Mamma Mia
Hello, my name is Mamma Mia. My animal id is #226439. I am a desexed female white dog at the Queens Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 9 months 1 weeks old.
I came into the shelter as a owner surrender on 6/23/2025, with the surrender reason stated as other.
Mamma Mia is at risk due to a pattern of escalating overarousal, impulsivity, and reactivity that has proven difficult to manage in the shelter environment. She frequently exhibits intense behaviors such as excessive jumping, hard leash pulling to the point of physical distress, and lunging with an open mouth toward other dogs, often bouncing off handlers’ bodies in the process. She is highly vocal, mouthy during interactions and struggles to settle or respond to redirection, even with treats or modified handling techniques. Though she can present as wiggly and social in calmer moments and engages positively with enrichment at times, similar behaviors were reported in a previous home, including generalized anxiety, leash biting, and resource guarding. Medically, Mamma Mia is apparently healthy.
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Let's get to know each other a bit more...
This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. Mamma Mia is at risk due to a pattern of escalating overarousal, impulsivity, and reactivity that has proven difficult to manage in the shelter environment. She frequently exhibits intense behaviors such as excessive jumping, hard leash pulling to the point of physical distress, and lunging with an open mouth toward other dogs, often bouncing off handlers' bodies in the process. She is highly vocal, mouthy during interactions and struggles to settle or respond to redirection, even with treats or modified handling techniques. Though she can present as wiggly and social in calmer moments and engages positively with enrichment at times, similar behaviors were reported in a previous home, including generalized anxiety, leash biting, and resource guarding. Medically, Mamma Mia is apparently healthy. What my friends at ACC say about me: I need a home without cats or small animals. I would do best in a home with only adult humans. Not only do I pull at heart strings, but I also pull on leash! I will need someone to help me with my leash manners. I don't always like to share my food, toys or bedding with other animals. I'm ready to learn! I need a patient person who has the time to work on training with me. I love getting pets and - you guessed it - snuggles!
My medical notes are...
Weight: 40.6 lbs
5/7/2025
DVM Intake Estimated age: 7 months Microchip noted on Intake? Yes History: Owner surrender Subjective: BARH, no coughing/sneezing/vomiting/diarrhea Observed behavior: Loose, wiggly, flings whole body into handler and presses in for pets. Takes treats eagerly, allowed all handling--sweet baby girl Evidence of cruelty seen: No Evidence of trauma seen: No Evidence of neglect seen: No Objective: P: WNL R: WNL BCS: 5/9 OP: Mucous membranes pink and moist. No dental disease. EENT: Eyes, ears, and nares clear bilaterally, no discharge noted. PLN: Small/soft/symmetrical/nonpainful CV: No murmurs or arrhythmias, pulses strong and synchronous. RESP: Eupneic, no crackles/wheezes GI: Soft, nonpainful, no palpable masses. UG: female intact, no mammary gland tumors, no discharge INT: Good hair coat, no areas of alopecia or pruritus, no ectoparasites or masses noted. MS: Ambulatory x4, no pain on palpation of epaxials NEURO: Mentation appropriate, cranial nerves intact, no deficits noted. Assessment: clinically healthy Prognosis: Excellent Plan: Fast track candidate Surgery: Okay for surgery
5/9/2025
Behavior team reports wailing, panting, licking/biting kennel glass, unable to focus or settle during assessment. Start clonidine 0.01 mg/kg PO BID and trazodone 8 mg/kg PO BID.
5/12/2025
Pre-surgical exam, anesthesia, and surgery performed by an offsite vet. Medical record uploaded to Vet Documents. Green linear tattoo placed lateral to incision. GIVE: 1 tablet of Rimadyl 100 mg by mouth for 4 days starting the day after surgery Healthy, Spay/Neuter - ACCEPTED
5/18/2025
Animal left before post op exam.
6/23/2025
DVM Intake Estimated age: ~1yr Microchip noted on Intake? Scanned Positive History: Owner surrender Subjective: BARH Observed behavior: Sweet, bright, hyperactive, accepts pets, sits on command, very friendly, handling and exam are well tolerated. Evidence of cruelty seen: No Evidence of trauma seen: No Evidence of neglect seen: No Objective: P: WNL R: WNL BCS: 5/9 OP: Mucous membranes pink and moist. No dental disease. EENT: Eyes, ears, and nares clear bilaterally, no discharge noted. PLN: Small/soft/symmetrical/nonpainful CV: No murmurs or arrhythmias, pulses strong and synchronous. RESP: Eupneic, no crackles/wheezes GI: Soft, nonpainful, no palpable masses. UG: Spayed female, no mammary gland tumors, no discharge INT: Good hair coat, no areas of alopecia or pruritus, no ectoparasites or masses noted. MS: Ambulatory x4, no pain on palpation of epaxials NEURO: Mentation appropriate, cranial nerves intact, no deficits noted. Assessment: clinically healthy Prognosis: Excellent Plan: Intake exam Surgery: Permanent waiver due to previously spayed
7/3/2025
Behavior team reports high kennel stress - screeching and hyperactivity in crate causing damage to crate (risk of injury to self). Previously in shelter, she was on trazodone 8 mg/kg PO BID and clonidine 0.01 mg/kg PO BID - restart today.
7/6/2025
Marked happy tail noted in kennel. Continue trazodone 8 mg/kg PO q12h, increase clonidine to .03 mg/kg PO q12h indefinitely. Larger kennel requested.
7/11/2025
Canceled request for bath to remove blood from happy tail due to extreme short staffing, high intake list, and other medical priorities. Blood on haircoat not causing problems, recommend bath with placement.
7/14/2025
Noted by behavior to be leash biting and bouncing off handlers, increased clonidine to 0.05mg/kg (0.9mg)
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 1. Green
Upon intake dog was really friendly and excited. She greeted staff with loose wiggle body, wagging tail, and was tryin to jump up as well as lick hands. Staff was able to collar, pet, scan for MC and walk her into kennel without issues.
Date of Intake: 6/23/2025
Spay/Neuter Status: Spayed
Previously lived with:: 1 adult, 1 child (13)
How is this dog around strangers?: Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. Will sometimes play rough.
How is this dog around children?: Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. Plays gently.
How is this dog around other dogs?: Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. Can sometimes play rough.
How is this dog around cats?: No experience.
Resource guarding:: None reported.
Bite history:: No bite history.
Housetrained:: Partially
Energy level/descriptors:: high
Other Notes:: Owner never attempted to move from furniture, restrain, or disturb while sleeping but she is unbothered by having toys, food or paws touched as well as having her collar grabbed. She allows all grooming. Has no reaction to strangers approaching her family or home.
Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No
Medical Notes: Client stated dog is up to date on vaccines and got them some time in march. Client stated she believes the dog has allergies but was uncertain of the cause.
For a New Family to Know: Mia is an affectionate, friendly and playful dog who enjoys running, jumping, chasing balls and napping. She spends most of her time wherever her people are in the home playing with palls or plushies while enjoying her families company. She likes chasing, alert barking and pulling as much as sleeping in her own bed. She is accustomed to going on 30min walks twice a day knows the cues sit, down, no and out. She will wander a bit if taken to an off leash park but will return when called. Her favorite treats are peanut butter biscuits and she eats both wet and dry food of various brands.
Date of intake:: 6/23/2025
Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender( 1 month)
Previously lived with:: 1 adult, 1 child (13)
Behavior toward strangers:: Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. Will sometimes play rough.
Behavior toward children:: Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. Plays gently.
Behavior toward dogs:: Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. Can sometimes play rough.
Behavior toward cats:: No experience.
Resource guarding:: No known reports of Resource guarding.
Bite history:: No known reported bite history.
Housetrained:: Partially
Energy level/descriptors:: Mia is reported to have a high energy level.
Other Notes:: 6/23/25: Mia 2nd stay: Owner never attempted to move from furniture, restrain, or disturb while sleeping but she is unbothered by having toys, food or paws touched as well as having her collar grabbed. She allows all grooming. Has no reaction to strangers approaching her family or home.Mia is an affectionate, friendly and playful dog who enjoys running, jumping, chasing balls and napping. She spends most of her time wherever her people are in the home playing with palls or plushies while enjoying her families company. She likes chasing, alert barking and pulling as much as sleeping in her own bed. She is accustomed to going on 30min walks twice a day knows the cues sit, down, no and out. She will wander a bit if taken to an off leash park but will return when called. Her favorite treats are peanut butter biscuits and she eats both wet and dry food of various brands. 5/6/25 Mia 1st stay: She was noted in the prior home to not be bothered by being held/restrained, disturbed while sleeping, startled, pushed/pulled off furniture, having her collar grabbed, or her paws touched. She has general anxiety- paces, whines, is unable to settle, and is fearful of loud noises. Is anxious when left alone. On leash, she will jump a lot and chew on the leash, she will try to chase small animals. She would use wee-wee pads but sometimes misses. She is noted to resource guard has a tense body or hovers over. The owner didn't specify item(s) of value.
Date of assessment:: 6/24/2025
Summary:: 6/24/25: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: N/A Reactivity to dogs: N/A Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Social-seeks attention,loose body Call over: Readily approaches- leans in for touch, jumps on the handlers Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Allowed- looks back, seeks attention, leans in for touch Exuberant handling: Allowed- looks back, seeks attention Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follow- distracted, loose body Arousal comments: Knock: Distracted Knock Comments: Toy: Grips walks away Toy comments: ***5/8/25: Please inquire about past handling assessment for more details.*** ***5/7/25: Due to not having vaccines, a handling assessment is not conducted at this time.***
Summary:: **Returned 06/23/25** According to Mama Mia's previous owner(s), she is friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing and can sometimes play rough. 06/29/25 Mama Mia is introduced at the gate to a novel male dog while off leash at the care center. Mama Mia will initially not approach the gate appearing aroused, heavily panting and excessively jumping onto the handlers. Mama Mia can't focus and a proper greet couldn't be conducted. She is returned to kennel as a result. Mama Mia will be revisited at a later date. According to Mia's previous owner(s), Mia has interacted with different dogs and is often described as Friendly, playful, tolerant and outgoing. 05/09/25: When off leash at the Care Center Mia is introduced to a novel female dog. At the gate Mia approaches with a soft and wiggly frame and wagging tail. Both dogs will scent one another through the gate. The novel female whines before practicing avoidance and walking away. Mia will remain present at the gate before the novel female returns and scenting again. Due to operational limitations a face to face greet was not conducted. 05/08/25: When off leash at the Care Center Mia is introduced to a novel male dog. At the gate Mia approaches with a loose frame. Both dogs will scent one another through the gate Mia will shake off and retreat from the gate to displacement scent. The novel male will offer prey bows at first, but then display full play bows. Mia will continue to displacement scent before returning to the gate and scenting with paw raised. The novel male remains wiggly as he climbs the gate. Mia will return to displacement scenting, concluding the interaction.
Summary (6):: 07/17/25 (Trainer Note): Mamma Mia is loose and wiggly as the handler approaches, jumping repeatedly up onto the glass of his door. She is panting heavily with dilated pupils. Mamma Mia pulls moderately to the canine training room. She is loose and social with staff and allows the handler to attach a drag leash. Mamma Mia engages readily in the various enrichment items, orienting towards the handler and breathing between each item. Handler then switches her to doggie zen, but Mamma Mia is more interested in contact. She rolls over and displays her abdomen to solicit belly rubs. Handler pets her before leashing her and returning her to kennel without issue. 7/14: ACS staff report that Mamma Mia is becoming increasingly more difficult to walk due to her rebounding of the walls when exciting the kennel room, pulling hard on leash to the point where she faints, is bouncing off handlers bodies when becoming reactive to other dogs she sees during the walks. They attempt to refocus her with tresats but she does not readily respond to the attempts. 07/13/25 (1) ACS staff report that Mamma Mia began lunging with her mouth open towards other dogs during her morning walk. She would then bounce off their bodies afterwards. The ACS attempts to manage the behavior by using their lead to make a makeshift harness to lessen the pulling, but it causes Mia's arousal to spike further. (2) Mama Mia is loose and wiggly when the handler approaches, jumping onto her kennel door excessively. She continues to jump as the handler attempts to leash her, putting her body through the loop of the lead. After a few attempts she is leashed and taken outside for a walk. Mama Mia maintains her loose, wiggly frame as she pulls slightly on leash. As she arrives outside, she visibly becomes a bit more relaxed, slowing her pace down and trotting alongside the handler. She takes treats with a soft mouth as they are administered. She playfully jumps onto the handler when praised, maintaining her loose body. Mama Mia is returned to the facility where she enters the building as well as her kennel with no issue. 7/8/25: Mamma Mia was loose and wiggly at front of crate as handler leashed her. She had blood on her sides from her happy tail. She walked to the live room with a bouncy frame, briefly mouthing at the leash. She was clipped to a drag leash and began exploring the LATTE puzzles set out for her. She lacked manners as handler refilled the puzzles with treats. When handler sat on couch and called her over, Mamma Mia jumped up and and put her paws on their chest, trying to lick their face. Handler lifted her off of them as they slowly stood up and held her away from their body using the leash as she was becoming mouthy and her nails were sharp. Mamma Mia was redirected to her puzzles which she was enthusiastic about. She was returned to her crate with ease
Summary (7):: 7/2: Mamma Mia was seen biting and pushing out her crate tray during cleaning hours. Once the tray was completely out, she began barking and screeching in her crate when people or other dogs would pass 6/24 (assessment; late entry): Mia was standing at the front of her crate with a wiggling body. As the handler unlocks the crate, she attempts to push out but stops when offered treats. As she is eating, the handler can leash her. Mia is then brought to the behavior office for her handling assessment. She remains loose-bodied and wiggly as she is collared, and a drag leash is attached to her. Mia races around the room before returning to check in with the handlers. She jumps up often when seeking attention or more treats. Once her assessment is complete, she is walked back to her crate without issue. 5/8/25: Mia is jumping and heavy panting at her kennel door as handler approaches. She continues to jump up at the door as the handler unlocks it and then leashes her. Once leashed, she pulls out of kennel and pulls while zig zagging her legs across the floor on the way to the behavior room for her assessment. In the room, she would pace around with heavy panting . She would jump on the handler’s with a loose body while vocalizing. She was unable to settle and focus. Please see behavior assessment notes for more details. She pulls on the way back to her kennel and would jump and vocalize at the door as the handler locks it and walks away. 5/8/25: Mia is standing at the front of her kennel as handler approaches. She begins to jump, paw, whimper and mouth at the door as the handler unlocks it. She continues to jump as the handler tries to leash her and wasn’t able to be distracted by treats or toys. She is able to be leashed once she was able to stop jumping on her own and tries to shove her way out of kennel. Once leashed, she pulls while zig zagging on the way to the play yard for play group. In the yard, she would pace around and would jump up on the handlers and become mouthy. She greeted the other dog with a loose body and whimpering. Please see dog to dog notes for more details. She pulls hard with heavy panting on the way back to her kennel. She jumps up at the door and whimpers as the handler locks the door and walks away. 5/7: While a handler is leashing a neighboring dog, Mia can be seen jumping on the kennel glass, screeching and panting. She pauses briefly when the handler peeks over before resuming after the handler walks out with the dog. -
Date of intake:: 6/23/2025
Summary:: friendly and excited. She greeted staff with loose wiggle body, wagging tail, and was tryin to jump
Date of initial:: 6/23/2025
Summary:: Sweet, bright, hyperactive, accepts pets, sits on command, very friendly, handling and exam are well
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 3
Recommendations:: No children (under 13),No cats
Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to the concerns reported in the previous home and during her handling assessment, we recommend that Mia be placed in an adult-only home. No cats: Due to attempting to chase small animals in he previous home, we recommend a home without cats or other small animals.
Potential challenges: : House soiling,Resource guarding,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Fearful,Separation anxiety,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal,Other
Potential challenges comments:: House soiling: Mia is reportedly does not use her wee-wee pads consistently in her previous home. Please see the handout on House Soiling. Resource guarding: Mia is reported to become tense and hover over items she considers valuable, but her owner did not elaborate on what those items were. For this reason, we advise against ever removing items from Mia's possession without safely trading for an item or greater or equal value. Guidance from a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended to aid in safely managing/modifying this behavior in a new home environment. Please see the handout on Resource Guarding. Basic manners/poor impulse control: Mia is noted to jump up often in her previous home. Similar behaviors have been seen during her stay and her handling assessment. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach her to control her impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is recommended. Please see handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control. Fearful: Mia is reported to sometimes hide at first with strangers and children. It is important to always go slow and give her the option to walk away from any social interaction. Mia should never be forced to approach anything that she is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. Please see the handout on Decompression Period. Anxiety/Separation anxiety: Mia is reported to become anxious when left alone in the home. Please see handout on Separation anxiety and generalized anxiety. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Mamma Mia has been observed to lunge at other dogs during walks. Please see handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Leash-biting | Arousal: Mia is reported to jump up and chew on her leash in her previous home. Although this behavior has not been seen in care at this time. We recommend walking her with a toy to dissuade her from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach her to focus on you rather than grabbing the leash. Please see handout on Arousal.