Date of intake:: 12/12/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, With history (from previous owner)(1 year)

Previously lived with:: Adults, Children(14 and 11 years old)

Behavior toward strangers:: Bushdog is friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward children:: Bushdog will alert bark and snap, can be playful

Behavior toward dogs:: Bushdog will hard bark, growl, and lunge towards familiar and unfamiliar dogs

Behavior toward cats:: Bushdog will hard bark, growl, and lunge

Resource guarding:: None reported

Bite history:: The owner surrendered Bushdog to the police due to an incident in the home. The owner stated that the resident child approached them to speak to them when Bushdog "positioned for attack'. Seeing that the owner put the child behind them, Bushdog lunged at the owner and almost grabbed their hoodie. Bushdog lunged again and snapped at the owner's stomach. The owner then pushed the child further behind them which led to Bushdog biting the owner's arm. This did not result in broken skin.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: High (often playful/busy)

Other Notes:: Goes potty on: Outside on walks (grass, cement, dirt, etc.) Accident frequency: Never Additional info: Not reported Behavior concerns: General anxiety (paces, whines, unable to settle) Additional info: Not reported Reacts to on walks: Children, Cats, Small animals (squirrels, birds, rats, etc.), Large dogs, Small dogs Reaction type: Growling/Hard barking, Lunging Additional info: Not reported How this dog reacts when... - Held/restrained: Isn't bothered - Disturbed while resting/sleeping: Isn't bothered, Fearful - Startled: Fearful, isn't bothered - Pushed/pulled off furniture: Isn't bothered - Paws are touched: Isn't bothered - Collar grabbed/touched: Isn't bothered Familiar dogs: Hard barks and/or growls Unfamiliar dogs - on leash: Hard barks and/or growls, Lunges Unfamiliar dogs - off leash: Lunges, Hard barks and/or growls Cats: Lunges, Hard barks and/or growls Other Animals: Lunges, Hard barks and/or growls The owner surrendered Bushdog to the police due to an incident in the home. The owner stated that the resident child approached them to speak to them when Bushdog "positioned for attack'. Seeing that the owner put the child behind them, Bushdog lunged at the owner and almost grabbed their hoodie. Bushdog lunged again and snapped at the owner's stomach. The owner then pushed the child furhter behind them which led to Bushdog biting the owner's arm. This did not result in broken skin.

Date of assessment:: 12/14/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Hard Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: Moderate Leash walking comments: Tense body and pulls towards other dogs Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social Call over: Approaches handler readily Sociability comments: Jumps up on handler Soft handling: Seeks contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Neutral body, wagging tail, leans into handler briefly Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler readily Knock Knock comments: Approaches handler readily-, jumps up Toy Toy comments: Hovers over toy with tense forward body and fast wagging tail

Summary (6):: 12/25/25: Bushdog is at the front of his kennel with a soft body. He is easily leashed and brought out the room. Once outside, Bushdog sees a dog, but is redirectable when the handler calls him. On the street, Bushdog walks ahead with no leash tension. The handler gives him pets, which he is fully receptive to as he slightly shows his belly. Upon entry, the handler clips their leash and returns Bushdog to kennel. 12/23/25: Bushdog is at the front of the kennel with a soft and wiggly. Bushdog is easily leashed and taken out of the kennel. He pulls very hard out of the room looking towards the passing kennels with a tense body. He pulls hard out to the street. On the street, Bushdog continues to pull hard, his body leaning forward as he pulls down the street. He relieves himself and is walked back to the shelter. He spots a dog across the street and stares at them with a tense body. He fixates on them and is called away. Bushdog is then walked back to the shelter and is returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 12/17/25: Bushdog was at the front of the kennel when handlers approached. He is leashed and pulls hard on the way out of the kennel room. In the play yard, he runs over to the neighboring gate to look at the dog who is also there to greet them. Bushdog whines and is easily redirected with a squeaker toy. He will consistently go back to look at the dog, no barking/growling/lunging, just watching. He is easily redirected again, walks around the play yard with handler, takes treats offered and sits on the bench with the handler. While on the bench, he is observed to attempt to lay down on the lap of the handler before deciding to continue to sit on the bench. Bushdog is returned with no issues. 12/14/25: Bush Dog is standing at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is comfortable taking treats and is able to be leashed with ease. He is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he would pull hard ahead and towards trees to mark his territory. He would hard stare and pull towards dogs nearby and across the street. He is able to be taken away and is then taken to the behavior room for his assessment. In the room, he would approach the handlers for treats and had a tense body while being petted. Please see behavior assessment notes for more details. He is then able to return back to his kennel with no issues.

Date of intake:: 12/12/2025

Summary:: Allowed handling , reacted towards other dogs

Date of initial:: 12/12/2025

Summary:: Wiggly body, allows all handling, thrashed when muzzle is placed

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Bushdog 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,Single-pet home,Recommend no dog parks,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to snapping at children, resource guarding and poor impulse control we recommend a home with no children. No Cats: Due to hard barking, growling, and lunging towards cats we recommend a home with no cats. Single Pet Home/ No Dog Parks: Due to hard barking, growling, and lunging towards familiar and unfamiliar dogs we recommend a single pet home that make no trips to the dog parks. 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,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Fearful,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Bushdog is obsvered to become tense and hover overs toys in his possession. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Bushdog's mouth, and any time something is removed they should be rewarded with a high value treat or toy. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Basic Manners: Bushdog is obsvered to jump up on handlers. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Sit" and "Off" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach them to control their impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward-based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic Manners. Fearful: Bushdog's previous owner states that he is fearful when disturbed while sleeping. They should never be forced to approach anything that they are uncomfortable with or submit to petting or handling. It should always be their choice to approach a new person or thing. Bushdog 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. Bite History (Human): Please see bite history above for more details. Please see handout on Bite History and Potential for Future Aggression. Anxiety: Bushdog's previous owner states that he is anxious in the home. If Bushdog 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: Bushdog's previous owner states that he will hard bark, growl, and lunge towards children, cats, small animals, and dogs. During intake Bush was obsvered to react to the other dogs in the popup crates. While in care Bushdog have a tense body and pulls towards other dogs. Bushdog will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than dogs and other stimuli. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration.