Date of intake:: 5/23/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray; limited history (returned by adopter; in home for

Previously lived with:: 3 adults 1 children

Behavior toward strangers:: No experience(None reported)

Behavior toward children:: Previous owner stated that he'll jump up often and when played with too long/rough, he'll become mou

Behavior toward dogs:: No experience with familiar dogs and unfamiliar dogs off leash. He is described to be shy and prefer

Behavior toward cats:: No experience( None reported)

Resource guarding:: Resource guards Treats and toys by snapping, growls and hard barking

Bite history:: No bite history

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: It's been reported that Merlot has very high energy.

Other Notes:: May 2026: Rertuned by adopter; second stay (over 2 weeks in the home) He has separation anxiety, causing him to have accidents around the home. He is described by previous owners to be mouthy and takes treats roughly, jumps up and bites on leash, pulls hard on leash, and has destructive tendencies. April 2026: First stay, surrender as a stray - history unknown

Date of assessment:: 5/24/2026

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): Roams rooms Call over: Approach readily loose Sociability comments: Runs around around room picking up different items and toys. Handling Soft handling: Leans in panting Exuberant handling: Leans in allows Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follows loose, jumps up bites leash Arousal comments: able to be refocused with a squeaky toy Knock: No reaction Knock Comments: Toy: Grips toy walks away Toy comments: **Prior assessment is be available upon request**

Summary:: Merlot arrived at the care centers as as stray, so her behavior with other dogs is unknown. 4/22/26: Merlot will greet a novel male dog off leash through a barrier, sniffing the gate with a neutral body while the novel male lifts his paw and checks in with the handler. Merlot will continue coming back to greet the novel male as he is loose/wiggly and also sniffing the gate. Merlot greets him off leash, approaching with a forward, neutral body and sniffing his rear. As Merlot continues to try to greet, the novel male becomes overwhelmed and quickly corrects, where Merlot backs away and is slowly refocused toward the staff member.

Summary (5):: 07/06/26 (Trainer Note): Merlot was sitting at th front of his kennel as the handler approaches. He was easily leashed and pulled strongly to the office, walking in his hind legs and pulling towards kennel sin Room B. When inside, Merlot was clipped to a. drag leash and immediately shook off. The handler was able to engage in some polite exchange with two tennis balls. Merlot would chase the ball and play with it, with a loose wiggly body before returning to the handler, sitting and dropping the ball. Merlot will then be marked and rewarded with another ball. After multiple successful repetitions, the handler begins to introduce the verbal cue "out". Merlot will drop the ball on cue. Merlot will be easily leashed and will baulk when leaving M&G. The handler will treat slowly treat trail Merlot to get him back to his kennel. Merlot will stop at the door and will follow a treat inside where is he secured.

Summary (6):: 06/30/26 (Trainer Note): Merlot was laying at the back of kennel moving towards the front when trainer approached. He jumped up on the door several times before allowing leashing and pulling hard towards exits of rooms. Once in the training room Merlot spent the first few minutes frenetically running around the room before engaging with trainer. He practiced leave it with a low open hand before transitioning to leaving a treat successfully on the floor. After several rounds he returned to the kennel with significant levels of balking. trainer assisted by second handler were able to lure Merlot back with several treat trails. 06/24/26 (Trainer Note): Merlot is laying down in kennel as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls hard to the canine training room. He runs frenetically around the room, picking up toys and shaking them. After a few minutes he is able to come over to the handler and engage in training. Merlot is able to leave a treat on the ground. He is easily leashed, but pancakes several times as he is being returned to kennel. Several handlers have to coax him in order to encourage him back into the kennel. 06/16/26 (Trainer Note): Merlot is laying down in his kennel as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls hard to the canine training room. He coughs and wheezes as he pulls. Merlot is loose and social with the handlers and allows them to place a harness. The handler works with him on the leave it cue and he is able to leave a treat close to the ground. Merlot is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 06/10/26 (Trainer Note): Merlot is laying down in his kennel as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine training room. He is loose and social with the handlers, leaning into contact. The handler works with Merlot on trading one toy for another and he participates readily for a few minutes before opting out of training. The handler then continues to build reliability with Merlot on the leave it cue and he is able to leave a treat in a flat hand. He is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 06/05/26 (Trainer Note): Merlot is sitting on his bed as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine training room. Merlot is loose and social with handlers, leaning into contact and allowing them to attach a drag leash. He runs around the room with a loose body, sniffing the room intently. The handler works with him on polite exchange and the leave it cue. He is able to trade one toy for another but quickly loses interest. Merlot is able to leave a treat in a flat hand and the handler introduces the verbal cue. He is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 5/28/26: Merlot is sitting on his bed as handler approaches his kennel. He comes forward to the front with a loose body and begins to jump up at the door as the handler unlocks it. He is able to be clipped to his harness while being distracted with treats and is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he would pull ahead of the handler and would constantly jump up high onto the handler and grab the leash. He is able to be redirected each time the handler tosses treats on the ground. He would stare at people and dogs that would pass by and is able to be redirected with a squeaker and treats. He is able to return back to his kennel with no issues. 05/24/26: Merlot is at the front of the kennel as the handler approaches. He jumps up at the door, but is otherwise leashed with ease. Merlot is brought to the office and collared while distracted with spray cheese. When let loose on the drag leash, Merlot picks up the drag leash in his mouth and carries it around the room. He searches for toys and flings a snuffle mat onto the floor. After his assessment, he is returned to his kennel without issue. See Behaviour Assessment for more details. 4/22 (PG): Merlot is wiggly in his kennel as he is leashed. He pulls hard and starts coughing as he is walked to the play yard for his interaction. Once complete, he returns to kennel without issue. Please see BA for more details. - 04/20/26( Assessment note): Merlot stands at the front of his kennel and allows leashing with ease. In the assessment room, he jumps up on the handler, showing low manners, but maintains a loose, wiggly body and allows all handling. He runs without increased arousal. He barks upon knock. During toy interaction, he grips the toy and engages by running around with it. For more information see behavior assessment.

Date of intake:: 5/23/2026

Date of initial:: 4/19/2026

Summary:: Friendly, soliciting attention

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 4

Recommendations:: No children (under 13)

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13)- Due to Merlot's response to the Toy items, indicating possible potential to guard high-value items, we feel Merlot may be most comfortable in a home without children and placed in a adult only home. We recommend he be taught the "drop it" cue and trade-up games.

Potential challenges: : House soiling,Resource guarding,Destructive behavior,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Separation anxiety,Leash-biting

Potential challenges comments:: House soiling - Merlot is noted to have accidents in the house and will likely need guidance with house training. We recommend positive reinforcement, reward-based training only. Accidents should never be punished, as this will likely make the problem worse. Please see handout on House Soiling. Resource guarding- Potential resource guarding was noted in the previous home as Merlot was observed to growl and snap when engaged with items. For this reason, we advise against ever removing items from Merlot's possession without safely trading for an item or greater or equal value. Guidance from a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended to aid in safely managing/modifying this behavior in a new home environment. See the handout on RESOURCE GUARDING. Destructive behavior - Merlot is reported to show destructive behavior in the home, such as chewing on furniture. We are unaware of what, if any, attempts were made to remedy this behavior, but we suggest to future adopters that Merlot will need to be provided with physical and mental stimulation and with a variety of appropriate and engaging chew toys so he can engage in necessary chewing behavior without damage to human objects. See the handout on DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. Basic manners/poor impulse control: Merlot would jump up on handlers during his handling assessment, including when seeking further attention or petting. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach him to control his impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward-based training only is recommended. Please see the handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control. Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition - Merlot has shown some mouthiness in his prior home. Little pressure is applied, but this is a behavior that should be extinguished through training alternate behaviors and lack of reward (ex. walking away whenever Merlot's teeth make contact with skin). See the handout on MOUTHINESS/POOR BITE INHIBITION. Separation anxiety - Merlot is reported to experience separation anxiety in a home environment. When left alone he bark and whines constantly and has chewed up furniture. We recommend that potential adopters feel comfortable with separation anxiety behaviors and be prepared to manage and positively modify them should they appear in a home environment. She would do best in a home where a person is at home for a large part of the day or with a plan so she is not alone for long periods of time. See the handout on SEPARATION ANXIETY. Leash-biting - Merlot 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 grabbing the leash. See the handout on Arousal.