Date of intake:: 6/8/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender( found her & kept her for 4 months)

Previously lived with:: 2 adults 1 child , MMB, DSH

Behavior toward strangers:: alert bark and once comfortable is friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward children:: she spent time around a 4y/o and is playful, friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: with unfamiliar dogs she will lunge and snap at them, with familiar dogs she is tolerant, but has lu

Behavior toward cats:: shy/contact on her terms and tolerant

Resource guarding:: when treats, toys and food are touched she has a tense body and will hover over

Bite history:: No known reported bite history

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Nova is noted in the prior home to have a very high energy level.

Other Notes:: Nova has become dog reactive and the owner stated stated that a few weeks ago, when they were walking Nova and that she saw a dog and jumped a fence to get to the dog. The owner had to jump the fence and grab onto Nova's leash to keep her from biting the other dog. They also had to keep Nova separate from their resident dog now and has to changed the times they walk her to keep her calm. jumps up non-stop, mouthy/takes treats rough, anxious when left alone and general anxiety. When she sees dogs/other animals on walks she will lunge and show teeth, she isn't bothered when she is held/restrained, disturbed, startled, moved from furniture, paws touched or when her collar is grabbed. She is social/affectionate, lazy/couch potato, very active and playful. She likes to spend time in the living room, the crate and where people are. She allows family to bathe and brush her and to trim nails. She goes on 20min walks 3-4x daily with mild to moderate pulling. She does well in her crate for up to 7 hours. She's never been in the car, she knows the cues for sit, lay down, give paw & other paw, get out, come and go to sleep.

Date of assessment:: 6/10/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: loose leash Reactivity to humans: N/A Reactivity to dogs: N/A Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Socially jumps on handler, leans in for pets Call over: Readily approaches- seeks attention, wiggles body ,sits Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Allowed- leans in for touch, wagging tail, rubs into handler Exuberant handling: Allowed- leans in for touch, wagging tail, rubs into handler Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follow- soft body, loose leash Arousal comments: Knock: Approaches- loose body greets handlers Knock Comments: Toy: No response Toy comments: Back away from the dummy hand

Summary:: According to Nova's previous owner, she did not get along with the resident dog. She was also reported to have jumped a fence after seeing a dog, growling, barking, and lunging. Nova was quickly separated from the other dog before further escalation occurred. 06/15/25 Nova is introduced at the gate to a Male greeter dog while off leash at the care center. Nova doesn't greet the greeter dog, unwillingly to approach the gate as she displace scents away from the gate. Nova ignores the greeter dog as he vocalizes at her standing behind the gate. As she approaches the gate to seek attention from one of the handlers in the next pen, the greeter dog will exuberantly jump onto the gate making Nova nervous and her hackles rise. Both dogs are moved away from the gate and Nova is returned to kennel, concluding the interaction.

Summary (5):: 7/31: A handler enters the room and it's quiet as they approach each kennel with novel scent enrichment. As they near Nova's kennel, she begins growling. She jumps on her kennel door, still growling with a short lip. When the handler walks away, she pushes off the kennel door, landing on her kuranda. 07/28/25 (trainer note): Nova was standing at the front of her kennel as handler approached. She began to jump on her kennel door with a loose tail wag and dilated pupils. She was easily leashed and walked to the live room. She was placed on a drag leash and explored the room with a loose frame. She enthusiastically engaged with a lick mat with spray cheese to help her decompress. She was able to focus on the handler and participate with the 123 game. She was easily leashed and returned to kennel. 07/23/25 (Trainer Note): Nova is laying down in kennel as the handler approaches. She is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine training room. Handler works with her on the 123 game and the "yes" verbal marker. She participates readily and is returned to kennel without issue. 7/23: After a handler sets up musical enrichment, as they walk towards the exit of the room, they pause when they reach Nova's kennel, noticing the smears of what appears to be dry saliva and feces on the kennel glass. She is sitting at the back of her kennel when the handler nears. Her kennel has smeared feces in a straight row from possible pacing left to right. As the handler is looking into her kennel, Nova lunges forward while growling. She slams into the glass and remains standing, growling at the handler until they leave. 7/19/25: Nova was observed outside with an ACS to be pulling hard, and is reported to be bleeding from her nose possibly from her on going kennel stress she can been displaying. 7/16/25: Nova was seen growling in her kennel. 7/10/25: A behavior member notices Nova on a walk and walks with the ACS staff to get an update on Nova's behavior. Nova as the handler is walking up sees her panting heavily, with her eyes dilated and a red hue to her face, ears and outline of her eyes unable to settle even with the ACS staff member attempts to refocus or throw treats scatters. Nova will continue to fixate on dogs on the walk, pulling towards them and unable to refocus until the dog is out of her line of sight. Nova in the yard appears to self regulate mildly, but once placed back on the leash she is highly anxious, pulling hard and unable to settle until back in kennel.

Summary (6):: 07/08/25 (trainer note): Nova was standing at the front of her kennel with a neutral frame. She was easily leashed and walked to the live room. She was placed on a drag leash and explored the room while panting with a fast tail wag. She would approach handler and enthusiastically jump on them and counter surf. Handler provided her with a licky mat to help her calm down. She engaged with the licky mat and favored the cheddar spray cheese. Handler continued with the LATTE rotation, as Nova had trouble focusing and remained in an over aroused state. Throughout the session she slowly made progress decompressing, though still continued to pant. She was easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 07/02/25 (trainer note): Nova was sitting at the front of her kennel with a neutral frame. She was easily leashed and walked to the live room. She explored the room with a loose body and tail wag and would jump on the handler and counter surf. Handler provided enrichment to help her decompress and to deter her from further jumping. Nova's jumping subsided though her pupils remained dilated. She continued to engage with enrichment but would have difficulty focusing and handler had to immediately reinforce to keep her engaged. She was easily leashed and returned to her kennel without issue. 06/24/25 (trainer note): Nova is standing at the front of her kennel with a neutral frame. She is easily leashed and walked to the live room. Her body is loose and wiggly and she approaches the handler for pets. She engaged with enrichment, practiced TAB and handler began to introduce the 123 game. She was easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 06/16/25 (trainer note): Nova is standing at the front of her kennel with a loose frame and tail wag as novel handler approached. She is easily leashed and walked to the live room. She was placed on a drag leash and explored the room. Her body is loose and wiggly and she takes treats from the handler's hands gently. She engages with enrichment and readily orients towards the handler. She sits when asked and was able to take deep breaths while focusing on the handler. She was easily leashed and returned to her kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 06/15/25: Nova is jumping up at the front of her kennel upon handler’s arrival and is leashed with ease. She is then brought to the play yard to meet a playmate. Once inside the yard, a drag leash is placed on her, and she is set free to roam. Nova walks around the yard exploring and sniffing. Upon noticing her playmate, she displays raised hackles and a bulge in her tail, followed by displacement sniffing, acting as if the playmate is not present and showing no interest in engaging. Nova is then brought back to her kennel safely without any issues. 6/13/25: Nova is at the front of her kennel with loose body and vocalizing/groaning when the handler is at her kennel. Nova begins to jump on the kennel door, and paw at the handlers leash making it difficult to leash her but with treats is coaxed into the loop. Nova is walked out of kennel and onto the sidewalk where she walks with a neutral body, exploring her surroundings and offering sit cues for treats. Nova engages with the handler, leaning into contact and becoming more interested in the environment around her as they walk. Nova will tense at seeing other dogs, but does not react further due to the long distance. Nova is returned to kennel with no issue. 06/10/25 (Beh. Assessment) As the handler approaches, Nova is back standing on her door with a loose, wiggly frame. She will allow leashing and is taken to the behavior office for an assessment. She enters the room with a wiggly frame, hopping her way towards the assessor, collecting pets. (See BA in Behavior section for more insight). Nova is easily re-leashed and returned to kennel with no issue. 06/10/25 (AM) Nova is jumping onto her kennel door as the handler approaches, displaying a loose wiggly body. The handler leashes her with ease and will take her to the play pens. She exits the kennel room, hopping her way outside maintaining her wiggly frame. Nova will walk past dogs with novel handlers as they're on their walks. She enters the pen and will explore. She engages with some toys that are lying around but will quickly disengage, losing interest. Nova will climb the handler, standing on them, collecting pets. Nova allows all forms of handling, jumping playfully onto the handler periodically as well. She is returned to kennel where she will enter the building as well as her kennel with no issue.

Date of intake:: 6/8/2025

Summary:: social,loose wiggly body and was jumping up on staff non-stop.

Date of initial:: 6/9/2025

Summary:: Very nervous, tenses but allows exam, resistant to restraint for treatments, no signs of aggression

IN SHELTER OBSERVATIONS:: Nova has become dog reactive and the owner stated stated that a few weeks ago, when they were walking Nova and that she saw a dog and jumped a fence to get to the dog. The owner had to jump the fence and grab onto Nova's leash to keep her from biting the other dog. They also had to keep Nova separate from their resident dog now and has to changed the times they walk her to keep her calm.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 4

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Single-pet home,Recommend no dog parks

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Nova's potential challenge, we recommend she is placed in an adult-only home at this time. Single-pet home/Recommend no dog parks: Due to Nova history toward other dogs in the prior home we recommend she be placed in a Single-pet home, as well as avoiding all dog parks.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Separation anxiety,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Other

Potential challenges comments:: Basic manners/poor impulse control/Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition: In the prior home it is noted that Nova jumps up non-stop, mouthy/takes treats roughly.Training should focus on teaching calm greetings, reinforcing gentle treat-taking, and redirecting mouthy behavior to appropriate outlets like toys. Please see the handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control/Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition. Resource guarding: In the prior home it is noted when treats, toys and food are touched she has a tense body and will hover over. Training should include trade-up exercises, desensitization to people near her resources, and reinforcing relaxed behavior around valued items. Please see the handout on Resource guarding. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: In the prior home it is noted that with unfamiliar dogs she will lunge and snap at them, with familiar dogs she is tolerant, but has lunged and snapped at them. When she sees dogs/other animals on walks she will lunge and show teeth,Training should focus on desensitization and counter-conditioning to other animals, along with structured leash work and impulse control exercises. Please see the handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Separation anxiety/Anxiety: In the prior home it is noted she will become anxious when left alone and general anxiety.A consistent routine, gradual desensitization to absences, and enrichment activities. Please see the handout on Separation anxiety/ generliaxed Anxiety. Other:In the prior home Nova had become dog reactive and the owner stated stated that a few weeks ago, when they were walking Nova and that she saw a dog and jumped a fence to get to the dog. The owner had to jump the fence and grab onto Nova's leash to keep her from biting the other dog. They also had to keep Nova separate from their resident dog now and has to changed the times they walk her to keep her calm.