Date of intake:: 5/14/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Behavior toward strangers:: Biggie is shy/prefers contact on his own terms with strangers

Behavior toward children:: Biggie is tolerant of children

Behavior toward dogs:: Biggie is shy/prefers contact on his own terms with new dogs

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Biggie is reported to resource guard while inside his crate and when food is present, his former owners state that he will begin hard barking and growling if someone tries taking it away.

Bite history:: 5/17/25 An ACS was attempting to leash Biggie in kennel when Biggie bit their right thumb and right index finger without warning. Biggie bit and let go causing two puncture wounds on thumb and one puncture on the index finger by knuckle. Punctures were cleaned and bandaged at ACC.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium energy

Other Notes:: Biggie is a dog that prefers contact on their own terms. Reported to spend most of their time in the kitchen or in a crate (up to 5 hours). Does not allow family to trim nails. Biggie may know the cues sit and stay. Loves to go on walks in the park.

Date of assessment:: 5/18/2025

Summary:: During his stay in the care center Biggie has been observed to be fearful. When handlers attempt to leash him in kennel Biggie will escalate to growling and snapping at handlers. On one occurrence when a handler attempted to leash Biggie he bit and released their hand causing two puncture wounds. Due to fearful behavior observed in the care center Biggie is not a candidate for a handling assessment at this time.

Summary:: 5/28/25: Biggie greet another dog at the gate with a tense, forward body, high stiff nub. He then seeks handler attention.

Summary (5):: 05/29/25: Biggie is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is offered some treats and accepts them exuberantly, handler then uses some spray cheese which is sprayed across the kennel bars. While distracted with the cheese Biggie is leashed and taken to the yard for his walk. Biggie pulls hard toward the yard and follows treats tossed on the ground for him outside. Once outside Biggie immediately stops to use the bathroom and begins walking around the perimeter of the yard. Biggie enters one of the back play yards and begins soliciting attention from handler by leaning deeply into handlers leg. Biggie accepts more treats exuberantly from handler and with mild pressure, he follows basic commands and plays pattern games with handler. He briefly fixates on a familiar staff member but after a bit loses interest. He is walked for a bit more before being brought back inside. Once returned and his kennel door is secured handler ends interaction.

Summary (6):: 05/23/25: Biggie is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is leashed while distracted with treats and spray cheese, handler introduces the leash slowly when leashing. He exits kennel and walks out to the yard with handler. During his walk, Biggie pulls hard and he is difficult to manage, he stops rarely to sniff around or use the bathroom. Biggie will quickly accept treats from handler but will also take treats tossed. After a bit he is brought back to kennel, still pulling hard. He enters kennel without issue and once secured interaction is ended. 5/22/25: Biggie is standing at the front of the kennel with a tense body and lip licking at the handler. Handler then uses the spray cheese to coax Biggie, which works. A wide leash is made and slowly placed over his head safely. Handler then opens the door waiting for Biggie to jump out, a treat is tossed forward in front of the kennel, which then he would jump out and start exiting the room. Biggie would pull hard out towards the yard and into a pen, he would periodically sit and treats would be tossed to him. He wouldn’t react to any dogs or people passing by. Shortly after he is then clipped and returned to his kennel with no further issues. 5/21/25: Biggie is standing at the back of kennel with a neutral body as handler approaches. He comes forward with a very loose body, occasionally lip licking, and has a front paw raised. He is leashed using cheese spray and taken to the yard for a walk. He remains loose and wiggly, regularly approaching handler and heavily leaning into pets. He takes treats and continuously solicits for pets. He is returned to kennel without issue. 5/20/25: Biggie was reported to snap at an unfamiliar handler's hand without warning when they went to leash him. Cheese was used initially but not during leashing. 5/19/25: Biggie is at the front of the kennel with a neutral body. Handler opens the kennel door and Biggie retreats to the back of the kennel. Handler slowly closes the door and sprays cheese on the kennel door. He approaches and licks up the cheese. Handler cracks open the kennel slowly and places the leash over his head. The kennel is then opened and Biggie hesitates before exiting the kennel. Biggie pulls very hard out of the room and towards the backyard. He relieves himself before being brought to a pen. In the pen, Biggie seeks attention, his body soft and his nub leaning heavily onto the handler's hip allowing petting under his head and on his flank. He relieves himself again and walks around the pen. He pulls towards the pen when people and dogs pass with a neutral body. He takes treats gently and handler has him do "sit" and "paw". After sometime, Biggie pulls hard back to kennel and he is returned without issue.

Summary (7):: 05/18/25: Biggie is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is offered treats which he takes with mild pressure while handler begins unlocking the kennel door and introducing the leash. Once the leash is introduced Biggie's eyes visibly widen and he backs away slightly. A second handler that is present begins feeding Biggie high value treats to distract him and the leash is slowly lifted over and onto Biggie's head. Once secured he exits kennel and begins walking out to the yard, he pulls hard when exiting. He is walked out to the street and tossed some treats to follow outside. Biggie uses the bathroom as soon as he reaches the street and while out he walks forward slowly, continuing to use the bathroom and sniff around. When moving towards an area he wants to investigate he will pull forward hard. He accepts treats from handlers hands and pulls toward dogs he sees outside. After walking for a bit he is brought back inside and clipped, he attempts to approach staff members he passes in the halls before following a treat trail back into kennel. 5/16/25: Biggie is reported to refuse to leave kennel even with a cheese trail. 5/15/25: ACS report that Biggie is growling and snapped towards them in kennel. Handler approaches and offers treats and cheese. Biggie is receptive to cheese and allows the first handler to leash him. He is unreceptive to coaxing and mild leash pressure is used to guide him out of kennel. Once out of kennel Biggie readily walks to the yard. The handler walks him around and reports that he became soft in the yard and offered behaviors such as sit and paw and continued to be receptive to the cheese. 5/14/25: (INTAKE NOTE) When K9 Behavior approaches Biggie, he is tense bodied but softens as treats were tossed to him. Biggie approaches slowly and sniffs the handler. He took treats and jumped onto the handler with a neutral body. Biggie was loose and wiggly when another staff approached. The staff member proceeds to leash Biggie. Biggie jumps as the leash is being placed over his head. He then becomes tense and barks at the staff member pulling towards them. The staff member straight arms the dog slightly off of them. Biggie is still being held on his leash by his owner. For safety due to the reaction, staff and K9 Beh opted to double leash Biggie. They move ahead slowly and Biggie followed the treats scattered ahead of him, pulling hard. He stops outside of his kennel and treats are tossed in. He coaxed into the kennel with mild leash pressure and climbs in without issue. A hook is used to remove the leashes.

Date of intake:: 5/14/2025

Summary:: Aloof and skittish, receptive to treats, barks at a staff member once when approaching

Date of initial:: 5/15/2025

Summary:: Hard barking, pancakes when exiting kennel, sedated

ENERGY LEVEL:: Biggie is described as active and enthusiastic. He 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 and enthusiasm. We recommend feeding with puzzle feeders and food-dispensing toys. And we recommend only force-free, reward-based training techniques for Biggie.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful behavior and bite history we recommend an adult only home. We recommend placement with a New Hope rescue partner who is able to provide an experienced, adult-only foster home. Force-free, reward based training and/or consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Biggie's previous owner states that he will hard bark and growl while food is in his possession. We recommend that Biggie be left alone while eating, and that food guarding behavior modification steps (available at ASPCApro.org) be utilized if this behavior is problematic in their future home. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Biggie's mouth, and any time something is removed they should be rewarded with a high value treat or toy. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Fearful Defensive: Biggie has been observed to growl and snap at handlers while in kennel. It is important to move slowly with Biggie, to build positive associations (treats/toys/praise), and to allow them to initiate interactions with new people. They should never be forced to greet or to interact if they are not comfortable and soliciting attention. Please see handout on Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Bite History (Human): Please see bite history above for more details. Please see handout on Bite History and Potential for Future Aggression.