Date of intake:: 12/15/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Previously lived with:: 3 Adults

Behavior toward strangers:: Zo is friendly and playful

Behavior toward children:: Zo is friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: Zo is friendly and outgoing with familiar and unfamiliar dogs

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Zo will have a tense body and hovers over the item. (Previous owner did not specific what items.)

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: High/ very high

Other Notes:: During walks Zo is reported to react to strangers that approach him or family member. Strangers that approach the home and yard and children. The dog reacts by snapping. Held/restrained: Isn't bothered Disturbed while resting/sleeping: Unknown Startled: Unknown Pushed/pull of furniture: Bites Feet/Paws are touched: Isn't bothered Collar grabbed/touched: Unknown

Date of assessment:: 12/17/2025

Summary:: When brought into the assessment room Zo Juniore was obsvered to be highly anxious. Panting heavily while pacing around the room. The handler is able to place a collar on him however when placed on a dragline, he jumps up on the handler with an open mouth. He then begins pawing the handler frantically before wrapping his paws around their arm and attempts to mount them. The handler grabs the dragline and straight arms him. Zo continues to lunge towards the handler with an open mouth and paws stretched out. The secondary handler lassos him and he is returned to kennel. Due to the high levels of stress, and anxiety displayed. Zo Juniore is not a candidate to receive a handling assessment at this time.

Summary (6):: 12/25/25 (PM Walk): Staff reports that Zo Juniore has growled and snapped at handlers. The first handler takes him out; during the elevator ride, Zo intensely sniffs their leg. When the handler straight arms, Zo growls and jumps up at her. Once they get off the elevator, a second handler takes over the walk. On the walk, Zo sniffs the second handler's leg and jumps up at them to attempt to mount. He then snaps at the second handler when they straight arm him. Zo shows no interest in treats, and becomes overaroused when the squeaker is used.

Summary (7):: 12/17/25:(ASSESSMENT WALK) Zo Juniore is at the front of the kennel with a wiggly body and wagging tail. He is easily leashed and walks towards the street. Zo pulls hard on the street. He is looking around back and forth quickly. He remains aloof with the handler and passes by dogs and people with no issue. Zo is walked back to the shelter and jumps up on the couch, he is sniffing intensely. Zo is easily collared. During the handling portion of the assessment, Zo tries to mount assessor intensely. The assessment is ended. Zo is walked back to his kennel and he refuses to enter. He ignores treats and has to be muscled back into kennel. 12/17/25: Zo Juniore is at the front with a loose, wiggly body as the handler approaches. The handler presents their hand for him to sniff and a treat, which he doesn't take. He is easily leashed and brought out the room. Once outside, Zo sees one dog but doesn't react to them. On the street, he walks ahead with moderate pulling; he shows no interest in passersby and he occasionally stops walking to relieve himself. A few times, Zo jumps on the handler with a loose body. While crossing the street, Zo and another large dog notice each other. Both dogs attempt to pull towards each other, but each handler pulls their dog away. The handler clips their leash before entering the building. Once they are at his kennel, Zo refuses to enter his kennel. The handler tosses treats in kennel, but Zo has no interest. After a few attempts, the handler muscles Zo into kennel and removes their leash. 12/16/25: Zo Juniore is sitting at the front of his kennel when handler approaches. He is soft bodied with wagging tail as handler unlocks the kennel door. He is not interested in treats but is easily leashed without them. He pulls hard to the yard where he walks ahead of handler pulling hard. He will stop periodically to sniff but mostly just pulls hard forward. He is aloof not seeking handler attention of checking in. He is easily clipped and walked to his kennel however, he does not go into kennel readily. He is muscled in. 12/15/25: Zo Juniore is pulling hard towards the handlers while heavy panting as they approach. The owner is able to place the handler's leashes onto him safely and hands the leashes to the handler's. On the way to his kennel, he would constantly pull towards the handler in front with heavy panting. The second handler that's behind him was able to back him away from the first handler while he is being taken and placed into kennel. He has to be muscled in with his bottom being shoved inside. He has a tense body and widened eyes as he lowered his body as the hander's retrieve their leashes with a hook.

Date of intake:: 12/15/2025

Summary:: Jumping towards handlers, tense body, muscled into kennel

Date of initial:: 12/15/2025

Summary:: Pulls hard on leash, jumps on staff socially, wiggly for exam

ENERGY LEVEL:: Zo Juniore 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 using force-free, reward-based training techniques for Zo Juniore.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to snapping at people that approach we recommend an adult only home. 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: : Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Zo's previous owner states that he will have a tense body and hovers over items. However the previous owner did not specify what items. Handling Sensitivity: Zo's previous owner states that he will bite when pushed off furniture. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things such as food rewards in order to teach ZO to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Anxiety: Zo was obsvered to be panting and pacing around the assessment rom. If Zo displays anxious behavior in their future home, we recommend puzzle toys, long walks, and giving them other things to focus on to alleviate their anxiety. Positive reinforcement, force-free training should be used. Please see handout on Generalized Anxiety. On Leash Reactivity: Zo's previous owner states that he will snap when strangers approach. Zo will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other people. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration. Low Threshold Arousal: During his assessment Zo frantically attempted to mount the handler. Positive reinforcement training should be used to teach Zo to remain calm during arousing situations. If they begin to escalate, people should pause the interaction, and create distance from the trigger. Pattern games such as 1-2-3 treat and the cue “mat” can be used to reinforce calm behaviors. Please see handout on Arousal.