Date of intake:: 11/3/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray(Unknown History)

Date of assessment:: 11/4/2025

Summary:: 11/4/25: Rockaway is taken to the behavioral office for a handling assessment. When leaving his kennel, he begins to pull towards the nearby kennels, displaying a high tail/hackles. Once in the office he sniffed around the room and continued to display a high point tail and raised hackles on his lower back. He is distracted with spray cheese and allows the handler to remove his chain and collar and place a brand new collar on him. He remains stiff when touched around his neck. During the petting portion of the handling assessment, he leans into touch and becomes distracted by sniffing the floor and when Jog is conducted, he is distracted by sniffing the floor. When the helper leaves the office to conduct Knock, he begins to whine when they leave. When the helper knocks and returns, he jumps on the handler but once the lead is passed to the helper he begins to growl and bit on the lead tugging the lead. The lead is dropped and he countines to growl and hold the lead in his mouth.Rockaway will begin to leash bite intensely as their drag leash is picked up, biting and pulling on the leash. The handler treat scatters onto the floor and Rockaway fixates on the handler, pulling in their direction with a tense body. The accessor quickly leashes him, and the handler will as well, double leashing him and guiding him back to kennel. He enters his kennel with no issue. Due this is a handling assessment will not be conducted at this time.

Summary:: Due to entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 11/05/25 Rockaway is introduced at the gate to a female helper dog while off leash at the care center. Rockaway will approach the gate tense in frame, tight lipped, with a hard face. As the female dg approaches, Rockaway will chuff and walk away, displacing as he sniffs away from the gate. Rockaway is reluctant to return to the gate line, keeping his distance for the remainder of the time. Rockaway is returned to kennel, concluding the interaction.

Summary (5):: 11/15/25: Rockaway is laying down at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He tries to jump and bite at the handler's leash while attempting to leash him. He is able to be distracted when treats are tossed inside and he is then quickly leashed. He then begins to jump up and constantly grabs and bites at the handler's leash while in his kennel room. He is able to stop when the handler tosses treats each time he tries to grab the leash again. When reaching outside on the ramp, he grabs the leash and begins to tug at it intensely while growling. He is no longer interested in treats as the handler would toss them. He is able to quickly stop for a second when the handler squeaks a ball and tosses it. He then goes back to tugging at the leash while growling and does not let go. The handler then is able to pet correct him and he would only let go of the leash for a quick second and then go for it again. After being pet corrected for the third time, he finally is able to stop and eats the treats that were still on the ground on the way back to his kennel and is quickly placed inside. He jumps at the door as the handler locks it and walks away.

Summary (6):: 11/14/25: Rockaway is at the front of his kennel barking, jumping on his kennel door and hypersalivating when approached. Rockaway is easily leashed and is walked out of his kennel where he tries to grab the handlers leash around there waist, and misses grabbing there thigh slightly, pinching the handlers pants but does not continue to try. Rockaway is taken outside, not pulling and exploring his surroundings. Rockaway will tense when seeing other dogs, but otherwise does not pay any attention. Rockaway does engage with the handler, allowing petting along his rear and does eat some treats. Rockaway will continue on his walk and the handler throws treat scatters to keep him engaged. Rockaway is easily placed back into kennel with no issue. 11/13/25: Rockaway is standing at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and he instantly jumps up and tries to grab the handler's leash on the way out of kennel. He is then able to be taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he would walk ahead of the handler with a neutral body frame and stop constantly to sniff and mark his territory. He would have a tense body as he hard stared at dogs that would pass by. He had no interest in treats, and is able to continue walking and return back to his kennel with no issues.

Summary (7):: 11/11/25 Rockaway is reported to leash bite to the point of almost tearing the staff member's leash. 11/10: Rockaway was reported to be leash biting and growling when coming out of the kennel. Once outside, he slowed and was able to relieve himself. Once done, he was immediately brought back to the kennel. He was reported to return to the kennel without issue. 11/9/25: Rockaway is reported to be leash biting intensely with staff, and is unable to be refocused with treats or toys, and even ignored another rope he was offered to put him back into kennel. 11/5 (PG): Rockaway is curled up in his bed when a handler approaches. He turns to look when he hears them unlocking the door. He comes forward when offered a treat and is easily leashed; he readily exits the kennel. When passing the other kennels on the way out of the room, Rockaway turns and huffs as he passes the barking dog, but continues walking out of the room without reacting further. As Rockaway and the handler walk up the sidewalk to the play yard, he sees the privacy tarp moving in the breeze. Roackway charges towards it, stiff-bodied, hackles raised, with his lips puckered. Once he reaches it, he sniffs, hackles lowering, then urinates on it. He is then taken into the yard for his playgroup interaction. Once that is complete, he returns to his kennel without further issue. 11/04/25 (BA) Rockaway is at the front of his kennel with a still frame. He will attempt to force his way out of kennel, pulling towards his neighboring kennel. Rockaway displays a tense body while pulling intensely towards the behavior office. Rockaway enters the room, exploring immediately upon arrival, maintaining his tense frame, high stiff tail and hackles. Rockaway is collared as the accessor places one onto him, allowing him to free roam. (Please refer to BA in behavior section for more insight). Rockaway will begin to leash bite intensely as their drag leash is picked up, biting and pulling on the leash. The handler treat scatters onto the floor and Rockaway fixates on the handler, pulling in their direction with a tense body. The accessor quickly leashes him, and the handler will as well, double leashing him and guiding him back to kennel. He enters his kennel with no issue.

Date of intake:: 11/3/2025

Summary:: ears back, nervous

Date of initial:: 11/3/2025

Summary:: initially loose and wiggly, started to low-growl during exam/handling

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): We reccomend Rocky be placed in an only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Rockaway came into the care center as a stray. Due to this, his behavioral history in a home environment is unknown. Rockaway displays leash biting behavior and low arousal. Due to this, we recommend that he be placed through one of our new hope partners.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Low threshold for arousal/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/Leash-biting:Rockaway is a high-arousal dog who displays tension, reactivity, and low impulse control in the care center environment. During his handling assessment, he presented with a tense body, raised hackles, and a high, stiff tail, pulling intensely toward stimuli. Once in the behavior office, Rockaway engaged in intense leash biting when the drag leash was lifted, showing fixation and difficulty disengaging despite redirection with treats.Use structured decompression time in low-stimulation environments and reinforce calm behaviors with high-value treats. Avoid lifting the leash abruptly; instead, teach a “trade” or “leave it” cue and redirect with toys or food before arousal escalates. Incorporate impulse control games like “sit,” “wait,” and “touch” to help him regulate excitement. Gradual desensitization to handling and stimuli will support safer interactions and reduce defensive responses. Please see the handout on Low threshold for arousal/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/Leash-biting.