Date of intake:: 5/1/2026

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

Date of assessment:: 5/7/2026

Summary:: 5/7: Acai remains tense and aroused when attempting to conduct a handling assessment. When removed from his kennel, he saw a ball on his way to the behavior office and began thrashing when the hadnler attempted to continue walking after the attempts to get it. He carries the ball to the office after he was able to grab it, remaining tense and avoidant of all interaction. 5/3: A handling assessment was unable to be conducted due to Acai's behavior. He enters the room carrying a rubber ball that he would not readily trade for when offered sliced deli cheese, chicken breast, spray cheese, or sausage. Acai He drops the ball when he hears/sees a squeaky tennis ball and becomes fixated on the assessor who had the ball. He drops the rubber one he comes in with and becomes increasingly aroused, fixating on the Assessor. Acai's face turns red, and he begins panting heavily, darting left and right, trying to follow the assessor. He begins pulling towards the assessor, still heavily panting, and does not break his stare. Acai will catch pieces of cheese that are thrown to him and then attempt to redirect him, but still does not break his stare or fixation. Due to this, he is returned to the kennel.

Summary (5):: 5/14/26: Acai is standing at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and he then pulls hard out of kennel. He then grabs a toy the handler tosses for him and he then carries it in his mouth on the way outside for a walk. On the walk, he continues to hold the toy in his mouth as he walks ahead of the handler with a neutral body. He would stare at people that would pass by with a tense body as he walks passed them. When returning back to his kennel he refuses to drop the toy for treats. The handler is then able to squeak another toy and he drops it. The handler then continues to hold the toy high in the air as they continue to walk to his kennel. The handler is able to hide the toy in the sink before reaching his kennel. He would then baulk to the ground and refuse to enter his kennel. He had no interest in treats and would hard stare at the handler's hand that the toy was originally in. When the handler attempts to muscle him in, he would baulk and back away. After a few attempts, he begins to growl towards the handler's hand. The handler then calls for assistance. Two other handlers arrive with another toy and pretend to toss it above and he runs half way inside the kennel. He would then back away out of the kennel again. He is then quickly muscled inside on the second attempt.

Summary (6):: 5/14/26: Acai was jumping on kennel door when handler approached. He was easily leashed and pulled from kennel. Acai walked ahead of handler with moderate leash pressure. Acai would take treats when offered. When petted Acai would lean into handler. He was retuned to kennel with no issue. 5/11/26: Canine Rep reports that Acai continues to be difficult to manage on walk even with special instructions, jumping up to grab toy out of second handler's hand 5/11/26: Behavior handler is walking down the hallway and sees Acai with a Canine Rep across two kennel rooms and Acai will stop and fixate on the Behavior handler, who will continue walking out of Acai's line of sight. When passing the same spot again a few seconds later, he is sitting down planted refusing treats and backing up against leash pressure. The Behavior handler will walk away again. Acai was still not able to be refocused so the Canine Rep handler will walk with Acai through the two kennel rooms to exit a different way. Acai will spot the behavior handler again as they enter the behavior office and will stop to fixate again even as the handler is out of sight. The Canine Rep handler is able to use leash pressure to guide him away a few steps but he is still staring when the behavior handler comes back to toss them a toy. Canine Rep handler will walk down the hallway with the squeaky toy in one hand as Acai focuses on the toy and goes on a short walk. Once outside he is reported to jump across Canine Rep's body to grab the toy out of their hand and then pull hard back to his kennel. Acai is given 2 person Staff Walk signage with special instructions that state "2nd handler distract with toy when he stops walking"

Summary (7):: 5/7: As a handler is exiting the small dog room, they see an ACS with Acai who has planted to the doorway of the room. He ignores their treats, trying to pull away. The handler offers him other treats, tossing them forward, but he plants harder. The handler squeaks a toy, and he immediately pops up and follows the handler. The handler turns a corner to step into an office, and they can hear Acai's nails scratching the floor as he pants hard and screeches, now fixated on the handler. The handler sees him plant again at the corner where they turned and refuses to move still screeching. The ACS has a rubber squeaker toy that they offer, and he pops up, following the ACS. 5/6/26: Acai is at the front of his kennel sniffing the floor as the handler approaches the kennel. He will tense up and so the handler tosses some treats into the back. When he reapproaches the leash is in the kennel and he is able to be leashed as he pushes out. Acai will then pull moderately into the hallway and will stop when he sees a ball in an adoption room and begin to thrash as he tries to get to it. The handler asks a staff member to kick the ball into the hallway so Acai can grab it. He does so and carries it to the entrance of the behavior office where he drops it and will pull hard into the room. He is tense throughout the session and is not social with the handlers. As he is walked down the hallway he will pull hard but tries to grip the for with his nails so just scrambles on the floor to his kennel where he is secured safely. Acai will then hard bark at the door as the handler secures his kennel. 05/03/26 (BA note): Açaí is lying in the back of his kennel, chewing on a toy ball. He approaches with the toy and allows leashing, but pulls hard to the assessment room. He initially refuses treats and remains highly fixated on the toy. He will exchange the toy for another, allowing collaring. He takes cheese but remains toy-focused and anxious, taking treats roughly. Due to high arousal and fixation, the assessment is postponed. See Behavioral Assessment for more details.

Date of initial:: 5/2/2026

Summary:: hard barking and staring; not taking treats when offered

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to how uncomfortable Acai is currently with touch and novel stimuli, we feel that an adult-only home would be most beneficial at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Acai has not acclimated well to the kennel environment and has allowed only minimal handling since intake. 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: : Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Handling/touch sensitivity: Acai began thrashing while on leash when he could reach a ball that he had seen. He has been seen planting in the hallway and refusing to walk, refusing treats, and staff attempts to coax him until he hears a squeaker. It is important to always go slow and give Acai the option to walk away from any social interaction. He should never be forced to approach anything that he is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be Acai's choice to approach a new person or thing. Please see the handout on Handling/touch sensitivity. Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Acai was reported to hard bark and hard stare during his medical exam. On the second attempt for a handling assessment, Acai was avoidant of all interaction with handlers. Guidance from a professional trainer/behaviorist is recommended to assess behavior after decompression in a new home environment. Force-free, reward-based training is advised when introducing or exposing Sasha to new and unfamiliar situations. Please see the handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. Low threshold for arousal: When attempting to conduct a handling assessment, Acai has fixated on the assessor, darting sideways while screeching after becoming aroused at the sight and sound of a squeaky tennis ball. He was not able to settle and would remain fixated on the assessor. Please see hadnout on Arousal.