Date of intake:: 4/4/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (8 months)

Previously lived with:: Adults and children (1 year & 10 years)

Behavior toward strangers:: playful

Behavior toward children:: playful

Behavior toward dogs:: playful and tolerant

Behavior toward cats:: unknown

Resource guarding:: none reported

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Rockwell is reported to have a high energy level.

Other Notes:: How this dog reacts when... - Held/restrained: Unknown/Have not attempted - Disturbed while resting/sleeping: Isn't bothered - Startled: Unknown/Have not attempted - Pushed/pulled off furniture: Isn't bothered - Paws are touched: Barks/Growls - Collar grabbed/touched: Isn't bothered

Date of assessment:: 4/6/2025

Summary:: 4/6/25: Once removed from his kennel, Rockwell pulls hard to the behavior office, passing out once on the way over due to his leash pulling. In the office, he spins in circles while wailing, pausing for a few seconds before jumping up toward the handler holding him with his mouth open. Once he lands, he paces for a few, still red and flushed in the face, panting heavily before whipping around again on the handler, screeching at them. Due to his arousal, he is returned to his kennel. On the walk back, the assessor follows to hold doors open and monitor the hallways for other dogs. Rockwell screeches down the hallway even though there is no other dogs or people, still pulling hard. He returns to the kennel without issue but does push hard on the kennel door, causing the assistant to catch the door with both hands and push hard back to close it fully. Due to his concerning behaviors and the potential for redirection, a handling assessment was not conducted. 4/5/25: A handling assessment could not be conducted due to Rockwell becoming aroused once leashed and pulling to the point of passing out before entering the behavior office. Once in the office, he is unable to settle, with a red flushed face while heavily panting, and wailing. He is returned to his kennel to give him more time to decompress.

Summary:: As per Rockwell's previous owner(s), Rockwell has had interactions with various dogs and is typically described as playful with both familiar dogs and unfamiliar dogs when on a leash. Off-leash, Rockwell is tolerant of dogs he doesn't know. 04/06/25 Could not conduct playgroup interaction due to dog reactivity when removing from kennel. Due to the intensity Rockwell displays, he is returned to his kennel and does not attend Play group today. 04/05/25: When off leash at the Care Center Rockwell is introduced to a novel female dog. At the gate Rockwell approaches hyper salivating, red eyed and panting. Both dogs will scent on another at the gate. The novel female will retreat cautiously as Rockwell remains present. Rockwell stand on the gate while displaying hackles and a knot in his tail. The novel female will approach again, scent once more before returning to displacement scenting. This will conclude the interaction.

Summary (3):: 04/15/25: Rockwell greets the handler sitting in front of his kennel door, red eyed and panting. When the handler opens the kennel door, Rockwell will begin jumping on the kennel door. As the handler reaches in to leash Rockwell will jump up and nip at the handlers leash very briefly before sitting down and then jumping at the door again. The handler is able to slip the leash over Rockwell and escort him to the Live room. When on leash Rockwell will heard pull and pant throughout. When in the live room, Rockwell will walk around scenting the room while panting. When Rockwell looks at the handler the handler will toss treats towards the place cot. As Rockwell sits on the cot the handler will reward Rockwell every time he makes eye contact and for duration. Over time Rockwell's demeanor will soften as well as his panting will decrease to a lower pace. The handler will continue to reward for softer panting. After Rockwell decompresses a bit the handler will escort him back to his kennel. Rockwell will walk at a slower pace with less intense pulling. Rockwell is secured safely in his kennel.

Summary (4):: 4/14/25: Rockwell is at the front of the kennel door whining when the handler approaches, Rockwell is leashed easily an brought to the behavior office. Rockwell pulls hard, panting heavily with his tongue past his lower incisors, a deep red hue to his face and ears and is pulling hard. Rockwell when first entering the room allows the handler to clip him to his drag leash, and begins to greet staff and pick up a toy. Rockwell is having trouble settling on his own, still maintain a heavy pant and strained expression, but the handlers set up a LATTE game involving a lick mat, play/petting mat and snuffle mat. Rockwell will begin to slowly engage with the snuffle mat first, snuffling for treats but not eating every one he picks up, but seems to be more engaged with the toys where the handler will allow him to pace around the room with the toy his mouth to settle, and when Rockwell approaches the handler he is offered another toy to hold, which he will trade and begin to pace more. Rockwell on his own is now settling, eating the treats that he picks up and begins to be rewarded for choosing which mat he wants to engage with. As the pattern game goes on, Rockwell begins to become a lot less red to his face, panting a bit slower but still maintains a strained expression and is able to choose readily if he wants to lean in to petting, and engage in either lick or snuffling mats. Rockwell at the end of the game is able to allow the handler to pet him from the back of his neck to the base of his tail, leaning in and for a moderate duration without him being too aroused. Rockwell is leashed to go back to his kennel with no issue, and pulls hard back to kennel where he enjoys an enrichment item that he grabs and brings to his bed. 4/13 (PM): While out on his evening walk, Rockwell bit onto a garbage bin, causing himself to bleed from the mouth. The handler brings him back to the shelter where he remains aroused and unable to settle while his kennel is being cleaned.

Summary (5):: 04/10/25: Rockwell greets the handler jumping on his kennel door. The handler uses treats for him to focus on during leashing. Once leashed the handler escorts Rockwell out of the kennel and to the live room. When in the room the handler will give Rockwell spray cheese on a lick matt. Rockwell will lick the cheese for a moment before walking around the room panting and red eyed. The handler will scatter treats on the ground which Rockwell will scarf down quickly. The handler begins tossing treats to the cot when ever Rockwell will look at the handler. Rockwell will go from pacing but then sitting and looking at the handler. Once Rockwell begins offering sits and eye contact, The handler till toss them to the cot. Every time Rockwell will get on the cot, The handler will spread treats along the cot. Rockwell begin to sit still with eye contact on the cot. The handler will mark and reward in place for duration. When the handle goes to to get the leash to escort Rockwell out of the of live room, Rockwell will attempt to mount and hump the handler. The handler will guide Rockwell off and tosses treats to the ground after he offers a sit. Rockwell is escorted back to his kennel where he is safely secured. 04/08/25 (trainer note): Rockwell is standing at the front of his kennel. He is barking and his kennel is covered in feces. He is heavily panting, and his pupils are dilated. As handler attempts to leash him, he jumps up on the door, causing the leash to get tangled on his forelegs. Handler is able to loop him and walks to the live room with strong pulling. When loose in the room, he explores around while continuing to heavily pant. He was too aroused to engage with snuffle mats but was able to lick the spray cheese from a slow feeder bowl. The handlers continued to refill the bowl with cheese to manage his arousal levels. Once he was able to settle, he began to engage with the snuffle mats as well. He was offered a stuffed toy and he softly mouthed it and eventually laid down with it. The handlers tried to offer him a bed, but this proved to be too overstimulating, and he tried to mount the bed and handlers had to remove it from the room. He was able to be settled again using the spray cheese and snuffle mats. He was able to be leashed and returned to kennel with strong pulling.

Summary (6):: 4/7/25 (PM): Rockwell is standing at the front of kennel with a neutral frame as handler approaches. He jumps up onto the kennel door as handler attempts to leash him and is briefly distracted by a second handler with a squeaky toy but begins jumping up onto the door at pawing at the lead. Handler's lead slides around Rockwell's neck but his front feet get caught in it, causing their lead to fall around his waist. Both handlers use a squeaker to distract and drop the lead off of his body. On second attempt, he is leashed with ease and is brought to the Live Room where he readily engages with soft toys. He approaches second handler and will place his paws onto their lap and accepts light petting before gripping them with his paws and positioning himself to mount. Handler distracts Rockwell with a squeaker and as second handler stands, he attempts to mount again, and handler has to use mild leash pressure to remove him. He begins panting heavily and barking at second handler, so they exit to check if his kennel is clean. Rockwell jumps up onto handler multiple times and leash pressure is used to guide him away. Handler tosses a toy which he will engage with again, and carries back to kennel with him, returning safely. Rockwell jumps up onto the kennel door, barking and heavily panting after it is closed. (AM): Rockwell greeted handlers at front of kennel and briefly climbed on door before being leashed without issue. He pulled on the way to the live room, with handler 2 walking ahead making sure the hallway was clear for him. Once in the live room, Rockwell was switched to a slip leash with stopper. He panted heavily throughout interaction, but was not at all flushed in the face as he had been the day prior. Notably, there had been heavy traffic in the hall the day prior, but it was clear today. Rockwell alternated between a snuffle mat, tennis ball, and large stuffed cow toy. He gradually increased the length of time he was able to settle with his toys, laying down on the snuffle mat with his legs stretched out behind him. He continued to pant heavily despite his relaxed posture. Rockwell warmed up to handlers when they started offering pets. He climbed up on their laps and leaned into pets all over. Rockwell was highly treat motivated and would sit on cue. Rockwell became aroused in the hallway while waiting for his kennel to be ready. He pulled at the end of the leash and became flushed. Handler attempted to redirect him with treats, and he would briefly sit at their feet when pet. He pulled hard back to kennel and entered without issue.

Summary (7):: 4/6/25: Rockwell is at the front of his kennel with a wide strained expression, panting heavily with a flushed face and is barking when the handler approaches. Rockwell is leashed, and pulls hard into the behavior office, barking at random and begins to spin, bark at the other staff member in the room and is unable to settle. Rockwell is brought back to his kennel where he enters without issue, trying to mouth the leash as it comes off his head but begins to whine. 4/6/25: Rockwell was eager to exit kennel as handler leashed him, panting heavily and trying to nose his way out. He pulled very hard on the way down the hall. Handler tried to get him to stand to the side behind a visual barrier so another dog could enter the building. Rockwell continued to pull hard in their direction, panting with a flushed face. Rockwell began hard barking at the dog, and turned around and jumped up on handler. Handler opted to return him to kennel due to arousal. He pulled hard back to kennel and entered without issue. -MN A staff member noted on the rounds board: "tried to redirect while in hallway (medical), dog reactive." 04/05/25 (playgroup): Rockwell is standing on hind legs with paws up on the kennel door as handler approaches. He has a flushed face, wide dilated eyes, and is panting heavily. Handler redirects him from the kennel door with tossed treats and he is leashed with ease. Rockwell pulls very hard on the walk up to the yard for playgroup (see Dog-Dog Summary for further details). He continues to pant heavily and maintains a hard frame, high flagged tail, while in the yard. Due to his level of arousal, he is not fitted with a collar at this time. Rockwell pulls very hard on the way back to the Care Center, to the point where he collapses onto his side for a few seconds before recovering. He is returned to kennel safely.

Date of initial:: 4/5/2025

Summary:: High energy, jumping, food motivated, allowed all handling with minimal restraint

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Rockwell's concerningly low threshold for arousal and reaction to novel stimuli, we feel that an adult-only home would be most beneficial at this time. Place with a New Hope Partner: Rockwell 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,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Handling/touch sensitivity: Rockwell is reported to bark and growl when his paws are touched showing discomfort with touch in certain areas. It is important to avoid touching Rockwell's paws at this time and to be cautious when touching him in other areas as we do not know where he may have other sensitivities. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things, such as food rewards to teach him to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling/touch sensitivity. Anxiety: Rockwell appears anxious at the care center, panting, pacing, and screeching during his assessment. He is unable to settle on his own, but it is unknown if these behaviors will translate in a future home environment. If Rockwell displays anxious behavior in his future home, we recommend puzzle toys, long walks, and giving him other things to focus on to alleviate his anxiety. Positive reinforcement and force-free training only should be used. Please see handout on Generalized Anxiety. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Rockwell has been observed to lunge and screech at other dogs while in care. Please see handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Strength/leash pulling: Rockwell's previous owner reported that he pulls hard during walks. This has also been displayed while in care. Rockwell is a large, strong dog capable of pulling over an average adopter. His adopter must be prepared and able to handle a dog of this size and strength. It is recommended that he be walked on a front-clip harness or head halter, which helps diminish his strength through leverage, and that he be trained using positive reinforcement, reward-based training to not pull on leash. Please see hadnout on Leash Manners. Low Threshold for Arousal: Rockwell easily and quickly becomes aroused, becoming difficult to redirect once over his threshold. He begins screeching, head whipping towards handlers with an open mouth or jumps up towards them still with an open mouth. Face red and flushed, with bulging eyes, and heavy wide mouth panting. Please see handout on Arousal.