Date of intake:: 6/23/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, No known history

Date of assessment:: 6/25/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: Mild Leash walking comments: Hypervigilant at fist walking with low body, then became anxious on the street, pulling hard back to the building. When a dog passes by Steward Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Distracted Call over: Approaches handler readily Sociability comments: Sniffing around the room Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler readily Knock Knock comments: No approach Toy Toy comments: Sniffs, attempts to follow toy as the ass-a-hand pulls it away

Summary:: 7/13/25- Stewart approaches the gate greet to another dog with a tense body with tail tucked, he pushes his muzzle against the face with a tight face. His full hackles are up. He disengages and engages on own when dog passes fence.

Summary (6):: 7/20/25: Stewart is standing at the front of kennel with a neutral body and barking as handler approaches. He is heavily panting and has 'clown face.' Handler uses plush toy as a lure to leash him without issue. He is removed from his kennel and taken to the street for a walk. He keeps the toy in his mouth for the majority of the walk, however, after relieving himself across the street he appears frantic. He begins to pace back and forth, whine, and pull back very hard back towards care centers. He is taken to the yard and put on a drag leash. He runs around the pen with different toys in his mouth. He is returned to kennel without issue. 07/20/25: Stewart is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is leashed while distracted with treats but turns his attention to the leash and begins biting it. He is redirected using a loud squeaky toy which he grips and tugs, handler is able to leash him while distracted. Stewart exits kennel and pulls moderately out to the street. Stewart stops to use the bathroom almost immediately and walks over to the opposite side of the street with handler. Stewart passes a dog on the way and briefly fixates on them but when called is redirected and continues walking with handler. Stewart stops one more time to use the bathroom and once finished begins intensely pulling back toward the care centers. Stewart is difficult to redirect and begins coughing/hacking intensely while pulling. After a bit handler decides to bring Stewart back to not further exasperate his cough, he allows handler to clip his leash and returns to kennel without issue. 7/19/25: Stewart is reported to be leash biting intensely on the way back to his kennel, and refuses to drop the leash while he is back in kennel. He is unable to be be redirected with a toy, treats, or a pet corrector. The handler stated that they had to yank their leash to get it back.

Summary (7):: 7/13/25- Stewart is at the front of his kennel with a neutral body, when handler goes to leash Stewart takes the leash into his mouth. He just holds the leash, he lets go when handler pulls leash back out of kennel. Handler uses a treat lure and he is easily leashed. He is taken to the play yard and once in the yard Stewart starts leash biting while jumping up. Handler tosses treats and he goes to eat them. He is taken for dog to dog gate greet. He is then taken to the second pen, he paces around the yard an relieves himself. He starts to leash bite again, jumping up. Handler tosses treats which distract him for a moment but then he goes back to leash biting. Handler in the other pen uses a squeaker which distracts for a moment then he goes back. He starts to jump higher and jumping at handler when he can't get the leash. Handler straight arms him to keep him away and has to make the leash him. When walking back inside handler tosses a tennis ball, he carries that inside and is returned to his kennel without issue. 7/13/25: ACS report that Stewart is intensely leash biting in the yard. The handler was tossing treats and using a squeaker, Stewart was not receptive to either. 7/3/2025: Stewart is sitting in the middle of his kennel with a neutral body and panting. He is easily leashed and removed from kennel to be taken to the street. He has nasal discharge and is hacking pretty intensely. He walks along side handler until reaching the driveway. After crossing the street he start to appear more frantic, panting more heavily, dilated pupils, and start pulling back really hard while he darts in all directions. Handler returns back to driveway where Stewart remains neutral bodied. He spots another dog in the driveway and becomes briefly fixated with his ears perking up. He is easily redirected with a treat. Upon returning back into the building he attempts to leash bite until reaching his kennel. Once reaching his kennel he hops right in without issue. 6/25/25: Stewart is sitting at the back of his kennel with neutral body but comes forward as handler unlocks the door. He accepts a treat through the bars and is leashed using the treat as a lure. While walking out of the building, he is next to or behind the handler, stopping and looking around before walking alongside handler again. He continues to walk this way on the street, but begins to pull hard towards handler, darting back and forth anxiously once in the direction of the shelter. He remains tense and aloof throughout walk and will periodically sniff handlers legs. In the behavior room, he is neutral/tense body but allows collaring while distracted by squeaker sounds. He is easily returned to kennel.

Date of initial:: 6/24/2025

Summary:: Calm, stood quietly for exam and tasks

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Stewart so we cannot be certain of their behavior in a home environment. However, they will need daily mental and physical activity to stay 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.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No young children (under 13): Due to rope reactivity 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: : Fearful,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful: Steward has been observed to be hypervigilant while walking on the street. Walking with a low body. It should always be their choice to approach a new person or thing. Stewart would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to their new surroundings. Please see handout on Decompression Period. Anxiety: Stewart has been observed to become anxious while on the street. Noted to pull hard back towards the building. If Stewart 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: Stewart has been observed to dart towards a dog that was passing by. Stewart will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other dogs. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration. Leash Biting: Stewart has been observed to bite the leash intensely in and out of kennel. This behavior is not able to be redirected using squeaky sounds, treats, etc. 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. Arousal: Stewart has been observed to quickly become over aroused and begin to jump up and bite the leash. When he is not able to get the leash Stewart begins to jump at the handler. Stewart should be rewarded with treats when calm. If they escalate to jumping or mouthing, people should immediately walk away from and separate themselves from Stewart. Please see handout on Arousal.