Animal Profile

Sargento is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Sargento has been highly social with staff and handlers. But he has displayed high arousal and reactivity in the care center, including barking at the front of his kennel, leash biting and tugging, lunging toward nearby kennels, and kennel fighting while being moved, making him difficult to redirect once reacting and to safely handle at times. Medically, Sargento is apparently healthy.

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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. Sargento is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Sargento has been highly social with staff and handlers. But he has displayed high arousal and reactivity in the care center, including barking at the front of his kennel, leash biting and tugging, lunging toward nearby kennels, and kennel fighting while being moved, making him difficult to redirect once reacting and to safely handle at times. Medically, Sargento is apparently healthy. This pet is available only through ACC New Hope partners. To adopt or foster, please complete the pre-screener form below. Inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Sargento was surrendered as a stray, so his history in a home environment is unknown. Sargento has presented as highly social with staff and handlers in care, readily accepts treats, seeks attention/petting, and readily engages in enrichment games/puzzles. He has displayed a concerning level of kennel reactivity and leash biting, which has made removing him from the kennel and walks difficult to do safely once his arousal threshold is exceeded. Due to these concerns, we recommend that Sargento be placed in an adult-only home without cats through a New Hope Rescue partner. A volunteer writes: Sargento is everyone's dream boy. He is classically handsome, unbelievably sweet, and a makeshift heated blanket. His face is to die for, and he is so playful and silly. While we wait for his photoshoot, he plops in my lap and rests there for as long as he can, getting in all the love and cuddles he deserves. He sneaks in kisses to us when he can to remind us he needs all the extra love. He had lived with 2 adults and 2 children ages 4 and 16. He has been friendly, playful, and outgoing with all. He had been housetrained, and his favorite thing is to be with his family. He knows sit and stay and enjoys car rides.

My medical notes are...

Weight: 63 lbs

Medical Notes

11/12/2025

DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: ~1 year Microchip noted on Intake? scanned pos History: agency Subjective: bar Observed Behavior -friendly, seeks attention, amenable to tasks Is there evidence of Cruelty? no Is there evidence of Neglect? no Is there evidence of Trauma? no Objective BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: dentition free of tartar PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: neutered male MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: grossly normal Assessment APH Prognosis: good Plan: DVM intake and tasks awaiting sort SURGERY: Permanent waiver due to already altered

11/14/2025

Beh noted fearfulness, reluctant to return to kennel, starting on traz 7mg/kg PO BID (200mg)

12/17/2025

Behavior team reports leash biting. Add clonidine 0.02 mg/kg PO BID.

Details on my behavior are...

Behavior Condition: 1. Green

Behavior History
Behavior Assessment

Basic Information:: Sargento is a aprox. 1-year-old, large, male, dog. The following information was provided by his previous owners, who had him for about six months.

Previously lived with:: 2 adults, 2 children

How is this dog around strangers?: He is friendly and outgoing around strangers.

How is this dog around children?: He is playful, friendly, and outgoing around children. He was previously lived with two children, ages 4 and 16.

How is this dog around other dogs?: He is friendly and outgoing with unfamiliar dogs while on leash. He has no experience with dogs off leash.

How is this dog around cats?: No experience.

Resource guarding:: He values toys and random objects. He guards these items by hovering with a tense body.

Bite history:: No bite history.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: High

Other Notes:: He uses the bathroom outside. He is reported to escape the house/yard frequently. He is not bothered when held/restrained, when woken from sleep, when pushed off furniture, or when his collar is grabbed. He is fearful when startled and when his paws are touched.

Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No

For a New Family to Know: He is a active, playful, friendly, outgoing dog. He spends most of his time where people are, and in the yard. He allowed his previous family to bathe and brush him. He pulls mildly on leash. In his previous home he would go on two 30-60 minute walks a day. He has not been crate trained. He loves car rides. He knows, "sit" and "stay". He is very loving, and always ready to play. He loves sleeping and cuddling. He loves rope toys and going on walks. He eats Purina Pro Plan dry food.

Date of intake:: 11/11/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, no prior history

Date of assessment:: 12/17/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: N/a Reactivity to dogs: N/a Leash walking comments: reports of not wanting to enter back into kennel Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly Social, anxious Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: loose/wiggly on approach, panting heavily, dilated pupils, jumping on staff, counter surfing, easily aroused with little stimuli Handling Soft handling: Accepts Contact Exuberant handling: Accepts Contact Handling comments: Accepts petting, neutral bodied Arousal Jog: Follows neutral bodied Arousal comments: Knock: Approaches with neutral body Knock Comments: Toy: Sniffs, ignores Toy comments:

Summary:: Due to entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 11/16/25 Sargento is introduced to a female helper dog while on leash at the care center. Sargento approaches the gate exuberantly and bounce-like. He is guided into the female helper dog's pen in order to greet her face-to-face. Sargento will approach the female dog and sniff her genitals, proceeding to stand on his tip-toes to appear bigger, displaying sexual motivation. Sargento will then attempt to mount the female dog quickly and must be moved away. Sargento is returned to kennel, concluding the interaction.

Summary (6):: 12/19/25: Sargento is at the front of his kennel barking when approached, is leashed with treats but starts to leash bite when removed, once out of kennel will lunge towards kennel door and bark, fighting with the other dogs. Sargento enters the behavior office and jumps on staff, engages in sit cues which he offers and leans into petting along his entire body. Sargento begins to lick at the water on the counter and sometimes to run to a placemat and sit for treats. Sargento is social with all staff that enter, leaning in for petting and jumping on them. Sargento is taken back to kennel where he kennel fights the entire way back to kennel. 12/17/25 (Trainer Note): Sargento is standing at the front of his kennel panting moderately as the handler approaches. The handler is able to leash him, but he immediately grabs the leash after. Sargento begins to tug on the leash and shake it. He is unwilling to trade for treats. The handler sprays cheese on the door and he immediately lets go. Sargento scrabbles as he walks to the canine training room and attempts to lunge towards kennels. He is loose and social with the handler, leaning in to solicit contact. The handler works with him on relaxing on a mat. Sargento initially struggles to hold his position, but improves over time. The handler is able to take several steps away and reapproach. Sargento is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 12/12/25: Sargento is standing on his hind legs at his kennel door as handler approaches. He tries to grab the handler's leash while attempting to leash him. He is able to be leashed while being distracted with treats. He then pulls hard on the way outside for a walk. On the walk, he would continue to pull hard on the way to a yard pen. In the pen, he would explore around with sniffing and would approach the handler with a loose and wiggly body to receive treats. He would jump up on the handler when he got exited and is able to sit when treats are tossed. He would climb up and sit in a chair that was in the pen and take treats while on it. He pulls hard on the way back to his kennel and is able to enter with no issues 11/28/25 (Trainer Note): Sargento is laying on his bed as the handler approaches. He stands and begins to jump on the glass of the kennel. Sargento is easily leashed but lunges towards kennels and crates as he is walked past. He is loose and wiggly with staff, leaning into contact and jumping up to lick them. The handler works with him on the 123 game and lures him into take a breath. Sargento engages readily. He is easily leashed and lunges again at kennels as he is returned. 11/16/25 (PG Note): Sargento is laying on his bed curled up as the handler approaches his kennel. He is leashed with ease and will pull hard to the play yard. When the handler and Sargento arrive to the play yard, there is another dog-dog going on, so the handler takes Sargento on a walk where he sniffs and stalks and chases pigeons. He is then returned to the play yard for his gate greet. (See Dog-Dog for more information) Once the session is over, Sargento is switched from his drag leash to the slip leash and returned to his kennel with no issue. 11/13/25: Sargento is standing in his crate with a loose body as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and he is the taken into the behavior room for his assessment. In the room, he has a loose and wiggly body as he would jump up on the handlers and received treats. He has a tense body while being petted. Please see behavior assessment notes for more details. Both handlers have to assist in placing him back into his crate due to him baulking and being hesitant to walk into the crate 11/12: On 2 separate occasions, handlers assisted staff with returning him to his crate. Sargento balks and leans his body packward with front legs splayed out in an attempt not to go in. A towel is used as a belly band to assist with lifting him into the crate.

Date of intake:: 11/11/2025

Date of initial:: 11/12/2025

Summary:: friendly, seeks attention, amenable to tasks

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Sargento 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),No cats,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Sargento's exuberance, we recommend he goes to an adult-only home. No cats: We reccomend Sargento's is placed in a home without small animals due to chasing pigeons Place with a New Hope partner: Due to the concerning behaviors observed in care during his stay, we recommend that Sargento be placed with a rescue partner that can allow him time and space to decompress in a home environment and address any challenges with the use of a certified professional trainer that uses only positive reinforcement methods.

Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Social hyperarousal,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting

Potential challenges comments:: Basic manners/poor impulse control/Social hyperarousal: Sargento quickly becomes over-aroused in the presence of people, jumping up and mouthing. Positive reinforcement, force-free training should be used to teach Sargento to remain calm when people and other exciting things are around. He should be rewarded with treats when calm. If he escalates to jumping or mouthing, people should immediately walk away from and separate themselves from Sargento. Please see the handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control and Social hyperarousal. Anxiety: Sargento is highly anxious in the care center. To help reduce anxiety, provide a quiet, low-stimulation environment, offer enrichment items like puzzle feeders or chew toys, and reinforce calm behaviors with treats. Keep interactions short and positive, and avoid sudden movements or prolonged eye contact to build trust gradually. Please see the handout on generalized anxiety. Barrier frustration: Sargento is noted to kennel fight. Yo manage this, use visual barriers to limit exposure to triggers, reward calm behavior near the kennel, and avoid lingering when he is aroused. Increasing out-of-kennel time in controlled settings can help reduce frustration and improve impulse control. Please see the handone On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Leash-biting: Sargento is noted to leash bite in the care center. Please see the handout on leash biting. Redirecting biting with toys or treats during walks, and keeping leash sessions short and positive. Refer to the leash-biting handout for detailed steps and gradually increase duration as calm behavior improves.