Date of intake:: 12/27/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray(Unknown History)

Date of assessment:: 12/31/2025

Summary:: 12/31: A handling assessment will not be condcuted at this time due to Rella becoming tense and avoident during touch and will become mouthy; she is noted in medical to snap without warning.

Summary (6):: 01/04/26: Rella is exploring on a drag lead in the Canine Behavior Office and finds a plastic bag with a few slivers of chicken inside and pulls it down onto the floor, trying to pull the pieces of chicken out. She pushes the bag partially under the couch. First handler (AH) stands about four feet away and notices that Rella's ears are pinned back and she's hovering over the bag. When handler one shifts slightly, Rella begins to growl and snarl. Handler one moves around to the couch and uses the couch as a barrier attempting to leash using the couch as a barrier. Every time the handler shifts the couch, Rella will hover and growl, pushing the bag further under the couch. Handlers decide to move away completely and let Rella finish eating. She makes her way around the side of the couch with the bag and once finished, she is lured away and leashed, returning to kennel safely. 1/4/26: Rella is at front of kennel as handler approached. She backed away a few times from leash even when using treat lure. After a few attempts she was easily leashed and escorted to behavior room. In room Rella would greet people in the room and lean in for pets. Several times after being petted for several seconds she would vocalize and move away. She was returned to kennel with no issue. 1/3/26: Rella is standing at the front of her kennel as handler approaches. She is able to be slowly leashed as her head is turned and is then taken to the behavior room. In the room, she has a tense body as she explores around. She is comfortable approaching the handlers and would jump up and lean in to receive pets. She is able to return back to her kennel with no issues. 1/2/26: Rella is standing at the front of her kennel as handler approaches. She would back away with a tense body as the handler unlocks the door. She would back away and turn her head as the handler slowly presents their leash. She is able to be slowly leashed as her head is turned and is then taken to the behavior room. In the room, she has a tense body as she explores around. She is comfortable approaching the handler and would jump up and lean in to receive pets. She would become tense and whale eye after being petted for a few seconds. She is able to return back to her kennel with no issues.

Summary (7):: 12/30/25: Rella is in the back of her kennel when the handler approaches she is avoidant of leashing and dodges the leash while vocalizing. She doesn't approach for treats. Rella begins pacing in the kennel and howls. Rella is eventually leashed and taken out of her kennel inot the behavior office, where she leans into touch but is conflicted and will mouth at the handler's hand and grow stiff. In the room, Rella will take treats. Rella is taken back into her where she headwhips once inside and barks. 12/29/25 (PM): Rella is sitting at the back of kennel with a neutral frame as handler approaches. Rella comes to the front of kennel and will sniff the treats offered but does not eat them and retreats to the back of kennel. Handler kneels down and speaks to Rella with a soft tone, and she approaches with a soft frame, leaning into petting under the chin for several seconds and then snaps at handler's hand, making contact but not breaking skin. Handler is able to drop the leash over her head and Rella readily comes out of kennel. She walks to the Canine Behavior Office where she will intermittently lean into petting along her hind end. After her session, she is returned to kennel safely. (AM): Rella is at the front of the kennel with a soft body and his ears back. He licks the handler's fingers and takes some treats. The handler then goes to unlock the door Rella lunges towards the lock, vocalizing. The handler then tosses a treat scatter onto the floor to refocus him. They open the latch and Rella will tense slightly so the handler adds more treats. They continue to open the door, putting their leash in the kennel and then start feeding Rella treats through the bars in the door. He is then lured through the loop with treats. Rella will come out of his kennel slowly and walk beside the handler on a loose leash to the sidewalk. He is taken on a walk where he will sniff for the majority of the walk. As they return to the Care Center, he will pause twice, pulling back against a small amount of pressure. The handler keeps the leash very loose and encourages him to walk forward with treats which he will sniff but not eat. He is then returned to his kennel with no issue. When trying to take Rella out this morning, handlers reported that she was not allowing to be leashed, and lunging through the kennel door.

Date of intake:: 12/27/2025

Date of initial:: 12/27/2025

Summary:: friendly and easy to handle and then turned to snap and bite without warning

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): We reccomend Rella be placed in an adult-only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Rella came into the care center as a stray, so her behavioral history in a home environment is unknown.Rella is a nervous and conflicted dog who struggles with handling and leashing. In her kennel, she has shown avoidance, pacing, vocalizing, and lunging toward the door when handlers approach. She can be difficult to leash and may head whip or mouth at handlers when feeling stressed. She is noted to snap without warning during her medical exam. Rella would benefit from a patient placement able to continue building her confidence, reinforce low-stress handling, and provide structure and positive social experiences. Rella is available for rescue through one of our new hope partners.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Resource guarding: Rella was observed to guard a food wrapper during her stay in care. She became stiff, hovered over the wrapper, while baring her teeth, and growling at the handlers. She would not trade for other items and handler could not approach her to pick up her drag leash to walk her away from the wrapper. Please see handout on Resource Guarding Low threshold for arousal/Handling/touch sensitivity/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression:During Rella's medical exam, she is noted to be friendly and easy to handle, and then turns to snap and bite without warning. Rella is noted during leashing, she will headwhip and bark, she is also noted to become avodent of leashing. She is noted to seek attetion and lean in for touch but will mouth at the handler's hand and become tense and avoidant of touch. These behaviors suggest that Rella requires a highly structured approach with gradual desensitization to handling and leashing, clear boundaries during interactions, and reinforcement for calm, relaxed behaviors to reduce risk and improve trust. Please see the handout on Low threshold for arousal/Handling/touch sensitivity/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression.