Date of intake:: 11/3/2025

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

Previously lived with:: 2 adults 2 kids dog

Behavior toward strangers:: owner states he will hide/actively avoid, prefer contact on his terms and is tolerant

Behavior toward children:: he's spent time around kids of various ages and is tolerant

Behavior toward dogs:: when on walks he will actively avoid and is shy/contact on his terms

Behavior toward cats:: unknown

Resource guarding:: no known history of resource guarding

Bite history:: no known bite history

Housetrained:: Partially

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

Other Notes:: He's fearful of loud noises and separation anxiety. He is fearful when startled and disturbed when sleeping and he isn't bothered when he is held/restrained, push/pulled off furniture, feet touched or when his collar is grabbed. He is social/affectionate and fearful. He likes to be in the bedroom, the living room and their crate. He loves bath time/water and goes 20min walks 3-4x daily with moderate pulling and is crate trained up to 6 hours. He has accidents in the car, pees, and knows the cues for sit and stay

Date of assessment:: 11/5/2025

Summary:: Houston is taken to the behavior office for a handling assessment. Once in the room, he begins to pace, seek an exit, and display a tucked tail and tremble. Houston will approach for light petting but will remain trembling, tucked tail, and whale eyes. Due to Houston fearfulness, a handling assessment will not be conducted at this time.

Summary:: 11/12/25 Due to Houston's reluctance to enter the play yard, he cannot attend PG at this time. 11/5 Cannot conduct due to awaiting health check.

Summary (6):: 11/14/25: Houston is laying down in his crate as handler approaches. He allows the handler to clip their lead to his collar. He then would back away with a tense body and refuses to exit his crate. He is able to walk to the behavior room when the handler applies leash pressure and coaxes him forward. In the behavior room, he has a tense body and would constantly approach the handler and lean into them to receive pets and attention. He would constantly approach the door and jump up with a tense body while whimpering due to eagerly wanting to go back to his crate. He pulls hard on the way back to his crate and quickly enters with ease. 11/12/25 Houston is at the front of his crate as the handler approaches and begins to speak to him in a high pitch voice. Houston is easily leashed as the handler clips his collar with a drag leash and they proceed to the live room where Houston will quickly scurry to. Upon entering he begins running to and from the room door, jumping excessively onto the door and pawing at it. Houston's will then run towards the handler and press their whole body against their legs, displaying a tucked tail but allowing handling. He climbs the handler, standing on his hind legs displaying whale eyes. The handler will then attempt to walk him out to the play yard, taking the C-stair case in which he will scale. Upon arriving outside, he proceeds through the parking lot but as they attempt to turn into the direction of the play yard, Houston panics, jumping up, thrashing and pulling away the yard. Houston is then taken through the second floor, pulling his way to the facility and boarding the elevator with no issue. Houston is returned to his crate where he will quickly enter. 11/8/25: Houston is standing in his crate with a tense body as handler approaches. He allows the handler to clip his collar and he is taken to the live room. In the room, he continues to have a tense body with a tucked tail while trembling. He would lean into the handler while shaking and accepts a few pets. He slowly approaches another familiar handler that enters the room and allows petting as he is still shaking. He is then taken back to his crate with no issues. 11/6/25: Houston is standing in his crate a handler approaches. He approaches the front with a tense body as he allows the handler to clip his collar. He is then taken to the live room. Along the way, he relieves himself in the doorway due to being house broken. While in the live room

Summary (7):: 11/5 (assessment): Houston is curled up at the back of his crate when a handler removes his crate cover. He is wide-eyed and wary as the crate is unlocked. The handler calls to him and attempts to coax him forward with treats and a soft voice. Houston slowly begins to uncurl to stand, which pushes his head through the handler's loop. Once leashed, he readily exits the crate and immediately pulls to the behavior office. Once in the office, the handler sits on the couch and clips a drag leash to his collar. Houston immediately bolts to the door and sits there for a few moments, trembling with his tail tucked, before he approaches the handler on the couch. He presses his body into their legs, but he does not solicit petting. Houston tolerates the contact, but he still remains tense with his tail tucked. He begins pacing the room, does not take high-value treats, and checks in with another handler before resuming his pacing. Out of concern for his stress levels, he is returned to his crate, and an assessment is not conducted at this time. 11/05/25 Houston is in the back of his kennel displaying whale eyes as well as trembling. Houston is easily leashed as he pancakes in his kennel appearing nervous and the handler will remain crouched as Houston decides whether he would like to come out or not. Houston slowly exits the kennel, trotting alongside the handler with a tucked tail. Houston is taken to the live room where a slip lead is placed onto him and he is allowed to free roam. Houston will explore the room but ultimately approach the handler, leaning in for pets while panting heavily with a tucked tail. Houston will paw at a crate in the live room and the handler opens it and he runs in. He lies down in the crate and remains still. The handler will return him back to his crate where he will quickly enter upon arrival. 11/4/25: Houston is at the back of his crate as the handler approaches. He will come up briefly once the handler opens the door, but will retreat when the handler presents the leash. The handler is able to place the leash over his head and once he is leashed he will come out of the crate slowly. Houston is able to walk out of his kennel and will walk through the hallway with his tail tucked. As soon as they reach the stairs near the exit, Houston backs up suddenly and almost thrashes but the handler is able to move with him to prevent any thrashing. They then exit via an alternate exit and Houston will begin to urinate in a sitting position, with his tail still tucked. Immediately after urinating, Houston will jump backwards and begin thrashing. The handler is not able to go with him as he jumps backwards due another dog/handler walking towards the door, so they had to hold onto the leash as Houston slowed his thrashing. Once the exit is clear, Houston is returned to his crate where he is secured safely.

Date of intake:: 11/3/2025

Summary:: Staff had the owner walk him to the end of the hallway and hand off the leash. He was prompted to w

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13); We reccomend Houston be placed in adult only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Houston came inot the care center as an owner surrender due to leaving the country for an emergency.His prior owner said he is social/affectionate and fearful. He likes to be in the bedroom, the living room and their crate. He loves bath time/water. Houston is a highly fearful who has struggled to adjust to the care center environment. He consistently presents with trembling, whale eyes, pancaking, and a tightly tucked tail, indicating significant anxiety. While he can be leashed and will walk with handlers, he remains tense and hypervigilant, and has shown startle responses that escalate to thrashing when overwhelmed or exposed to sudden noises, movements, or other dogs.Houston would benefit from placement with a New Hope partner experienced with fearful dogs who can provide a low-stimulation environment, patience, and gradual desensitization to handling and leash pressure. A structured decompression plan, along with positive reinforcement-based confidence building, will be essential to help Houston feel secure and begin to adjust successfully outside the shelter.

Potential challenges: : Fearful,Anxiety

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/Anxiety: Houston displays a trembling, whale eyes, pancaking, and a tightly tucked tail, indicating significant anxiety. While he can be leashed and will walk with handlers, he remains tense and hypervigilant, and has shown startle responses that escalate to thrashing when overwhelmed or exposed to sudden noises, movements, or other dogs. Use low-stress handling and avoid sudden movements or loud environments. Provide calming enrichment like scent work, soft music, and puzzle toys to help him decompress. Gradual desensitization to triggers, paired with high-value rewards, can help build confidence. Walks should be in quiet areas with minimal stimulation, and handlers should use slow, predictable body language to reduce hypervigilance and prevent escalation. Please see the handout on decompression period and generalized anxiety.