While attempting to place the collar around Storm she becomes tense and freezes up, she then begins to low growl as it is being secured. Handler immediately drops the collar and moves away before ending the interaction. Based on the fearful/defensive behavior Storm displays she is not a candidate for a handling assessment at this time.

Summary:: 8/12/25: Storm does not approach the gate to greet the other dog. PREVIOUS STAY: 2/2/22: Storm did not display interest in approaching or greeting the helper dog.

Summary (6):: 8/17/25 (late entry)- Storm is at the middle of her kennel with a soft body, she is easily leashed and taken to the play yard. Storm explores the pen, sniffing around. She comes to handler with a soft body and handler lightly pets her neck. They then stop and Storm comes to handler seeking more. She pets her neck and side, Storm has a soft body and medium wagging tail. She allows handler to collar her and attaches a drag leash. Handler offers her treats but she shows no interest. Handler goes to sit on the bench and Storm sits then lays down in the middle of the pen. She has no reaction to the dogs passing her pen. Handler calls to her and Storm comes to handler with a medium wagging tail. Handler pats the bench and Storm jumps up, handler pets her neck and she leans her body into their body. She is easily releashed and returned to kennel without issue. 8/17/25: Storm is siting at the front of her kennel as handler approaches. She is able to be leashed with ease and is taken outside for a walk. On the walk, she would walk ahead of the handler with a neutral body frame and had no reactions to dogs or people. She has no interest in toys or treats that the handler would offer. She is able to return back to her kennel with no issues.

Summary (7):: 8/15/25: Storm displays the same behaviors as of (8/12/25). Please refer to those notes below. 8/12/25: Storm is lying down in kennel when handler approaches. Handler unlocks the kennel and Storm stands up with a neutral body and a soft wagging tail. She is easily leashed and taken out of the room. Storm walks slowly besides the handler as she is taken to the street. Storm is walked around the block where she walks slowly besides the handler and a loose leash. She does not react to people passing her. Storm is walked back to the shelter and a dog walks past her. She does not react to the dog. She enters the building and walked to her kennel. She stops outside the kennel and does not move forward. Handler uses leash pressure to bring her into kennel and she is returned without issue. 8/11/25: Storm is lying down in kennel when handler approaches. Handler unlocks the kennel and Storm stands up with a neutral body and soft wagging tail. She is easily leashed and taken out of the room. Storm is walked to the street where she relieves herself. She then walks slowly with the handler with a loose leash. She remain aloof with the handler. Storm is then walked back to the shelter where she is returned to kennel without issue. 8/10/25: Storm displays the same behaviors as of (8/9/25). Please refer to note dated below. 8/9/25: Storm is siting at the front of her kennel as handler approaches. She is able to be leashed with ease and is take outside for a walk. On the walk, she would walk ahead of the handler with a neutral body frame and had no reactions to people or dogs that were close by. She was comfortable approaching the handler but had no interest in treats. She is able to return back to her kennel with no issues. 8/8/25- Storm was at the front of her kennel with a neutral body, handler tosses in a treat but shows no interest. She is easily leashed and right before exiting, handler was able to unclip flat collar. She was taken to K9 behavior office for an assessment. When second handler approaches to collar Storm has a tense body and starts to lip lick, while side eyeing handler. They attempt to collar Storm side eyes their hand and gives a low growl. Handler ends interaction to not further stress Storm out. Handler takes her to the play yard and does a couple loops around the perimeter. Handler slowly clips and she is returned to kennel without issue. 08/08/25: Storm is at the front of her kennel as handler approaches. She is leashed without issue and taken to the street for her walk. Once outside she does not pull and walks past people and dogs without any issue. She stops to use the bathroom but otherwise continues to walk with handler displaying a neutral body posture. Storm walks for a while with handler until she is brought back to the care centers. She allows handler to clip her leash and she returns to kennel without issue.

Date of initial:: 8/7/2025

Summary:: Started growling when approached with muzzle. Elected to sedate due to previous behavior

ENERGY LEVEL:: Storm is described as medium energy. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them engaged and exercised. And we recommend using force-free, reward-based training techniques for them.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to her multiple bite history we recommend an adult only home. Place with a New Hope Partner: Due to all noted concerns displayed in a home environment and in care, the behavior department recommends Storm be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced adult-only foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Storm to acclimate comfortably to her new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Storm to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Storm presents with outside of the care centers.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Storms former adopters have reported multiple instances of resource guarding which has escalated to bites in the home. We recommend that Storm be left alone while eating, and that food guarding behavior modification steps (available at ASPCApro.org) be utilized if this behavior is problematic in her future home. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Storm's mouth, and any time something is removed he should be rewarded with a high value treat or toy. She should be taught the "drop" cue and trade-up games. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Handling Sensitivity: Storm's previous adopter states that she may growl, snap, or bite when pushed or pulled off of furniture, when held/restrained, or when someone disturbs her sleep. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things such as food rewards in order to teach Storm to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Fearful/Potential for Defensive Aggression: Storm has displayed fearful behaviors in care since arriving and has escalated to growling and baring teeth at times. Her signs of discomfort must be respected; Storm should never be forced to interact, she should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people she finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach and we recommend ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Storm. More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Storm's quality of life. Please see handout on Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Bite History (Human)/Multiple Bite History: Storm has bitten multiple times in her previous foster home, mostly over guarding resources but other times without provocation. This behavior is likely to continue as it has become part of Storm's repertoire, and will need careful management to work toward reducing triggers for Storm and reducing the resulting bites. Please see handout on Bite History and Potential For Future Aggression.