Date of intake:: 11/20/2024

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, no prior history

Date of assessment:: 11/25/2024

Summary:: Due to Circe's high level of fear and escalation to defensive aggression, a handling assessment will not be performed at this time.

Summary:: Due to Circe entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 12/01/24 Circe is introduced to multiple novel small mixed breed dogs while off leash at the care center. A drag could not be placed onto Circe due to him head whipping and side eyeing the handler handling him. Upon witnessing one of the novel dogs present, Circe immediately bares teeth displaying a tense frame. He is moved away by the handler handling him and returned to kennel.

Summary (4):: 12/03/24 Circe is lying down as the handler approaches. Circe will rise as the handler unlocks the kennel door, pawing at the kennel door. Circe is leashed with ease and the two will proceed to the live room. Circe will trot his way over with a loose, relaxed frame. Circe enters the live room and begins to explore. Circe will keep to himself and approach the handler when they offer him a treat. Circe will take treats gently when administered. Circe remains aloof, exploring, with minimal contact with the handler. Circe is returned to kennel where he trots over and hops in his kennel with no issue. 12/1/24: Circe was leashed with ease and walked to the yard for a gate greet (see dog-dog summary.) Circe pulled moderately and relieved himself while outside. Circe appeared to be under the weather as he was reverse sneezing constantly and coughing. Due to the cold weather, Circe was taken back inside. Handler used a hook to remove leash which Circe reacted to by thrashing and biting at it. 11/30/24: Circe was barking and jumping up in his crate as handler approached his kennel. He was very wiggly and would dodge the leash when handler was trying to leash him. Once out of his kennel, he would leash bite with frustration on and off for a few seconds all the way to the behavior room. He was able to be switched to a drag lead in the room and ate a few treats that were on the ground. He was able to jump up on the couch a few time, would sniff the ground, and explore all around the room. He was coughing/sneezing a lot due to him getting sick. He was able to be leashed after dodging the lead a few times. He walked back to his kennel with ease. Circe barked as the handler locked the kennel door and walked away.

Summary (5):: 11/29/24: Circe is standing at the front of kennel with a neutral body as handler approaches. As handler leashes, Circe will dodge and the lead falls around his body. Handler attempts to loosen the lead so that it will fall off of Circe's body, but it does not budge. Handler uses a hook to remove the lead and Circe becomes tense and will growl and bite on the hook. After lead is removed, Circe is leashed and walks with a neutral frame to the Canine Behavior Office. He is clipped to a drag lead and free to explore the space. Circe is social with handlers throughout and will accept light petting along his body with a neutral frame. He will jump up onto the couch and lay next to handlers. After his session, he is leashed and returns to kennel safely. 11/27/24 Circe is lying down as the handler approaches. Circe will remain neutral. The handler administers him some high value treats in which he takes gently. Circe will slowly rise and collect more as the handler continues to administer high value treats. Circe is leashed slowly and taken to the training room. The handler will sit next to Circe upon arrival. Circe is nervous, trembling as he stands next to the handler. Circe will take high value treats gently as the handler continues to administer them to him. Circe will paw raise as well as pace for a little bit. Eventually Circe will warm up to the handler, trembling less. The handler will take pieces of high value treats and place them on their knee, allowing Circe to collect them from there. Circe willingly takes them from the handler's knee, closing the distance between the two. Circe is visibly relaxed and allows clipping to his collar before being returned to kennel. Circe prances his way back to kennel followed by hopping inside of his kennel with no issue.

Summary (6):: 11/26 (PM): Circe bares his teeth when a handler approaches. He tolerates being leashed and readily exits his kennel but as he walks through the room, his fearfulness spikes as the other neighboring dogs are barking. The handler picks him up and carries him the rest of the way to the behavior office. Once in the office, a drag leash is attached. Circe wanders the room, body tense and shaking but he stays within proximity to the handlers. One handler sits on the couch next to Circe and he slowly moves over until he is pressed against their legs as he sits. The handler softly pets his rear and he flinches at the initial contact but then begins to slowly lean in as he rocks his hips into the contact. When the handler stops, Circe slowly lays down, still pressed against their legs. As time passes, Circe slowly crawls into the handler's lap before he lays down. He still shakes but it slows down the longer he stays in the handler's lap. At the end of the session, the handler can carry Circe back to his kennel and place him back inside so he can eat his meal. As the handler is locking the kennel door, Circe lunges with teeth bared, quickly snapping at the handler's hands. It is unclear if this was due to the presence of his meal being close to the handler's hands from the outside of the kennel or barrier frustration

Summary (7):: 11/26/24 Circe is baring teeth when the handler approaches. Circe lunges onto the kennel as the handler makes themselves smaller to get down to Circe's eye level. The handler will administer Circe high-value treats in which he takes gently. The handler will continue to do so while simultaneously leashing Circe. The handler is successful and will proceed to the live room with Circe. Circe trots over to the live room, exploring upon arrival. Circe will tremble, displaying a low tail, seeking an exit. The handler will administer Circe high value treats that make Circe visibly relaxed. Circe will sit gently beside the handler collecting high value treats. Circe will explore some more and while he is exploring the handler clips the ring of his lead in which he will quickly head whip but quickly return to exploring right after. Circe is returned to his kennel where he trots over in a moderate pace, jumping into his kennel with no issue. 11/24: Due to Circe's kennel needing to be cleaned, he is removed from his kennel. He initially bares his teeth when he sees a handler approach but stops to sniff the sausages that are offered. Circe readily accepts the sausages and slowly moves towards the front, accepting them from the handler's fingers with a soft mouth. When the handler unlocks the door, Circe retreats to the back of his kennel but does not escalate further. The handler is able to lasso him and he walks to the front of the kennel slowly. The handler covers him with a blanket and carries him to the behavior office. He is kept on the lead due to his prior escalations. Circe is tense with a tucked tail and hunched body. He wanders the room, accepting more sausages and cheese. Circe eventually sits next the handler's feet, leaning his body in. He accepts short soft pets at the base of his tail but he does flinch hard at the initial contact. When the interaction is over, Circe tolerates the handler picking him and carries him back to his kennel without issue. 11/23/24: (PM) Circe is at the front of the kennel, and when approached, he immediately bares his teeth, growls, and muzzle punches the door. When his door is opened, he continues to bare his teeth and backs away from the handler. Circe will snap, lunge, and bare his teeth at the leash in attempts to leash him, and ignores all high-value items given to him. Circe is toweled with a heavy towel, and when touched, he snaps multiple times through the towel as he is picked up and placed on the ground quickly. During the interaction, Circe has a tucked tail, shakes, and avoids the handler as they sit near each other for around 10-15 minutes. Circe is placed back into his kennel, where he does not react when being picked up to be placed back into the kennel.

Date of intake:: 11/20/2024

Summary:: he was lip licking, and bared teeth at staff

Date of initial:: 11/20/2024

Summary:: showing teeth, growling, once muzzled easy to handle,

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Circe 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 Circe's fearfulness displayed in care, we recommend he goes to an adult-only home. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Circe's fearfulness in care, we recommend he is placed with one of our New Hope Partners.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Circe has escalated to lunging and baring teeth at staff during interactions. Circe should never be forced to interact and should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people he finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow, gradual approach and emphasize the use of ONLY force-free, reward-based training methods for Circe. Aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, escalate aggression, and decrease Circe's overall quality of life.