Date of intake:: 2/22/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, With limited history

Other Notes:: Tennessee was surrendered to the police due to behavioral reasons. It is reported that Tennessee has never bitten but has snapped at them twice. The owner states that they got Tennessee when she was 6 weeks old and she is now 2.5 years old. The owner reports that recently Tennesse has become "aggressive" when they attempt to take her out of her crate. On 2/22/26 when the owner attempted to place a collar on Tennessee she lunged and snapped at the owner. Tennessee is destructive when left alone in the home.

Date of assessment:: 2/23/2026

Summary:: Tennesse was surrendered due to snapping at the owner. During intake she was observed to have a tense body, tucked tail, and thrashed while on leash. While in care Tennesse remains highly fearful and is frozen when handlers attempt to interact with her. Due to the high levels of fear, stress, and anxiety, Tennessee is not a candidate for a handling assessment at this time.

Summary (6):: 3/2: Tennessee is reported to be reactive on Behavior board, lunging toward both people and dogs. 2/28/26: Tennessee is at front of kennel with loose body, she does not take treats, Tennessee stays toward the front of kennel but dodges the leash several times. After a few attempts he is leashed, steps out of kennel steadily, soft body. She is walked to yard, kept on leash. She is walked around, sniffs areas of interest, relieves himself. She continues to show no interest in treats offered. When handler sits on bench, Tennessee approaches, stands with front paws on handler's lap, loose body, allows gently petting. After some time, Tennessee's leash is clipped, and handler begins walking back to MACC. Tennessee mildly thrashes on leash when exiting yard, she does this twice, but recovers when handler relaxes leash tension. Tennessee is walked back to kennel, she hops in without issue. 2/26/26: Tennessee is at front of kennel with a tense body as handler approaches. Outside Tennessee bucks and thrashes at the leash but recovers quickly. She pulls moderately and tries to stay ahead of handler. She doesn’t take treats that are offered her. She is returned to kennel with no issue. 2/25/26: Tennessee s at the front of her kennel with a neutral body as the handler approaches. they give her low and high value treats, but she show no interest. As the handler attempts to leash her, Tennessee goes to the back of her kennel; as they try to lasso her, Tennessee curls her lips. After a few attempts, the handle leaves her alone for a few minutes. Later, the handler comes back and uses a pole leash to leash Tennessee; she goes to the back of kennel and lip curls again, but once the leash is on, she comes out of the kennel. The handle brings her to the office and switch the pole leash to a regular one. There, she sniffs the primary and other familiar handlers. On the street, Tennessee walks ahead with little to no leash tension. She relieves herself, as well as allows pets from the handler. When walking past people, Tennessee stops in front of them with a neutral body, looks up at, and sniffs them; the handler is able to pull her away. She does the same to staff members as she enters the building. The handler clips their leash and returns Tennessee to her kennel with ease

Summary (7):: 2/24/26 (late entry)- Tennessee is sitting at the back of her kennel with a tense body, handler softly talks to her and tosses in treats. She shows no interest and starts to low growl at handler staying at the back of her kennel. Handler attempts to leash and Tennessee gives a low growl, after a couple of attempts handler is able to lasso the leash onto her. She slowly exits the kennel with her hackles up and is taken to the play yard. She walks with a stiff body, head low looking around with a tucked tail. Handler softly talks to her and she stares at them staying stiff. She is taken to a pen and she sniffs around. When she sees a dog in a neighboring pen she becomes loose and wiggly with a high wagging tail, toe tapping and whining. She readily approaches the fence remaining loose and wiggly. Handler gives a light tug to pull her away and she goes back to a tense body with hackles raised with a low tail. Handler gently pets her chin then stops, she sits and lifts one paw with her ears pinned, side eyeing handler. She gives a low grumble then goes back to sniffing around. She again approaches the neighboring fence where the other dog is and becomes loose and wiggly again. Handler gives a light tug again and she follows them. She slowly approaches handler with ears pinned and goes behind on leg leaning her head into handler's leg. Handler lightly pets her chin and she pushes her head more into their leg she then gives a low grumble that goes into a low growl lip lifting. Handler immediately stops petting and Tennessee becomes stiff baring teeth at handler turning her body to face them. Handler straight arms and backs up Tennessee stops growling and hard staring at handler. She has a neutral body then and relieves herself sniffing the pen. Handler slowly clips her when back inside and she baulks a little when going back into the room. Handler tosses treats but she shows no interest and softly talks to her, she slowly comes forward with a low body then stops. Handler applies pressure to her leash and she comes forward, she readily goes back into kennel without further issue.

Date of intake:: 2/22/2026

Summary:: Growling, tense body, tucked tail, thrashing on leash

Date of initial:: 2/23/2026

Summary:: Tense body, frozen, whale eye

ENERGY LEVEL:: Tennessee 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 handling sensitivity, 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: : Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression

Potential challenges comments:: Handling Sensitivity: Tennessee's previous owner reports that when they attempted to place a collar on her, she lunged and snapped at them. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things such as food rewards in order to teach Tennessee to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Fearful Defensive: Tennessee's previous owner reports that she has begun snapping at them. During intake Tennessee was observed to have a tense body, tucked tail and thrashed while on leash. It is important to move slowly with Tennessee, 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.