Date of intake:: 6/4/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray; history unknown

Other Notes:: February 2026: First stay; surrendered as a stray. History unknown.

Date of assessment:: 6/10/2026

Summary:: Due to the intensity of Bullwinkle's history of intense leash biting and arousal, a handling assessment will not be conducted.

Summary (6):: Current stay in care (June 2026) - 6/16: Bullwinkle is sitting at the front of his kennel, side-eyeing the handler while barking rapidly. He pauses when given a treat but does not eat it right away. 6/5/26: Bullwinkle is reported to grab the leash and tug it inside of his crate when a staff member returns him back into his crate. 6/5/26: Bullwinkle is standing in his crate as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and he is then taken to the play yard for play group. In the yard, he greets the other dog at the gate with a neutral body. After a few seconds of sniffing he then disengages. Please see dog to dog notes for more details. He is then slowly taken back to his crate. When entering his crate, he quickly spins around and then begins to growl and bite at the handler's lead. He begins to try and tug it in as the handler tosses treats inside. He does not let go of the leash until the handler tosses treats in a few more times.

Summary (7):: First stay in care (February 2026) - 02/07/26 (KSV): Bullwinkle's behavior remains consistent. 02/06/26 (KSV): Bullwinkle stands at the door as his tail slowly rises. Takes a treat gently and consumes it, then shifts focus away from the handler. 2/3/26: Bullwinkle is at the front of his crate with a tense frame as the primary handler approaches. He is focused on exiting the kennel as the primary handler leashes him with ease. He comes out of his kennel quickly and will pull towards the behavior office. Once in the office Bullwinkle will immediately mark a box in the entry and will them relieve himself. He continues to sniff around following the primary handler to the refrigerator. As the primary handler gets cheese out of the fridge, the secondary handler is walking up to them with a collar and a drag leash. The primary handler is holding the slip leash with no tension as Bullwinkle sniffs the secondary handler's leg in one spot. Primary handler attempts to get his attention with cheese so the secondary handler can fit the collar but he remains focused on the pant leg. The secondary handler places the collar around his neck but does not clip it as it is too small. He continues sniffing while it is adjusted and the secondary handler is then able to clip the collar and the primary handler removes the slip leash and it slides off onto the drag leash. Bullwinkle will then whip his head towards the drag leash to bite it but the secondary handler is able to stiff arm him. He will jump up a couple of times to bite the leash but will then become fixated on the secondary handler and, grumbling as he jumps up towards them. Bullwinkle begins to thrash lightly on the lead but recovers and goes back to jumping towards the secondry handler. Bullwinkle will lunge towards their leg and stomach. They continue to stiff-arm as the primary handler attempts to get his attention, first with the cheese, a squeaker and by calling him. As Bullwinkle continues to fixate on the secondary handler, the primary handler uses the Pet Corrector twice, the first time he whips around and continues to fixate but the second time the primary handler is able to get his attention with cheese and drop their slip leash over his head and take him to the door. The drag leash is removed at the door. The primary handler will walk him to his kennel where he will hesitate but is strong-armed in. The leash is then removed with a hook while he remains tense at the front of the kennel.

Date of initial:: 6/4/2026

Summary:: hyperactive

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Bullwinkle 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 Bullwinkle's arousal concerns and leash biting, we recommend that he go to an adult-only home. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Bullwinkle's arousal concerns and leash biting, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Bullwinkle escalated to growling and lunging on multiple occasions during both intake and during his time in the care center during his previous stay. His signs of discomfort must be respected; Bullwinkle should never be forced to interact; he should always be allowed to walk away from situations or people he finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach, and we recommend ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Bullwinkle . More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Bullwinkle's quality of life. Leash-biting/Low threshold for arousal: Bullwinkle is quick to grab the leash in his mouth. We recommend walking him with a toy to dissuade him from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach him to focus on you rather than grab the leash. Please see hanout on arousal.