Date of intake:: 8/9/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Previously lived with:: Adults, dogs

Behavior toward strangers:: Dodger may initially bark or hide but is friendly with strangers

Behavior toward children:: Dodger may initially bark or hide but is friendly with children

Behavior toward dogs:: Dodger may initially bark or hide but is friendly with dogs

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: No Resource Guarding

Bite history:: No Bite History

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: High Energy

Other Notes:: Dodger is fearful of loud noises and does not like his paws touched (will bark or growl).

Date of assessment:: 8/14/2026

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sniffed people with loose body when passing. Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: Loose and wiggly, leans into pets, accepts treats, jumps and paws at handler, becomes mildly mouthy. Soft handling: Seeks Contact Exuberant handling: Tolerates Contact Comments: Leans in for pets, mouth hand gently when touching legs Arousal Jog comments: Follows neutral bodied Knock Knock comments: Approaches loose bodied, jumps on handler seeking pets Toy Toy comments: Grips, engages in play

Summary:: According to Dodger's previous owner(s), Dodger is friendly, outgoing, and playful with other dogs. He may hide or bark at first. He has lived with dogs in his previous home. 8/15/26: Dodger is introduced to a novel intact male and is loose and wiggly at the fence with mid level wags. When let into the yard, he approaches the other dog with a loose and wiggly body and attempts to sniff his genitals. The dog is evasive, displacement play bowing backwards, and Dodger follows him while doing chin overs and attempting to push underneath him. The dogs are separated to reduce FAS. He is then introduced to another intact male and is loose and wiggly at the gate. When face to face, Dodger sniffs the other dog briefly before chinning over and attempting to stand on the other dog's back. The other dog stands on his hind legs attempting to wrap their arms around him, Dodger stands in response attempting chin overs and holding an arm on the other dog's back. The two continue to attempt to stand on each other, the meet is ended due to the other dog's discomfort. 8/13/26: Dodger is introduced to a novel intact female and approaches the fence with a loose body and mid level wagging tail. He sniffs nose to nose through the fence wiggling and toe tapping, gently nudging it with his nose. When face to face, Dodger is loose while sniffing the other dog. The other dog begins play bowing and Dodger flinches back due to her exuberance but toe taps after her. The two take an appropriate break where Dodger explores the yard before reapproaching. He stands over her and does chin overs, following her across the yard attempting to leap onto her. He attempts to hump the other dog and she gives a harsh continuous correction while they are separated. Dodger is pulled away without issue and redirects his attention to engage with handlers.

Summary (6):: 8/25/26: It is noted on the whiteboard that Dodger is "not exiting kennel for walk, growling at leash and attempted to bite leash.) 8/23/26: Dodger is at the front of the kennel with a neutral body. Handler unlocks the kennel and presents the leash. As they try to place the leash over Dodger's head, he dodges the leash. He has a tight mouth and throws his head back, vocalizing as a high pitched bark. Handler tries a treat lure and as the leash is placed over he repeats the behavior. Handler lassos Dodger from the back of the head. He tries to jump back but it goes around his neck successfully. Dodger is removed from kennel and walks with the handler to the street. Treats are tossed and Dodger chases after them. He walks with a slack leash besides the handler. Dodger relieves himself a few times before walking back to the shelter. He is taken back upstairs and is returned to his kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 8/14/26: Dodger is at the front of his kennel with a loose body; he is easily leashed and brought out the room, in which he pulls hard out of. On the street, Dodger walks with mild leash tension; he presents a loose body when sniffing some people sitting down as he passes, and doesn't react to a large dog. After he relieves himself, Dodger becomes loose-bodied and jumps on the handler for pets. After being brought in, he approaches and solicits attention from medical personnel nearby. The handler brings Dodger to his assessment (see notes), and afterwards, to his room. As soon as they enter, Dodger baulks, and doesn't move with a little leash pressure. The handler drops a treat in front of him, and he moves to eat it; the handler continues the treat trail until Dodger begins to walk on his own. The handler returns Dodger to his kennel. 8/13/26: Dodger is at the front of his kennel with a loose body; he is leashed and brought out; he seemingly pulls near the kennels. Dodger is brought to the yard for playgroup (see D2D notes). Before the interaction, Dodger presents a loose body to the other handlers and allows pets; he also allows one of them to place a collar on him. After the interaction, the handler brings Dodger inside; he looks at the kennels as he walks past them. but enters his on his own. 8/12/26: Dodger is standing in his crate with a neutral body; the handler tosses treats into his kennel and he eats them. As they bring the leash into the crate, Dodger backs away from the front; as they try to leash him again, he huffs twice. As the handler tries to lasso him, Dodger goes to the back of his kennel and begins barking; he snaps and bites the leash when the handler attempts to lasso him; he also doesn't show interest in the treats. The handler then use a pole leash; Dodger snaps and tries to dodge the leash, but the handler is able to leash and bring him out the crate. On the street, Dodger walks with mild leash tension; he doesn't react to people or dogs. Upon entry, the handler brings Dodger to a kennel, and retrieves the pole leash with a hook with ease. 8/11/26: Later in the day, a handler enters the room and is removing a dog from their kennel. Dodger can be heard demand barking from inside his pop-up crate. Handler talks to him in baby talk. He displays a soft face and wiggly body. With a fast wagging tail. Handler offers him treats through the crate and he takes it gently. The interaction is ended. 8/11/26: It was reported that soon after Dodger was placed in a pop-up crate, he begins to avoid the leash, growl, lip lick and sits in the back of the crate with his front legs raised. Staff were not able to remove him for his midday walk.

Date of intake:: 8/9/2026

Summary:: approach with wagging tail and lean into legs for pets, easily leashed and brought to kennel

Date of initial:: 8/9/2026

Summary:: Tense body for exam

ENERGY LEVEL:: Dodger is described as active and enthusiastic. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them 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. We recommend feeding with puzzle feeders and food-dispensing toys. And we recommend only force-free, reward-based training techniques for Dodger.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No Children (Under 13): Due to Dodgers fearful disposition and capacity for defensive aggression, we recommend a home with no children. 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: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Leash-biting

Potential challenges comments:: Basic Manners/Poor Impulse Control: During his assessment Dodger was observed to jump up exuberantly on handlers seeking attention. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach him to control his impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic Manners and Poor Impulse Control. Mouthiness/Poor Bite Inhibition: During his assessment handlers noted that Dodger became slightly mouthy at times when engaged with handler. This is a behavior that should be extinguished through training alternate behaviors and lack of reward (ex. walking away whenever Dodger's teeth make contact with skin). Please see handout on Mouthiness. Handling/Touch Sensitivity: Staff have reported that during handling, Dodger can become tense and his former owners report Dodger does not like his paws being touched. It is important to avoid touching Dodger's paws at this time and to be cautious when touching him in other areas as we do not know where he may have other sensitivities. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things such as food rewards in order to teach Dodger to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Fearful/Potential for Defensive Aggression: During his stay at the care centers Dodger has displayed fearful behavior such as tense posture and whale eye and has escalated to snapping and growling defensively when uncomfortable. Dodger should never be forced to interact, he should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people he finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach and we recommend ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Dodger. More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Dodger's quality of life. Please see handout on Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Leash Biting: Dodger has been observed to growl and bite the leash when handlers are attempting to leash him. We recommend walking them with a toy to dissuade them from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach them to focus on you rather than grabbing the leash. Please see handout on Leash Manners.