Date of intake:: 1/3/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray (spent 3 weeks in finder's home)

Previously lived with:: 1 adult, 1 child (8 y/o), 1 large mixed breed male dog, 1 cat

Behavior toward strangers:: friendly, but prefers contact on own terms

Behavior toward children:: playful with resident child

Behavior toward dogs:: social and playful with resident dog

Behavior toward cats:: playful

Resource guarding:: Finder reported that Mama Biscuit would growl over toys

Bite history:: none reported by finder

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Finder reported that Mama Biscuit had a high energy level.

Other Notes:: Noted to be fearful when held, restrained, disturbed while asleep, startled, pushed or pulled, feet and paws touched, collar grabbed.

Date of assessment:: 2/6/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: mild - moderate pulling Reactivity to humans: ignores Reactivity to dogs: inconclusive - did not pass Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): explores the room, jumps up often for treats, social Call over: approaches readily- takes treats Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Allowed- neutral body, Exuberant handling: Allowed- neutral body Handling comments: Arousal Jog: follows, soft Arousal comments: Knock: approaches-Ignores Knock Comments: Toy: no response Toy comments: avoids assess-a-hand; only sniffs toy

Summary:: Due to Mama Biscuit entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 01/29/25: When off leash at the Care Center Mama Biscuit is introduced to a greeter female dog. At the gate Mama Biscuit approaches with a loose, wiggly frame and wagging tail. Mama Biscuit mirrors the greeter, chasing one another along the gate. Mama Biscuit offers play bows before running around the yard in circles, with her ears back. Mama Biscuit returns to the gate and begins demand barking. Due to operation limitations a face to face greet was not conducted. 01/27/25 Mama Biscuit is introduced to a novel male dog while off leash at the care center. Mama will approach the gate, scenting the novel male dog through the holes of the gate, remaining soft and wiggly. She will allow muzzle licks as the novel male dog does so through the holes of the gate, remaining soft. Mama will offer bounces, running away from the gate and returning to offer play bows. Mama will remain self-present before being returned to kennel, concluding the interaction.

Summary (6):: 02/18/25 (Trainer Note): Mama Biscuit is standing on her kennel door panting moderately with dilated pupils as the handler approaches. She is easily leashed and moves frenetically back and forth on leash to the training room. She is loose and social, jumping up onto handlers to solicit contact. Handler attempts to redirect her onto the enrichment items, but she struggles to focus. Anytime a sound or movement occurs, she runs away from the enrichment and has to be refocused. Mama Biscuit improves slightly over time, slowing down and beginning to offer sit, though she cannot take a breath. She leans into contact from the handler. Mama Biscuit is returned to kennel without issue. 02/15/25: Mama Biscuit is observed sitting in the corner of her kennel staring at the wall. When the handler walks away to grab an item in the room and checks on her kennel again she is still in the same spot. Mama Biscuit slowly gets up and turns running towards her kennel door growling and snapping at the kennel door.-DF 02/6/25: Mama Biscuit was resting on kuranda bed with her eyes open. She was lying flat and did not immediately lift her head or get up. Handler noticed she had not touched her morning meal. Mama Biscuits was leashed with ease and began coughing from the moment she exited kennel for duration of interaction. Mama Biscuit walked on a loose leash outside to the yard where she was clipped to a drag leash. Mama Biscuit had some very brief bursts of zoomies while in the yard, but stopped abruptly and continued coughing. Mama Biscuit was highly social with handler and solicited frequent contact. She was intermittently interested in jerky treats, which she took gently hand fed. Due to the cold weather handler opted to take Mama Biscuit inside. Mama Biscuit relieved herself on the way back to the care center and began hacking. She was returned to kennel with ease.

Summary (7):: 01/31/25 (Trainer Note): Mama Biscuit is lying down in kennel as the handler approaches. She is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine training room. Mama is exuberant, panting heavily with dilated pupils. She shows no interest in the toys, but orients towards the handler and breathes readily. Mama Biscuit is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 01/30/25 Mama Biscuit is lying down as the handler approaches. As they unlocks the kennel door, she exuberantly jumps onto her kennel door excessively. The handler will toss their lead onto her neck as she is standing, taking her out to play group. Mama is loose, pulling her way out side, heavily panting. She exits the facility still pulling her way to the play yard. As she enters the pen and a drag leash is placed onto her, she exuberantly runs around the play yard as she catches the zoomies, spring boarding off of the handlers present. (Please refer to dog-to-dog for more insight). 01/27/25: Mama Biscuit is lying on her kuranda bed with a soft frame as handler approaches. She is leashed with ease and pulls hard out to the play yard for playgroup (see Dog-Dog Summary for further details). Mama B is loose and social with handler throughout her time in the yard and will jump up onto them excitedly to solicit attention. After her session, she is leashed with ease and returns to kennel safely. 01/23/25 (Trainer Note): Mama Biscuits is barking repeatedly in kennel as the handler approaches. She jumps up and scratches at the door, but is eventually leashed. She pulls mildly to the canine training room. Mama Biscuits leans into contact but stills. She allows the handler to attach a drag leash and runs frenetically around the room, jumping up onto handlers. Handler works with her on taking a breath on cue. She quickly becomes impatient, moving away or jumping up onto the handler if they do not deliver the treat quickly enough. She is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 01/06/25: Mama Biscuits barked at handler as they approached. She went through her transfer door towards leash loop and walked to the BA room for her assessment. When handler reached to clip drag leash to collar Mama Biscuits tensed and raised her hackles at the base of her tail. Mama Biscuits was highly treat motivated and would solicit them often. Mama Biscuits displayed some FAS by panting and not settling in one place while in the room. She was returned to kennel with ease.

Date of intake:: 1/3/2025

Date of initial:: 1/4/2025

Summary:: jumps up, soft body

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 4

Recommendations:: No children (under 13)

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Mama Biscuit's potential for defensive escalations, resource guarding, and handling/touch sensitivities we recommend for her to be placed in an adult only home at this time.

Potential challenges: : House soiling,Resource guarding,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Kennel presence

Potential challenges comments:: House soiling: Mama Biscuit's finder reported partial house training. The possibility of accidents occurring in a new home environment is likely due to being in an unfamiliar setting and lack of schedule. Accidents should never be punished as this will likely make the problem worse. We recommend positive reinforcement, and reward-based training only. Please see handout on House Soiling. Resource Guarding: Mama's finder reported that she would growl over a toy. For this reason, we advise against ever removing items from Mama'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. Please see handout on resource guarding. Basic Manners/poor impulse control: Mama's did jump up often during her assessment when seeking more treats. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach her to control her impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is recommended. Handling/touch sensitivity: Mama's has been noted to become uncomfortable with handling at times, especially when attempting to collar her and during the handling portion of her assessment. It is important to always go slow and give her the option to walk away from any social interaction. Mama Biscuit should never be forced to approach anything that she is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be her choice to approach a new person or thing. She may do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to her new surroundings. Please see handout on Handling/touch sensitivity. Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Mama Biscuit has escalated to growling with hackles raised and whale eyes when attempting to conduct her initial assessment. Her signs of discomfort must be respected; Mama should never be forced to interact, she should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people she finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach and we recommend ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Mama. More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Biscuit's quality of life. Kennel presence/barrier frustration- Mama Biscuit is reported to stare at her kennel walls and will bark,growl and snap in front of her kennel door while having pass.