Date of intake:: 1/24/2025

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

Previously lived with:: 6 adults, 1 dog

Behavior toward strangers:: friendly, outgoing, and playful

Behavior toward children:: unknown

Behavior toward dogs:: friendly, outgoing, and playful with familiar and unfamiliar dogs. But will alert bark

Behavior toward cats:: hard barks; lunges on walks

Resource guarding:: Ralphy values toys, food, and treats. He guards these items by hovering over them with a tense body when approached.

Bite history:: none reported

Housetrained:: Yes

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

Other Notes:: Raplhy is reported to use the bathroom outside and inside on newspapers. In his previous home, he was taken outside every four hours to use the bathroom. He has been reported to have general anxiety and to frequently pace. He has been reported to pull hard on leash. While on walks he barks and lunges at bikes, skateboards, cats, small animals, and other dogs. He is not bothered when held, when startled, when pushed off furniture, when his paws are touched, or when his collar is grabbed. He does not like to be touched while sleeping, and barks. He has been reported to open cabinet doors, and eat any food he can find inside.

Date of assessment:: 1/26/2025

Summary:: 2/6/25: Ralpy has been observed to be highly fearful during his stay in care. When a handlers greet Ralphy he is tense and avoidant and continues to move away. He did take treats from the handlers but avoided touch due to this he will remain new hope and a handling assessment is not conducted at this time. 1/26/25: Ralpy has been observed to be highly fearful during his stay in care. When a handlers greet Ralphy he is tense and avoidant and continues to move away. When one of the handler begins to talk to Ralphy and toss him treats he displays whale eyes and seeks an exit. Out of concern for his overall stress level, an assessment will not be attempted at this time.

Summary:: According to Ralphie's previous owner(s), Ralphie is friendly, outgoing, and playful around familiar dogs. He is friendly, outgoing, and alert barks at unfamiliar dogs. 01/27/25 Ralphie is introduced to a novel female dog while off leash at the care center. Ralphie appears nervous, standing with a stiff, tense frame, while trembling. He displays whale eyes, backing up from the handler as they attempt to collar him. The handler is unsuccessful. As the handler exits the pen that he is in, entering the one with the novel female dog, Ralphie becomes softer, approaching the gate to scent the novel female dog. Ralphie will give slight tails wags, becoming visibly softer. The novel female dog will walk away as Ralphie remains self present.

Summary (7):: 02/11/25 Ralphy is standing in front of his kennel door with a neutral frame and wide eyes. The handler will leash him slowly, proceeding outside for a walk. The handler will take Ralphy directly to the play yard as per signage. Upon exiting the facility, Ralphy is hyper-vigilant, weary of outside, from noises to fast movement he may witness. Ralphy enters the play pen and begins to explore the pen. The handler will kneel down and allow Ralphy to eat out of their palm, taking treats gently when administered. Ralphy is taken to another pen, in order to give him a change in scenery and allow him to walk past the pens. Ralphy will remain alongside the handler, in a moderate pace. Ralphy is returned to the facility, entering the building with no issue. To where he was a bit reluctant in entering his kennel, he will slowly enter willingly. 2/7/25: Ralphy is at the front of his kennel with a tense body, and tucked tail when approached. Ralphy is leashed easily and brought to the behavior office where he maintains a tense body and tucked tail, and is aloof to staff members in the room. Ralphy will approach for treats, but whale eyes handlers that to approach to collar him, and moves away. Ralphy remains uncomfortable with touch, raising his hackles and jumping when touched. Ralphy is brought back to his kennel due to his FAS with no issue. 02/05/25 (Trainer Note): Ralphy is standing in kennel with a slightly tense body as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls mildly to the canine training room. Ralphy is unwilling to engage in the enrichment items. Handler plays the up/down pattern game with him until he is able to engage in the snuffle mat. Ralphy then is able to move between the enrichment items. He softens some and shakes off. Ralphy is returned to kennel without issue. 01/26/25: Ralphy is at the back of his kennel laying down when the handler approaches, and once approached begins to lower his body, look away from the handler and retreat. Ralphy is coaxed with a squeaker and the door being more ajar to make him feel less trapped. Ralphy is leashed, and brought out of his kennel where he remains highly fearful. Ralphy does not go through a handling assessment due to his high FAS and is brought back to kennel. 01/25/25: Ralphy is lying at the back of kennel with a slightly tense frame as handler approaches. He comes forward and is leashed with ease and walks with a low tense frame to the Canine Behavior Office. He will slowly approach handlers and sniff their legs before walking away. After his session, Ralphy is walked back to kennel and will plant himself. Handler redirects him away from kennel and then hustles him in, using moderate directional leash pressure to guide him in.

Date of intake:: 1/24/2025

Summary:: anxious but allowed handling

Date of initial:: 1/25/2025

Summary:: cowers, easily leashed, thrashes when pulled, sedate

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Ralphy's resource guarding, fearfulness, anxiety, and on- leash reactivity, we recommend for him to be placed in an adult only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Ralphy 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: : Resource guarding,Fearful,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration

Potential challenges comments:: Resource guarding: Ralphy values toys, food, and treats. He guards these items by hovering over them with a tense body when approached. For this reason, we advise against ever removing items from Ralphy's possession without safely trading them for an item of 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 the handout on Resource guarding. Fearful: Ralphy has been highly fearful and avoidant during his stay in care. 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 Ralphy to new and unfamiliar situations. Please see handout on Decompression Period. Anxiety: Ralphy's previous owner reported be anxious in the home and frequently pace. His owner described him as an anxious dog but did not give details on how the anxiety manifested. If Ralphy 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, force-free training only should be used. Please see handout on Generalized Anxiety. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: While on walks Ralphy is reported to barks and lunges at bikes, skateboards, cats, small animals, and other dogs. Please see handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration.