Date of intake:: 11/21/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, No known history

Bite history:: On 1/7/26 the foster parent (FP) was lying in the bed next to the cat. Sterling broke out of his crate that was in the living room. Sterling walked into the bed room and up to the bed. Sterling jumped up on the bed to grab the cat, when the cat went to runaway Sterling bite the cat on the leg. The foster parent believes Starling was just attempting to play.The FP attempted to separate the two animals and Sterling bite them on the right hand (The FP was able to get them separated in approx 5 seconds). This bite was a bite and release. The cat sustained a puncture wound to the thigh. The FP went to the ER and then took the cat to VEG.

Other Notes:: 04/05/26: Sterling's separation anxiety is more severe. Sterling has chewed through baseboards, flipped his crate (he was not crated at the time), eliminated in the FP's apartment and chewed the door frame. 02/16/26: Sterling is reported to have separation anxiety in his foster home. He will pace, pant and counter surf when left alone for short periods. **Previous assessments can be given upon request**

Date of assessment:: 4/11/2026

Summary:: 4/11/26: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Hard Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: pulls away Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Explores room -seeks exit, low body, approaches for treats Call over: Readily approaches- sits for treats, ducks head when petted Sociability comments:lip licks low body Soft handling: Tolerant- lip licks, low body, avoidance of touch Exuberant handling:Tolerant- lip licks, low body, Comments: Arousal Jog: Follow- lip licks, goes towards exit Arousal comments: Knock: Doesn't approach Knock comments: Toy: Ignores toy Toy comments: ***01/15/26: Behavioral assessment upon request.*** ***11/24/25: Behavioral assessment upon request.***

Summary:: Sterling arrived at the care centers as a stray, so his behavior with other dogs is unknown. 5/17/26: Sterling will greet a fake dog off leash at the care centers. Sterling will notice the fake dog and run up to it with a neutral body, gradually growing stiffer as the fake dog moves around. Sterling hackles along his rear will raise along with his elbows that begin to lock with a fast wagging curved upward tail. Sterling will jump on top of the fake dog, pause and hump it. Sterling when the fake dog is moved away while humping stops, and is able to be pulled off easily. 1/21/26: Sterling greets another dog at the gate with a neutral body. He whines and pushes his nose into the gate. 11/26/25: Sterling greets another dog at the gate with a neutral body. He disengages and reapproaches with a tense body.

Summary (5):: 5/14/26: Sterling is standing in his kennel as handler approaches. He has a loose body and wagging tail as the handler unlocks the door. He is comfortable taking treats as the handler clips the leash to his harness and he is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he has a loose body and wagging tail as he walks ahead of the handler. He would stop and stare at the handler to receive treats. He would stare at the handler's treat pouch with a wagging tail as they grab more treats to give him. He would turn around and stare at dogs that were nearby behind him. He is able to return back to his kennel with no issues. 04/21/26: As handler is approaching kennel, Sterling is laying down in kennel and rises to front of kennel where handler can easily leash him and go outside with ease. Sterling during walk is neutral and glances at handler for treats. Pets were easily given as well with loose body from him. Sterling is taken to playyard after walk where he is dragleashed and stayed with handler still wanting treats and pets. Did not really engage much in paw, etc except for sit.After all, He is then returned to kennel where he is unclipped and sat with ease.

Summary (6):: 4/6/26: Sterling is laying down in his kennel as handler approaches. He comes forward to the front and is able to be leashed with ease. He is then taken to the behavior room. In the room, he has a neutral body frame as he explores around. He is comfortable approaching the handlers to receive treats. He begins to have a loose body and accepts a few pets from the handlers. He engages in a snuffle mat and a cheese lick mat. He is able to return back to his kennel with no issue. 4/6/26: It is reported via the behavior board that Sterling had been flipping their karunda bed and that it was removed. 04/01/26: Trainer spoke with FP regarding Sterling’s SA, which appears to have worsened between fosters. Sterling will now eliminate, chew baseboards, attempt To break out of his crate, flip the crate and chew the door frame when left alone for a short time. Sterling will interact with long lasting enrichment and become destructive as soon as he is finished. Trainer sent FP the details for Be Right Back book and the ACC foster Facebook group to find potential sitters. 01/16/26: Trainer spoke with FP regarding Sterling's separation anxiety. FP has a camera set up and shared footage with the trainer and Sterling can be seen pacing, panting and whining and counter surfing. At one point Sterling can be seen fully jumping on the kitchen counter. Trainer is sending the PDF of the book Be Right Back. Trainer is also sending information for the Facebook group to potentially find dog sitters for Sterling when the FP wants to go out. Trainer also advised to potentially block off the kitchen counter and monitor Sterlingon the camera. 01/15/26: Sterling is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is leashed while distracted with a treat and taken to the yard for his walk. He pulls hard exiting the room and toward some of the pop-up crates he passes on the way out, once outside Sterling walks with handler and sits for treats and rolls over on his back when being pet. He follows handler and scratches his back along the wall to itch himself. He passes dogs outside and shows minimal interest, after a bit he's brought back inside for his behavior assessment, once complete he is returned to kennel and pancakes briefly but follows tossed treats back inside. 1/14/26: Sterling is at the front of the kennel with a loose body and wagging tail. The handler speaks in a high pitch voice and Sterling's tail begins to wag faster. The handler offers treats and Sterling is readily receptive, taking the treats with a soft mouth. The handler tosses more treats and ends the interaction.

Summary (7):: 12/30/25: It is reported on the behavior board that Sterling is flipping over his kuranda bed. 12/19/25: Sterling is laying at the front of his kennel leaning against the kennel door. He stands with soft body and is easily leashed and removed from kennel. He is walked out to the street where he keeps turning to handler and sitting seeking treats. He does this repeatedly before focusing on the walk and relieving himself. HE allows petting but doesn't seek it. When seeing a small dog walking toward him from a distance he lowers his body almost laying on the ground. Handler has to pull him away and then uses treats to keep his focus. One back in the driveway, treats need to be tossed to get him to walk back to his kennel otherwise he would baulk. 12/12/25: Sterling is laying down quietly on his bedding in middle of kennel, he is soft bodied. As handler begins to unlock kennel door, Sterling approaches with loose body, he is easily leashed, pulls hard out of kennel initially, but allows easy clipping to harness. Sterling is walked out to sidewalk, is highly social with handler. Sterling pulls notably less on sidewalk. Sterling takes treats gently, understands sit commands. When being pet Sterling leans in a solicits more contact. Sterling is walked back to MACC, he baulks when re-entering PAC, pancakes to ground. Treats are effective to lure him forward and into kennel without issue. 11/29/25: It was reported that Sterling broke the bottom of the pop-up crate he was housed in and injured himself in the process. 11/28/25: Sterling walked well on leash only pulling a little when he needs to use the bathroom. Sterling would stare at passerby's alone, with dogs or with loud children and music but does not react and is easily redirected with treats and continues to walk easily. 11/24/25: Sterling is at the back of his kennel sleeping as handler approaches. Once handler calls his name in a soft voice, he would slowly approach the front with a soft body. Sterling is then easily leashed taken for a street walk for his assessment. He would have a mild pull ahead of the handler and would then spot a dog. He would then fixate on the dog and become tense-bodied, he is then easily redirected with squeaker sounds. Shortly after, he would continue his street walk with no issue. As he's being brought back into the shelter, on the way to the assessment room Sterling would begin to baulk and attempt to pull away from the handler. Mild leash pressure is then used to bring him into the office, once in he would allow himself to be collared. After the assessment, he would then baulk in front of the room and has to be muscled into his kennel.

Date of intake:: 11/21/2025

Date of initial:: 11/21/2025

Summary:: Allows all handling with a loose wiggly body

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Sterling so we cannot be certain of their behavior in a home environment. However, they 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),No cats,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful behavior we recommend an adult only home. No Cats: Due to the bite incident, we recommend a home with no cats. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to all noted concerns displayed in a home environment while in foster, the behavior department recommends Sterling be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced adult-only foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Sterling to acclimate comfortably to his new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Sterling to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Sterling presents with outside of the care centers.

Potential challenges: : House soiling,Destructive behavior,Fearful,Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression,Separation anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Bite history (human),Bite history (other animal)

Potential challenges comments:: House soiling/Destructive behavior/Separation anxiety: Sterling displays significant separation-related behaviors, between foster placements. When left alone, even for short periods, he will eliminate indoors, chew baseboards, attempt to break out of his crate, flip the crate, and chew door frames. He also engages in extensive counter surfing, pulling down appliances, tearing up paperwork, and accessing human food. While Sterling will initially interact appropriately with long-lasting enrichment, he becomes destructive as soon as the enrichment is finished. These behaviors indicate severe separation anxiety combined with poor impulse control when unsupervised and will require structured anxiety-reduction training, gradual departure desensitization, and careful management to prevent rehearsal of destructive behaviors. Please see the handout House soiling/Destructive behavior/Separation anxiety. Fearful: Sterling has been obsvered to baulk when returning to kennel, this behavior is not able to be redirected. Sterling would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to their new surroundings. Please see handout on Decompression Period. Multiple bite history/Bite History (Human and other animal (cat)): On 1/7/26 the foster parent (FP) was lying in the bed next to the cat. Sterling broke out of his crate that was in the living room. Sterling walked into the bed room and up to the bed. Sterling jumped up on the bed to grab the cat, when the cat went to runaway Sterling bite the cat on the leg. The foster parent believes Starling was just attempting to play.The FP attempted to separate the two animals and Sterling bite them on the right hand (The FP was able to get them separated in approx 5 seconds). This bite was a bite and release. The cat sustained a puncture wound to the thigh. The FP went to the ER and then took the cat to VEG. On Leash Reactivity: Sterling has been obsvered to stare at other dogs with a tense body. This behavior is obsvered to be redirected easily. Sterling will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other dogs. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration.