Date of intake:: 4/23/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender ( 4 months)

Previously lived with:: 2 Adults, 1 child (10 y/o), 1 dog

Behavior toward strangers:: Nala will alert barks at strangers. Nala is shy on intial contact with strangers and will need time

Behavior toward children:: lert barks at children. Nala is shy on intial contact with children and will need time to warm up.

Behavior toward dogs:: tolerant of familiar dogs. Nala will alert barks towards unfamiliar dogs on or off leash.

Behavior toward cats:: Unknown

Resource guarding:: Nala will resource guard toys, food, and treats. Nala will have a tense body and hover over the item.

Bite history:: No known bite history is reported.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Nala is noted in the prior home to have a medium energy level.

Other Notes:: Nala is fearful of loud noises, has general anxiety, and is anxious when left home alone. Nala will bark at motorcycles and strangers who approach the family. Nala isn't bothered when disturbed while sleeping or when feet/apws are touched. Nala is fearful when held/restrained, startled, or when her collar is grabbed. Nala does not allow the family or owner to bathe her, or trim her nails. Nala will growl.

Date of assessment:: 4/26/2025

Summary:: 05/01/25: Due to resource guarding in the finder's home and during behavior assessment, tactile sensitivity with handling, and reactivity in the care center, Nala will remain New Hope only. Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Arousal/ Hard barking in the hallway Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Explores room- heavy panting, red dialed eyed, whining Call over: Comes when coaxes- pacing, panting, red dilated eyes Sociability comments: gently takes treats Handling Soft handling: Allowed- heavy panting, lip licks, red dilated eyes Exuberant handling: Allowed- heavy panting, lip licks, red dilated eyes Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Did not conduct due to medical Arousal comments: Knock: Approaches- heavy panting Knock Comments: Toy: Growling snaps at dummy hand, tense body Toy comments: ***04/24/25: Due to not having vaccines, a handling assessment will be conducted at this time. ***

Summary:: According to Nala's previous owner(s), Nala has interacted with different dogs and is often described as tolerant of familiar dogs. Nala will alert barks towards unfamiliar dogs on or off leash. 04/24/25: When off leash at the Care Center Nala is introduced to a novel male dog. At the gate Nala approaches with a cautious frame. Both dogs will scent one another at the gate. Nala does so with her paw raised. As the novel male remains present, Nala will loose interest, walking away. After some time Nala reapproaches, scenting the novel male once more. The novel male manages to paw at her through the gate. Nala will immediately low growl as she retreats the gate with a hard face. Both dogs are separated, Thus ending the interaction.

Summary (7):: 04/30/25:When the handler approaches Nala standing in front if her crate door with a loose and wiggly frame. She easily leashed and escorted out of the care center to the play yards for a dog-to-dog interaction (Please refer to Nala's behavior assessment for her dog-to-dog summary. When on leash Nala is on leash she will very mildly pull with a loose frame/ trot. After her interaction Nala is escorted back to her crate where she is safely secured. 04/29/25: When the handler approaches Nala's crate she is standing in front of the door with a loose and wiggly frame. The handler is able to clip Nala's leash and escorts her out of the care center. Nala will walk ahead of the handler mildly pulling. When on walks, Nala will walk with a loose frame but a high tail when other dogs are in sight. She will spend her time taking in the environment. Nala is escorted back to the care center where she is unleashed, and safely secured. 04/26/25 (assessment): Nala is standing at the front of kennel as handler approaches. She is avoidant of the slip going overhead and will back away. Handler kneels down and is able to slowly clip her collar. Nala readily exits crate and once out of the kennel room, she begins to bark at nothing in particular. She stops barking as she rounds the corner of the hallway and pulls mildly to the Canine Behavior Office for assessment. Nala shows some anxiousness and will pace the room, displaying red, dilated eyes but will approach handlers to solicit attention and treats. During the toy portion of assessment, Nala will low growl and snapped whenever the toy is touched. After her session, she is leashed and returns to crate safely. 04/26/25 (playgroup): Nala is standing at the front of crate with a neutral frame as handler approaches. Handler opens the kennel door, and Nala will back away when the lead is presented. Handler attempts to coax her forward with a soft tone and treats but she shows no interest. She will continuously reapproach the crate door to exit but is still avoidant of leashing. After a few minutes, Nala will place her head through the lead and readily exits crate. She pulls mildly up to the yard for playgroup (see Dog-Dog Summary for further details). Nala will approach handler and accept light petting along her sides. She is hesitant as second handler attempts to collar her and will tail tuck and back away. Handler is able to slowly collar her. After her session, she is returned to crate safely. 4/24/25: Nala is standing at the front of her kennel with a tense body as handler approaches. She begins to back away while the handler is attempting to leash her. Once leashed, she then pulls hard and has her body low to ground while being taken to the play yard for play group. When greeting the other dog, her body continued to be tense and she would walk away after a few sniffs. Please see dog to dog notes for more details. She is slowly taken back to her kennel with no issue.

Date of intake:: 4/23/2025

Summary:: tense body and avoided contact with staff didnt take treats

Date of initial:: 4/24/2025

Summary:: enters with loose body, allowed for handling and most tasks, ran out of minutes for blood, tried mu

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Single-pet home,Recommend no dog parks,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Nala potential challenges, we recommend she is placed in an adult-only home at this time. Single-pet home/Recommend no dog parks: Due to Nala's dog reactivity, we recommend she be placed as the only pet in the home and no dog parks. Place with a New Hope partner: Nala was brought to the care center by her owner, who had found her and cared for her for four months. Unfortunately, the owner had to surrender Nala because their resident dog did not get along with her.Their favorite thing about Nala is that she is calm, listens to you, loves to cuddle, and loves attention. In the care Nala displays a mix of anxious, avoidant, and socially affiliative behaviors. She is hesitant and avoidant during leashing and handling, often backing away or tail tucking, but eventually allows leashing with patience. Nala displays anxious behavior (pacing, dilated eyes), though she does seek attention and accepts treats and petting. Nala would benefit from a New Hope placement with an experienced adopter/foster.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful,Separation anxiety,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration

Potential challenges comments:: Resource guarding: In the prior more, it is noted that Nala will resource guard toys, food, and treats. Nala will have a tense body and hover over the item. In care she has shown to snap and growl at a dummy hand when it touches a toy during her handling assessment. Separation anxiety/Anxiety: In the prior home, Nala is noted to have general anxiety and becomes anxious when left home alone. In the care center,Nala is noted to display red dilated eyes, pacing, and panting during her handling assessment. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: In the care center, Nala is noted to growl at other dogs and arousal/hard bark in the hallways. In the prior home Nala is noted to bark at unfamiliar dogs on and off leash. Nala will bark at motorcycles and strangers who approach the family. Fearful/Handling/touch sensitivity: Nala does not allow the family or owner to bathe her, or trim her nails. Nala will growl. Nala is fearful when held/restrained, startled, or when her collar is grabbed. She is also noted to be fearful of loud noises.