Date of intake:: 9/5/2024

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Date of assessment:: 9/8/2024

Summary:: Costa Rica has shown improvement with select handlers at the care center over time. While a handling assessment was completed and Costa Rica has shown the potential to do well with certain people, the below handling assessment is not a sole indicator of the behaviors she will display once she leaves the care center. Based on Costa Rica's behavior at the care center, we recommend giving her ample time to decompress in a new home, always using a slow approach, and positive reinforcement when introducing him to new and unfamiliar situations and people. Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate – dog pulls on and off; to get to scent; out the building Reactivity to humans: None – ignores Reactivity to dogs: None – ignores Leash walking comments: Tense when seeing a pigeon Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Anxious, panting Call over: Readily approaches Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Tolerates- anxious, becomes increasingly aroused, leans in Exuberant handling: Tolerates- anxious, becomes increasingly aroused, leans in, head flips, dilated eyes, panting heavily Handling comments: Spins away, dilated eyes when petting continues Arousal Jog: Follows- tense Arousal comments: Knock Knock Comments: Alerted Toy Toy comments: Tense, moves away with toy

Summary:: 9/12/24: Costa Rica approaches the gate with neutral body. The other dog does not approach and Costa Rica barks remaining neutral. When the other dog approaches, Costa greets with neutral body and soft eyes.

Summary (6):: 9/27/24- Costa Rica was laying down when handler approached her kennel, she comes to the front with a neutral body when handler unlocks her door. She is easily leashed and taken for a street walk. She moderately pulls and sniffs around. She follows the sit command and takes treats hard. Handler gives them with an open palm going forward. She will randomly pull towards a person when they are passing being grumbly. Handler calls to hear and she gives her attention back to handler, she is given a treat. While continuing the walk she sees pigeons and pulls hard toward them. Handler whistles and she comes back to handler when they toss a treat. She is taken for an reassessment where she is social with handlers and gets easily aroused by them petting her to which she starts to quickly dodge around becoming excited. She is easily releashed and returned to kennel without issue. 9/26/24: Costa Rica is neutral bodied with soft wagging tail as handler leashes her. She is easily removed from kennel and walked on the street. She is tense bodied, ears back and walks slowly when she sees pigeons down the block or from across the street. She is receptive to handler, walking and turning directions when handler calls her. She will sit for treats only briefly before jumping up onto handler to retrieve it. She is easily returned to kennel. 09/12/2024: Costa Rica is laying down at the front of kennel with a neutral body as handler approaches. She is easily leashed using a treat as a lure and brought out to the play pens. She is uninterested in the LATTE items after sniffing them. Handler tosses a squeaky toy and she chases after it. She proceeds to go over to the snuggle mat, lay down on it and play with the toy. She is easily leashed and brought back to kennel.

Summary (7):: 9/9/24: Costa Rica is at the front of the kennel with a neutral body. She takes treats readily and is easily leashed. She is taken to the backyard where she is aloof, somewhat stiff, and sniffs frequently. She is taken into a pen where she continues to sniff, explore, and focuses on a dog in the other pen with a high tail and tense body. She is easily redirected with treats. When the handler sits on the bench she jumps up next to them and sniffs them, allowing pets along her body and stomping her back feet when the handler scratches at the base of her tail. She solicits further petting when the handler stops, leaning into them and nudging their hand. She is taken into the behavior office where she is semi-social, mostly aloof, takes treats, and watches the door. After a while she begins to pace and whine. On return to kennel she hesitates to enter and cannot be lured in with treats or toys. She is muscled in and unleashed without issue. 9/7/24: Costa Rica is laying in the front of kennel as handler approaches. He is tossed treats and investigates them, and is offered more treats by hand which she takes softly. She is leashed easily and brought to the yard for her walk. When walking out the room she finds a scent she likes and stops to smell briefly before walking past staff in the hall without issue. Once outside she begins sniffing around with a neutral body and tail tucked. She stops often to investigate scents but does not pull when walking. As she continues to walk and investigate the backyard her tail is observed to loosen and her posture slightly softens. She is brought back to kennel without issue. 9/6/24: Costa Rica is observed in kennel to hard bark, lunge and snap very intensely. He is offered treats in kennel by hand and immediately and intensely attempts to bite handler. When treats are thrown overhead he begins investigating them and eventually begins eating them. He is offered more treats by hand which he takes this time with light pressure. Later on when another handler attempts to apply spray cheese to their kennel they lunge and snap hard at handlers hand.

Date of initial:: 9/7/2024

Summary:: Lunging and hard barking, sedated

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Costa Rica 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 children (under 13): Due to hard barking and snapping at handlers we recommend an adult only home. 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,Social hyperarousal,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,Kennel presence

Potential challenges comments:: Resource guarding: During her assessment, Costa Rica became tense and moved away during the toy portion. Positive reinforcement training should be used to teach her to trade items in her possession. Please see the handout on Resource Guarding. Social hyperarousal/Anxiety: Costa Rica was becoming increasingly aroused during the handling portion of her assessment. As her arousal increase, so did her anxiety. She should learn impulse control using positive reinforcement and should get daily enrichment for her anxiety. Please see the handouts on Arousal and General Anxiety. Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/Kennel presence: Costa Rico was lunging and snapping in the kennel when she first arrived. Costa Rico should associate new people with treats and toys. Please see the handouts on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression.