Date of intake:: 8/3/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (3 years)

Previously lived with:: Adults and 3 children

Behavior toward strangers:: Gia is friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward children:: Gia is friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: Gia is friendly and outgoing with familiar dogs, tolerant of unfamiliar dogs

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Valuable items: Treats (bones, rawhides, etc.) Reaction: Has a tense body or hovers over them

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium

Other Notes:: Goes potty on: Outside on walks (grass, cement, dirt, etc.) Accident frequency: Never Behavior concerns: None Reacts to on walks: None of the above Reaction type: Not reported Additional info: Not reported How this dog reacts when... - Held/restrained: Isn't bothered - Disturbed while resting/sleeping: Isn't bothered - Startled: Isn't bothered - Pushed/pulled off furniture: Isn't bothered - Paws are touched: Fearful - Collar grabbed/touched: Isn't bothered Previous stay: 8/13/23: Stray, No known history During her previous stay, Gia was observed to have poor impulse control and poor bite inhibition. *Previous assessments can be given upon request*

Date of assessment:: 10/31/2026

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Fearful Call over: Approaches handler with coaxing Sociability comments: Receptive to treats, timid with handlers Soft handling: Tolerates contact Exuberant handling: Fearful Comments: Tense body Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler readily Knock Knock comments: Approaches handler readily Toy Toy comments: Sniffs, No reaction

Summary:: According to Gia's previous owner(s), Gia is friendly and outgoing with familiar dogs, and tolerant of unfamiliar dogs. 8/22/26: Gia is introduced to a novel neutered male and is neutral at the fence with high wags. She is pulled away and once leash pressure is felt, she hard barks towards the other dog. When across the yard, she pulls towards him with a forward leaning body. A handler attempts to distract her with treats but she continues to focus on the other dog with a neutral body and wide mid-high level wags. The other dog is let into the yard and Gia does a partial play bow and then sniffs him briefly with hackles raised. She does a chin over and the dogs are pulled apart while she growls and attempts to muzzle punch the other dog from behind with a tight closed mouth. When she is brought out of the yard, she pulls strongly towards the other dog with a tense forward leaning body and hackles raised. 8/12/26: Gia is introduced to a novel intact male and approaches the fence with a loose body and high wagging tail. She sniffs nose to nose through the fence and gives a short hard bark. She is pulled away and sniffs around the catch pen. She reapproaches loose and toe taps, then play bows while demand barking. She stands up on the fence and then continues play bowing while barking. 8/14/23 Gia greets the helper dog with a soft body and tail wag.

Summary (5):: 11/3/26: (KSV) Gia is at the front of the kennel when handler approaches. She has a tense face and tense wagging tail. Handler begins speaking to gia and her body language softens, her tail becomes less tense but her face still holds tension. Handler offers treats to gia and gia takes them fast. Handler works on cue training for “sit” Gia is able to do 2 repetitions before becoming frustrated and demand barking and jumping against the kennel door. Her face becomes more tense so interaction is ended to avoid furthering her frustration, treats are left for her to eat 10/30/26: Gia is reported to snap at familiar staff members when they try to leash her. 10/24/26: Gia is at the front of her kennel, jumping up and pounding her paws at the kennel door; she is leashed and brought out the kennel. Gia attempts to pull towards both sides of the room to get closer to the kennels while standing on her hind legs, but the handler shortens the leash until they get to the exit. On the street, Gia walks ahead with mild to moderate leash tension and doesn't react to people; she notices dogs, but doesn't react. She is mainly aloof, but looks back at the handler once. Upon entry, the handler clips their leash and walks Gia to her kennel; a dog next to her in kennel barks at her, she barks back and pulls towards her, but the handler shortens the leash and brings her into kennel.

Summary (6):: 10/14/26 - Gia as at the front of her kennel with loose body and is easily leashed up and able to exit fine, no reactivity to dogs or people passing by. Outside she walks with very mild leash tension otherwise has a loose leash, is receptive to treats, handler works on heel with her and name game exercises to she does better with checking in with the handler overtime in the walk. When returning back to kennel she is easy to unleash and return back to kennel. 10/10/26: Gia is at the front of her kennel barking when a staff member enters the kennel room and is interacting with neighboring dogs. She is tense bodied. Staff member approaches her kennel, and pffers a treat. Gia stops barking to sniff briefly before jumping onto the kennel door, hard barking tense body. The staff member tosses the treat in and walks away. 10/3/26: Gia is at the front of the kennel demand barking and pawing at the kennel bars. She is easily leashed and pulls hard out of the kennel. Handler tosses treats on the ground, she sniffs but doesn't take them. Gia is brought to the street where she passes another dog. She crosses the street and fixates on the dog while walking with the handler. Handler is able to call her away with verbal cues (saying 'come on') She walks away with the handler. Gia pulls moderately on the leash. She is aloof with the handler, and when offered treats by hand, she does not take them. Gia observes another dog and stares with a tense body. Handler tries to redirect her from the other dog with squeakers and treats and verbal cues but she remains fixated on the dog. She stops displaying the behavior when the dog leaves her line of sight. Gia is brought back into the shelter, she pulls towards people to smell them with a slightly tense body. With some handlers, she displays a soft body and wagging tail. She pulls hard back to her kennel and is returned without issue. 9/24/26: It is noted on the whiteboard that Gia is chewing on her kennel walls. 9/20/26: Gia is at the front of her kennel when handler approaches. She is easily leashed and taken out of the kennel. Gia walks next to the handler through the room with no reactivity towards other dogs in neighboring kennels; when walks in the hallway, Gia follows the handler with no interest in pop-up crates or staff members. Once in the driveway, Gia runs toward the gates and relieves herself. Gia continues walking ahead of the handler with mild pulling. When called, she looks back at the handler and shows tail wag. She is receptive to treats (takes with soft mouth) and follows verbal cues. During the walk she is focused on discovering her surrounding and doesn't react toward other dogs or people passerby. Her body is neutral. During return handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Gia back into her kennel with ease.

Summary (7):: 9/16/26: Gia is reported to have stranger danger; she growls when a volunteer attempts to take her out, but when a familiar staff member approaches, she is fine and allows leashing. once in the hallway, Gia huffs at the same volunteer from earlier. 9/11/26: Gia greets handler at front of her crate with a loose and wiggly body where she is easily leashed and pulled from crate. Gia walks slightly ahead of handler while lightly pulling. She accepts pets on her head, back and sides. Gia stops several times to sniff and investigate. After her walk she is returned to her crate with no issue. 9/11/26: When a staff member enters the room where Gia's pop up crate is, she lifts her head and he tail wags briefly. She then stands tense body hard barking. Staff member offers a treat, she sniffs then resumes hard barking. Interaction is ceased. 8/22/26: Gia is at the front of her crate with a loose body, barking as the other dog barks; she is easily leashed and brought out the room. Gia is brought to the yard for playgroup (see D2D notes); before the interaction, Gia allows pets from the handler. Afterwards, Gia is brought up the stairs and returned to her crate with ease. 08/18/26: Gia is at the front of her crate as handler approaches, she is easily leashed and taken to the street for her walk. Outside she is aloof and sniffs around inquisitively. She passes people on the street without issue and shows no interest in dogs from afar. Gia is curious of treats offered to her but she does not take any. She walks with handler for a while and relieves herself outside before being brought back inside. She returns to kennel without issue and interaction is ended. 8/06/26: Gia is lying on the kuranda bed when handler approaches. Handler offers a treat and she comes closer and gently takes it. She is easily leashed and taken out of the kennel. While exiting the room, Gia walks alongside the handler with no reactivity towards other dogs in neighboring kennels. Once in the hallways, Gia pulls harder all the way outside with no interest in pop-up crates or staff members. Once on the street, she sniffs and discovers certain spots and eventually relieves herself. Gia continues walking slightly ahead of the handler with mild to none leash tension. She doesn't react toward other dogs or people passerby. She is not seeking interaction with handler, not interested in treats and remains aloof most of the time. She maintains slightly lowered body and tucked tail. Once walk is done, Gia is taken to the Canine Behavior office for the assessment (see notes). During return handler is able to pre-clip the leash and bring Gia back into her kennel with ease.

Date of intake:: 8/3/2026

Summary:: Allowed all handling

Date of initial:: 8/4/2026

Summary:: Tense body for exam. Growled for tasks.

ENERGY LEVEL:: Gia is described as medium energy. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them engaged and exercised. And we recommend using force-free, reward-based training techniques for them.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful behavior, we recommend an adult only home. Recommend No Dog Parks: Due to the concerning behaviors that Gia has shown during playgroup (see DOG-DOG SUMMARY), we feel that she should not visit dog parks. The Behavior Department recommends that she be socialized in a more controlled setting until her behavior towards other dogs can be further addressed. Reward-based, force-free training can be utilized to help Gia associate dogs with things she enjoys like toys or treats. Place with a New Hope Partner: Gia came into ACC as an owner surrender. She was surrendered due to housing issues with her previous owner. Her previous owner describes Gia as a friendly, social, affectionate dog. During her time in the care center Gia has been noted to to snap at familiar staff members when they try to leash her. She has been observed to be highly kennel reactive when coming out of kennel. She will bark, fixate, and pull hard towards the neighboring kennels as she is exiting the kennel. She has been noted to walk on a loose leash at times and engage in obedience training. We recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home.

Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Gia's previous owner states that she will become tense and hover over treats such as bones in her possession. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Gia'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: During her previous stay Gia FKA Smooches jumps up in a social manner. 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 Defensive: During her medical exam, Gia was observed to be tense and growled for tasks. During her assessment she was also observed to be fearful. 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. Gia 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. Mouthiness: During her previous stay Gia FKA Smooches mouthed humans with light pressure during play. We recommend never playing with bare hands, always with a toy, and ending play or attention whenever Gia puts teeth on skin. They should be rewarded with attention and treats when they stop and/or when they are seeking attention in alternate ways. Please see handout on Mouthiness.