Date of intake:: 9/22/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner surrender (4 months)

Previously lived with:: Adults, children, cat, other dogs

Behavior toward strangers:: Alert, hard barks, jumps socially

Behavior toward children:: Gentle and friendly with familiar children

Behavior toward dogs:: Playful and social with familiar dogs

Behavior toward cats:: Tolerant and curious

Resource guarding:: No resource guarding reported

Bite history:: No bite history

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Max Squared previous owner describes him as a high energy dog.

Other Notes:: Max Squared's owners report that he will bark at new people when approached on walks and when people come into the home. He is reported to jump on people often.

Date of assessment:: 9/26/2026

Summary:: Max Squared has shown highly fearful behavior in the care center and has allowed for minimal handling. He hard barked and lunged at staff during intake, and lunges, growls, snarls, and hard-barks as staff approach his kennel and reach for his kennel card. Due to his fearful behavior and out of concern for his stress levels, a handling assessment is not conducted.

Summary (7):: 10/16/26: Max Squared is observed to be at the front of his kennel, pressing his face into the top right corner of his kennel, is hard barking with a tense body, and whale eyeing as handler walks past. Handler will approach and Max Squared will continue hard barking towards them and escalates to snarling. Interaction is ended due to high FAS levels. 9/25/26: Max Squared is standing at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he has a neutral body frame and low tail as she walks ahead of the handler. He is comfortable approaching the handler to sniff them, but has no interest in treats or a toy that was offered. He has no reactions to dogs or people nearby. When returning back to his kennel, he head whips and snaps at the handler hand as they attempt to clip their leash. He is able to enter his kennel with no issues and the handler is then slowly able to retrieve their leash with a hook. 9/23 (PM): Max Squared is lying down at the front of his kennel when a handler approaches. He begins growling while leaning away, then bends to a knee in front of the kennel. They offer him a slice of cheese, and he begins eating what's closest to him before coming forward to take from the handler. Once the kennel door is opened, Max is easily leashed and taken to the behavior office. Once in the office, he explores with a tense body, tail tightly tucked, and is hypervigilant. He is easily startled and flinches at the slightest movement or sound. The handler places pieces of cheese into a snuffle mat, but Max does not engage, nor does he show interest in a lick mat or toys. The handler sits on the couch, and he wanders over, sitting between their legs for a few seconds before moving away again. He tries jumping up on the desk. Once his kennel is cleaned, he returns without issue. 9/23/26: Max Squared is seen hunched over, whale-eyeing at a staff member as they approach. He lunges forward, growling, snarling, and hard-barking as they touch his kennel card.

Date of intake:: 9/22/2026

Summary:: Hard barking and lunging

Date of initial:: 9/25/2026

Summary:: Very fearful, approaching then jumping away

ENERGY LEVEL:: Max Squared's previous owners describe him as a high energy dog, who was used to at least three walks a day. 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.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to the highly fearful behavior that Max Squared has shown while in the care center, we recommend an adult only home. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Max Squared's highly fearful behavior in the care center, which has escalated to lunging, growling, and snarling, 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: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: During his stay at the care center, Max Squared has showed fearful and defensive behavior, hard barking and lunging at staff during intake, and barking, growling, and snarling when staff approach or reach towards his kennel. His previous owners also report that he would bark at unfamiliar people approaching or coming into the home. It is important to always go slow and give Max Squared the option to walk away from any social interaction. He should never be forced to approach anything that he is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be his choice to approach a new person or thing. Max Squared would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to his new surroundings. Please see handout on Fearful/Potential for Defensive Aggression. Basic Manners/Poor Impulse Control: In his previous home, Max Squared was reported to jump up on people often. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach him to control those impulses; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic Manners and Impulse Control.