Date of intake:: 4/23/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray (No Known History)

Other Notes:: *Previous assessments can be given upon request*

Date of assessment:: 6/21/2026

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Fearful Call over: Approaches handler with coaxing Sociability comments: Tense body, tucked tail, very receptive to treats Soft handling: Fearful Exuberant handling: Extremely fearful Comments: Tense body, pinned back ears, tucked tail, and head whips. When the handler attempts to do exuberant contact, Polaris spins around and snaps at the handler's hand. Arousal Jog comments: Did not conduct Knock Knock comments: Did not conduct Toy Toy comments: Did not conduct

Summary:: Due to entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 6/11/26: Polaris is taken to the playyard to meet a novel male dog for a gate greet. At the gate, the novel male dog begins marking, and shows mild tension and a tight muzzle, including a slightly elevated tail. Polaris displays high hackles and is avoident not approaching the gate. Second approach, he again sniffs and marks, this time exhibiting a more neutral body posture and softer face. Polaris remains avoident and doesn't approach, displaying high hackles with a tense body. 5/5/26: Polaris greets another dog at the gate with a neutral body and slow tail wag. Her face is tense.

Summary (5):: 6/21/26 (Assessment): Polaris was lying on her bed in kennel as handler approached. She was easily leashed and pulled from kennel and taken for a brief walk before an assessment (Please see assessment for details). While on walk she displayed no reactivity to dogs or people. She accepted treats. During assessment she snapped at assessor. While returning to kennel handler went to clip the leash and she snapped at handler. handler then threw a treat scatter and clipped the leash while she was distracted. She was returned to kennel without further incident. 6/14/26: Polaris is standing in her kennel with a soft body. She takes treats. She is easily leashed and pulls hard out to the street. On the way out of the kennel room, she pulls towards another dog in kennel and barks at them, tense. On the street, she relieves herself. She is not pulling. The handler attempts to pet her but she flinches. She ignores people walking by. She pulls hard back through the building and gets in her kennel willingly. 6/07/26: Polaris is at the front of his kennel with neutral body when handler approaches. He is easily leashed and taken out for a street walk. Once he gets outside, he starts pulling hard while crossing the street. He pulls harder towards certain spots to sniff and, after some time, relieves himself. After, Polaris continues walking next to the handler without pulling or reactivity towards other dogs or people. His body is neutral. He allows petting, but most of the time remains aloof. He is not engaging with handler and is not interested in treats or toys. He pulls harder on the way back and attempt to jump towards pop-up crates in front of elevator. During retuning handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Polaris back into the kennel with no issues. 6/03/26: Polaris is at the front of his kennel when handler approaches. He didn't take offered treats but still let handler put the leash on. Polaris walks slowly while exiting the room; his body is low with tucked tail. When he gets outside, he relieves himself and continues walking slowly behind the handler with lowered body. Polaris doesn't react towards other dogs or people. He remains aloof with handler and is not interested in treats. On the way back he pulls hard in the hallways and towards the room. Polaris was brought back into the kennel with no further issues.

Summary (6):: 5/30/26: Polaris is observed to be heavily panting with widen eyes as handler approaches. His underside was also wet due to him hypersalivating. 5/28/26: Polaris is observed to completely destroy his pop-up crate, he had ripped the medal bars apart and pulled the front door in. 5/19/26: Polaris is at the front of the kennel with a neutral body. She is easily leashed and taken out of the kennel. Polaris is brought downstairs where she is walks slowly besides the handler. Her mouth pull back with a strained expression. Polaris relieves herself and is taken back to the shelter. She is brought to the assessment office where she approaches the assessor with a neutral body and a soft wagging tail. After her assessment, Polaris is taken back upstairs and is returned to her kennel without issue. 5/14/26: Polaris is at the front of his kennel with a neutral body; he is easily leased and brought out the room. Polaris walks next to the handler with no leash tension; he doesn’t react to dogs or passersby, but looks back at people when they walk close to him. Upon entry, the handler clips their leash and returns Polaris to his kennel. 5/9/26: It is noted on the behavior board that Polaris doesn't like the sling. 5/7/26: Polaris is sitting at the front of her kennel; she is easily leashed and brought out the room. On the street, Polaris walks ahead with mild leash tension; she doesn’t react to dogs or passersby. While walking past a passersby, Polaris pulls towards them to sniff; the handler pulls her away and unintentionally puts their hand near her. This startles Polaris, as she turns herself and faces the handler. She recovers and continues the walk. Upon entry, the handler clips their leash and walks Polaris to her kennel; she doesn’t enter on her own, so the handler applies leash tension and she then enters. 4/29/26: Polaris is at the front of her kennel and allowed leashing with a slow approach. She was tense, tucked tail and pinned back ears. She remained this way while being walked on the street. She would bolt away from loud noises. She returned to kennel without issue. 4/26/26: Polaris is in the back of the kennel lying down. She comes towards the front when the handler approaches. Handler unlocks the kennel and she backs away slowly as the leash is presented. Handler slowly reaches in and attempts to place the leash over her head, she avoids the leash a few times, backing away. Polaris is able to be successfully leashed and taken out of the kennel. Polaris is brought to the backyard where she relieves herself a few times before walking around the pen sniffing her surroundings. Polaris is then slowly walked back to the shelter and returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 04/25/26: Polaris is at the front of her kennel standing as handler approaches. Handler unlocks the kennel door and slowly introduces the leash. She avoids the leash but with a slow approach and patience she is leashed and brought to the yard for her walk. She slowly walks down the hall and passes people with a tense body. Once outside she walks around the perimeter of the yard and sniffs around the inside of play yards. She walks around for a while before being brought back inside, she allows handler to clip her leash and returns to kennel without issue. 4/24/26 (PM walk): Polaris is at the front of her kennel with a tense body. The handler slowly brings the leash into her kennel and leashes her; they secure it once she slowly lifts her head. As the handler opens the door, Polaris doesn't exit kennel. The handler applies gentle leash tension every several seconds to help Polaris come closer to the front of her kennel, at this point, her head and front paws are laid in her kennel but her hind legs are standing. After a few attempts, Polaris is at the font and exits the kennel on her own. The handler then brings her to the yard; in the pen, Polaris immediately relieves herself. She then sniffs around the yard and the handler a few times; she doesn't react to the handlers and dos that walk past the pen. The handler tries to engage with her by presenting heir han and some treats to eat, but Polaris shows no interest; they caress the back of their neck and she doesn't react. Upon entry, the handler clips their leash and brings POlaris to her kennel; after she doesn't enter, resisting when leash pressure is applied, but then Polaris sniffs the kennel and slowly climbs into it. The handler removes their leash with ease. 4/24/26: Polaris is laying near the front of her kennel. Her ears are pinned back and her eyes are wide. Handler tosses a treat but she is not interested. Handler is able to slowly drape the loop of the leash over her head and secure it. The door is then opened wide but Polaris remains in place and begins to shake. Handler kneels and speaks to her softly but she remains in place. More treats are tossed and a squeaker is used but she remains in place shaking. Handler places some pressure on the leash but Polaris just puts her head down. Handler is able to manuever the leash so the loop loosens and is then removed. Interaction is ceased due to stress levels. KD

Date of intake:: 4/23/2026

Summary:: tense body with ears pinned back, panting and whale eyeing

Date of initial:: 4/23/2026

Summary:: Tense/whale eyeing, tail firmly tucked, allows muzzling, growls when offered treats, doubled back

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Polaris so we cannot be certain of her behavior in a home environment. However, she will need daily mental and physical activity to keep her engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct her 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 her highly fearful disposition and need for contact on her own terms, 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: : Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression

Potential challenges comments:: Handling/Touch Sensitivity/Fearful Defensive Aggression: Polaris has displayed a tense body and whale eye when interacting with staff and has escalated to baring teeth and snapping at handlers. Her signs of discomfort must be respected; Polaris should never be forced to interact, she should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people she finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach and we recommend ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Polaris. More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Polaris' quality of life. Please see handouts on Fearful and Defensive Aggression as well as Handling and Touch Sensitivty.