Animal Profile

Chico is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the prior home, Chico was reported to display fearful and defensive behavior toward unfamiliar people and family members and has a history of multiple bite incidents that broke skin. His owner also reported difficulty safely handling and walking him due to concerns around placing his collar. In the care center, Chico has shown intense fearful and defensive behavior, including trembling, whale eye, growling, avoiding the leash, and attempting to bolt away from handlers. Chico continues to struggle to acclimate to the shelter environment despite efforts to minimize his stress. Medically, Chico has monocytosis, is mildly hyperglycemic, and has a Grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur.

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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. This pet is available only through ACC New Hope partners. To adopt or foster, please complete the pre-screener form below. Inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Chico is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the prior home, Chico was reported to display fearful and defensive behavior toward unfamiliar people and family members and has a history of multiple bite incidents that broke skin. His owner also reported difficulty safely handling and walking him due to concerns around placing his collar. In the care center, Chico has shown intense fearful and defensive behavior, including trembling, whale eye, growling, avoiding the leash, and attempting to bolt away from handlers. Chico continues to struggle to acclimate to the shelter environment despite efforts to minimize his stress. Medically, Chico has monocytosis, is mildly hyperglycemic, and has a Grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur. Chico was surrendered to the care center by his previous owner due to behavioral issues. The owner reports that Chico displayed highly defensive and fearful behavior in the home, including growling and snapping when family members attempt to approach or touch him, escalating to bites on three occasions-- to the owner, their mother, and their two-year old son. All three bites were bite-and-releases that broke skin and were treated at home. Chico has not acclimated well to the care center environment, growling, lunging, and snapping at staff and allowing only minimal handling. Due to noted concerns displayed in both the home and care center, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide an experienced, adult-only foster home, a period of decompression, and any necessary behavior modification before placement into a permanent home.

My medical notes are...

Medical Notes

10/8/2026

DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 9-12 years based on the condition of teeth and eyes Microchip noted on Intake? Negative History: Owner surrender Subjective: BAR H pink 1 sec Observed Behavior - tense; not interested with treats; high FAS; biting; tail tucked under Evidence of Cruelty seen - No Objective P = 80hr (sedated) R = 25rr (sedated) BCS 4/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: 3-4/6 ddz PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, 4/6 systolic murmur, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: MI with 2 down MSI: before sedation ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: before sedation mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment dental disease heart murmur Prognosis: fair to guarded Plan: Dog sedation: Using 0.2 ml dexmedetomidine (500mcg/ml) and 0.2 ml butorphanol (10mg/ml) IM Reversed with Antisedan-0.2 ml IM behavior assessment Trazodone- 50 mg (5 to 10 mg/kg po q 12 hrs) sig: 3/4 tab po q 12 hrs Intake procedures CBCD/CHEM/T4/ProBNP- pending SURGERY: permanent waiver due to age

10/9/2026

DVM Blood Work Interpretation S/O: -CBC largely WNL; mild monocytosis (1.14). No anemia, leukocytosis or thrombocytopenia. -Chemistry largely WNL; mild hyperglycemia (159). Renal values WNL (SDMA 9, creatinine 0.7, BUN 14). Hepatic values WNL. -proBNP WNL at 726 pmol/L despite grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur. -TT4 low-normal at 1.2. A: -Mild monocytosis, likely nonspecific/reactive. -Mild hyperglycemia, likely stress-associated. -Grade 4/6 systolic heart murmur with normal proBNP; clinically significant myocardial stretch/stress not supported by current testing, though structural cardiac disease cannot be excluded. -Otherwise unremarkable senior BW. P: -No treatment indicated based on BW. -Recommend echocardiogram after placement given prominent heart murmur. -Recommend dental care after placement.

10/14/2026

Progress exam: Inappetence noted on monitor log Subjective: BAR, no C/S/V/D Objective: EYES: Clear, no discharge LUNGS: Eupneic, no sign of respiratory distress NASAL CAVITY: no discharge MUSCULOSKELETAL: Ambulatory x4, no lameness or lesions NEURO: Appropriate mentation ASSESSMENT: Presumed inappetence PLAN: Per standing orders -Start medical feedings q12h x5days -CTM, recheck as scheduled

Details on my behavior are...

Behavior Condition: 5. Red

Behavior History
Behavior Assessment

Upon intake, Chico arrived in a carrier, minimal handling was done but he was growling and lunging/snapping while being taken to medical and transferring to his kennel.

Basic Information:: 10-year-old male dog, lived with previous owner for 10 years.

Previously lived with:: adults and children

How is this dog around strangers?: will lunge, growl, and show teeth

How is this dog around children?: will lunge, growl, and show teeth

How is this dog around other dogs?: no experience

How is this dog around cats?: no experience

Resource guarding:: never attempted to interact while he is eating

Bite history:: The owner stated she has not been walking him due to being nervous about getting bitten if she puts on his collar. Chico barks and growls at any stranger that gets near him and even family in the home. Chico has bitten three times in the past. She reported that the last bite happened 2 weeks ago when her 2-year-old son was waiting in front of the bathroom for her when Chico saw the toddler's swinging foot and snapped. It broke skin, self-treated at home and bite/release. He bit two more times one year ago, one bite to herself and one bite to her mother. The bite to herself was unprovoked when she was walking past him while in the backyard and the bite towards her mother was when he was being put into a crate. Both bites were bite/release breaking skin, treated at home, and on the hand.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium

Other Notes:: does not like to be touched, growls and snaps at people when you try.

Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No

For a New Family to Know: Chico has a hard time being social, he does not like to be touched by anybody and will attempt to bite if he is touched or if you get close. He eats wet and dry food, prefers to be alone. used to being in a crate because of behavior but will try to bite when putting him in.

Date of intake:: 10/5/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner surrender (10 years)

Previously lived with:: Adults and children

Behavior toward strangers:: Will lunge, growl, and show teeth

Behavior toward children:: Will lunge, growl, and show teeth

Behavior toward dogs:: No experience

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Never attempted to interact while he is eating.

Bite history:: Chico's owner reported that Chico has bitten three times in the past, the most recent in September 2026. In this instance, their two-year old son was swinging his foot when Chico bit it, a bite-and-release that broke skin and was treated at home. The two previous bites were to the owner, who was walking past Chico in the back yard when he bit them on the hand, reportedly unprovoked, and to their mother, who was also bitten on the hand when trying to place Chico in a crate. Both of these bites were also bite-and-release and broke skin, and were treated at home.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Chico is described as medium energy by his previous owners.

Other Notes:: Chico's previous owner reports that he barks and growls at any stranger that gets near him, and at family in the home when they try to touch him.

Date of assessment:: 10/13/2026

Summary:: Chico's owner has reported that Chico has bitten three times, the most recent two weeks ago; all three bites were bite-and-releases that broke skin (for more detail, please see bite history information above). During intake and medical examination, he growled, lunged, and snapped at staff. Due to all noted concerns, Chico is not a safe candidate for a handling assessment.

Summary (7):: 10/07/26 (KSV): Chico is lying on his bed at the back of his kennel when the handler approaches. His body is tense, and he is shaking. As the handler speaks to him quietly, he begins to growl. The interaction is ended to minimize his stress. 10/5: Chico is whale-eyeing and growling when a handler approaches. He sniffs cheese but does not take it. He tries to dodge leashing, but the handler is able to lasso him on the first attempt. He is then moved to a kennel where he can have either side of the transfer door. Once leashed, Chico bolts out of the kennel and tries to bolt away from the handler. As the hadnler opens the new kennel door, Chico jumps in and bolts to a back corner. A hook is used to remove the lead.

Date of intake:: 10/5/2026

Summary:: Growling, lunging, snapping

Date of initial:: 10/8/2026

Summary:: Tense, snapping, tail tucked under

ENERGY LEVEL:: Chico is described as medium energy by his previous owners and will need daily mental and physical activity to keep him engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children: Due to Chico's bite history, we recommend an adult only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Chico's bite history and all concerns noted in both the home and care center environment, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide an experienced adult-only foster home, necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable environment before placement into a permanent home.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Multiple-bite history/risk of future aggression,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression | Multiple bite history | Bite history (human): Chico has shown highly fearful behavior both in the home and care center environment, including growling, snapping, and lunging when people approach or attempt to handle him. In his previous home, this has escalated to bites on three occasions, to the owner, their mother, and their two-year old son. All three bites were bite-and-releases that broke skin and were treated at home. Though the bites have not typically caused serious injury, they indicate a high level of stress for Chico when he is in situations that escalate to biting. This is a behavior that will require careful environmental management and force-free, reward-based training to help him feel comfortable with people and handling. Please see handout on Bite history and potential for future aggression.