Date of intake:: 5/24/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Previously lived with:: Adults, children and a kitten

Behavior toward strangers:: Max is friendly

Behavior toward children:: Max is playful

Behavior toward dogs:: Max is playful with familiar dogs, will hard bark and growl towards unfamiliar dogs

Behavior toward cats:: Max will hard bark and growl

Resource guarding:: None reported

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Very High

Other Notes:: No issues with baths, getting brushed, getting nails trimmed, getting restrained, being woken up and unfamiliar people approaching. Maximiliano's previous owner describes him as a friendly and playful dog. He may know the cues sit and stay.

Date of assessment:: 5/27/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: Mild Leash walking comments: Pulls towards dogs Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Distracted Call over: Approaches with squeaky sounds Sociability comments: Exploring the room Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler readily Knock Knock comments: No approach, distracted Toy Toy comments: Grips firm, becomes tense then moves away with tense body and showing whale eye

Summary:: 5/29/25: Maximilliano lunges towards the other dog at the gate while growling and barking.

Summary (7):: 5/30/25: During evening walks, Maximiliano jumped up and began leash biting and growling, almost catching an ACS staff member's hand. K9 Behavior came to assist, they observed Max standing neutral, heavy panting before jumping towards the staff and leash biting and growling. Maximiliano was straight armed and he stops biting the leash. The handler take Max from the ACS. While his kennel was being cleaned, Maximiliano was pacing back and forth and pulling towards the exit to the driveway. Handler walks in the opposite direction and Max will jump towards the handler leash biting and tugging on the leash while growling. He will jump up with his front paws against the handler. A second handler stays with them in case things escalated further. Max would occasionally pull towards the second handler but is kept away. Max spots a familiar handler and begins whimpering and pulling towards them, he then turns and starts leash biting again while growling. Handler did not have treats and would repeatedly straight arm him as Max would jump up towards the leash until he eventually stopped leash biting. When an ACS walks pass and exits the driveway, Maximilian screams loudly. When Maximiliano fixates on passing dogs, the handler uses a squeaker to redirect his attention. He does not leash bite and approaches the handler with a softer body, his tail wagging slowly and panting. Maximiliano leans his hip on the handler's leg and allows brief petting. He jumps on the handler in a social manner and leans his head for pets. Towards the end of the walk, Max sits beside the handlers watching dogs enter and exit, not reacting but jumping forward or barking. When his kennel is set, Max pulls hard back to his kennel and he is returned to kennel without issue. 5/27/25: Maximiliano is at the front loose and wiggly. He is easily leashed and taken to the street. He spots a dog and pulls forward standing on his hind legs with a tense body. He walks beside the handler pulling mildly and relieves himself. When he sees another dog he begins pulling and whimpering. Maximiliano is brought to the assessment room where he is greets the handler with a soft body and wagging tail and allows a collar to be placed. He does not take treats offered. After his assessment, Max is returned without issue.

Date of intake:: 5/24/2025

Summary:: Calm allowed handling, had to be muscled into kennel

Date of initial:: 5/25/2025

Summary:: Tail wagging, reported to be

ENERGY LEVEL:: Maximiliano is described as active and enthusiastic. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them 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. We recommend feeding with puzzle feeders and food-dispensing toys. And we recommend using force-free, reward-based training techniques for Maximiliano.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No young children (under 5),No cats,Recommend no dog parks,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No young children (under 5): Due to resource guarding we recommend a home with no young children. No Cats: Due to hard barking and growling towards cats we recommend a home with no cats. No Dog Parks: Due to hard barking and growling towards unfamiliar dogs we recommend no trips to the dog park. 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,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Max has been observed to become tense with a toy in his possession. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Max'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. On Leash Reactivity: Max's previous owner states that he will hard bark and growl towards dogs while on leash. During his stay Max has been observed to pull towards other dogs while on leash. Max will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other dogs. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration. Leash Biting: Max has been observed to jump up and bite the leash this behavior is not able to redirected easily. We recommend walking them with a toy to dissuade them from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach them to focus on you rather than grabbing the leash. Please see handout on Leash Manners.