Animal Profile

Symphony is at risk due to behavior concerns. In the Care Centers, Symphony is highly fearful, displaying a tense body, avoiding petting, and tucking her tail. She has shown low tail wags with select staff. Medically, Symphony is apparently healthy.

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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. This pet is available only through ACC New Hope partners. To adopt or foster, please complete the pre-screener form below. Inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Symphony is at risk due to behavior concerns. In the Care Centers, Symphony is highly fearful, displaying a tense body, avoiding petting, and tucking her tail. She has shown low tail wags with select staff. Medically, Symphony is apparently healthy. Symphony was surrendered into care as a stray, so her past behavior in a home environment is unknown. Symphony has been highly fearful and defensive during her stay in care and displayed similar behaviors during her intake - baring teeth, growling, tense body, lunging, and avoiding leashing for removal from kennel for walks/interaction. She does take high-value treats when tossed close to her but remains wary/avoidant of handlers otherwise when attempting to interact. Due to these concerns, we recommend that Symphony be placed in an adult-only home through a New Hope rescue partner that can allow her time and space to decompress in conjunction with a certified professional trainer who uses only positive reinforcement methods.

My medical notes are...

Weight: 61.4 lbs

Medical Notes

1/29/2026

DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: approx 3-7 years based on dentition and conformation Microchip noted on Intake? scanned negative History: aco impound Subjective: QAR Observed Behavior - trembling, cowering, low growling, sedated as precaution Is there evidence of Cruelty? N Is there evidence of Neglect? N Is there evidence of Trauma? N Objective T = np P = wnl R = wnl BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: muzzled, visible dentition appears to have mild wear and staining PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: FI, scant serosang vulvar dc, developed pendulous MGs MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment APH in heat Prognosis: good Plan: intake exam and tasks sedated with 0.4mL dex/torb IM - adequate sedation TNT reversed with equal antisedan IM awaiting sort SURGERY: Okay for surgery: Y

Details on my behavior are...

Behavior Condition: 3. Yellow

Behavior History
Behavior Assessment

Date of intake:: 1/28/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray; history unknown

Date of assessment:: 2/1/2026

Summary:: 2/1/26: Symphony has escalated to growling and leash biting when attempting to remove her from the kennel. Due to her defensive behaviors, a handling assessment cannot be conducted. 1/29: A handling assessment was not conducted due to Symphony being sedated for her medical intake exam due to her behavior.

Summary:: Symphony was surrendered into care as a stray, so her past behavior with other dogs is unknown. 2/5: Due to operation limitations and cold weather, only a gate greet is conducted. Handlers do not attempt to collar Symphony due to her fearfulness. She does not readily approach the gate to greet a novel male dog. She sniffs from a distance before retreating.

Summary (7):: 2/4/26: Symphony is at the front of her kennel barking, with a neutral body and fast wagging tail. Symphony is still a bit head shy, but will try and dodge the leash to instead push out of kennel. Symphony is leash eventually normally and taken to the behavior office, where she begins to explore, with her tail tucked but is not shaking. Symphony when coaxed will wag her tail slightly, allowing petting along her back, and begins to lean in her rear for scratching. Symphony goes between two staff members for treats, and eventually returning to the handler for more petting along her rear. Symphony is returned to kennel, and begins to bark and wag her tail again. 2/3/26: Symphony is at the front of her kennel hard barking. The handler feeds her treats through the kennel bars, which she slowly takes and retreats to the back of her kennel. Symphony is coaxes back towards the front of her kennel and is slowly leashed. Once leash she follows the handler to the office. Once in the office she shakes and displays a tucked tail, she slowly takes treats offer to her but remains in one spot next to the handler. Symphony is offered treats throughout the interaction. Symphony is taken back to her kennel where she retreats towards the back of her kennel. 2/2/26: Symphony is reported to hard bark, lunge and muzzle punch the door when being leashed, and retreats to the back of her kennel when handlers try and leash her. Symphony is given multiple treats at the front of her kennel to try and coax her forward and approaches for them but immediately retreats once eating them. Symphony at some point stops eating, and has to be leashed over her head while the handler steps into kennel. She will lay down and growl, but once leashed she will come out on her own. Symphony takes treats from the handlers at times, sniffing around but is mostly in one place trembling, avoiding interaction from staff that try to interact with her. Symphony is taken back to her new kennel, where she is covered with a sheet and given a pouch of treats to be given to her every time she is passed.

Date of intake:: 1/28/2026

Summary:: growling, fearful, bared teeth

Date of initial:: 1/29/2026

Summary:: trembling, cowering, low growling, sedated as precaution

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Symphony's fearfulness and potential for defensive escalations, we recommend that Symphony be placed in an adult-only home. Place with a New Hope partner: Symphony has not acclimated well to the kennel environment and has allowed only minimal handling since intake. 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: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Symphony has escalated to growling, snapping, baring teeth, and lunging on multiple occasions, both at intake and during her time in the care center. Her signs of discomfort must be respected; Symphony should never be forced to interact; she should always be allowed to walk away from situations or people she finds uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach and suggest using only force-free, reward-based training methods for her. More aversive techniques are likely to increase fear, increase the risk of aggression, and decrease Symphony's quality of life. Please see handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression.