Date of intake:: 5/1/2025

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

Date of assessment:: 5/4/2025

Summary:: 5/9/25: Brown Sugar is taken to the behavior office for a handling assessment. Once in the room, she paces and seeks exit, not allowing handlers to pet her and avoiding touch. Due to this, a handling assessment is not conducted at this time. 5/4: Brown Sugar continues to display a high level of fearfulness and shutdown behaviors. Once in the behavior office, she sits in a corner away from the handlers. She does not accept high-value treats and maintains a tense, trembling body while side-eyeing the handlers with her tail tucked. Out of concern for her stress levels, a handling assessment is not conducted. 5/2: Due to Brown Sugar's high level of fearfulness and avoidance, a handling assessment is not conducted.

Summary (4):: 05/10/25: Brown Sugar is lying on her kuranda bed with a soft frame as handler approaches. Handler cracks open the kennel door and she will stand up and slowly approach handler with a slightly tense frame, pinned ears, tucked tail. She leans away momentarily as handler reaches forward to clip her collar but with a gentle tone, she comes close enough to be leashed. Brown Sugar exits kennel and immediately walks over to the door to the stairwell. Handler walks her up the stairs and out into the play yard where she will scent and relieve herself before finding a corner to lay in. She stays in the corner of the yard for the remainder of her session. Handler will speak to her with a soft tone but does not engage further at this time. After her session, Brown Sugar slowly follows handler back into the building and she returns to kennel safely. 05/08/25 Brown Sugar's behavior remains consistent. When in the play pens however, Brown Sugar will pick a corner to lay in. She will lay there for the remainder of her time while out in the pen until the handler places their leash onto her, using directional leash pressure to get her up and moving. When done so, she will proceed to walk. Brown Sugar will be returned through the C staircase where this time more willing to descend down the stairs. Brown Sugar is returned to her kennel as she enters willingly, lying down immediately.

Summary (5):: 05/07/25 Brown Sugar is in her crate in the live room, curled up in a ball as the handler approaches. The handler will attempt to coax her out of the crate with different forms of treats both high value and lower value treats. Brown Sugar wouldn't budge. Brown Sugar will side-eye the handler remaining neutral in the same position. After minutes of attempting to coax her out, the handler will leash her. The handler gently and slowly guides her out of the crate. At first, Brown Sugar will slowly tip over, exposing her belly. With directional leash pressure, Brown Sugar would return to standing on her legs, pulling towards the exit of the room. She will allow for the handler to unclip her small-drag leash, and they will proceed outside. The handler will coax her up the C staircase where she willingly climbs the steps displaying a soft, neutral frame. She scales the stairs with no issue, displaying a relaxed tail at this point whereas entering the staircase it was tucked. Upon arriving outside, Brown Sugar and the handler trot their way to the back pens, maintaining her soft frame and moderate pace. They will enter the pens, and she will explore. She spends her time exploring and she pulls her way out of the pen, pulling in the direction of the staircase in which they exited from. They return and while entering the facility, Brown Sugar is slightly hesitant but with some encouragement from the handler, she slowly enters the building and slowly starts to make her way down the steps. the handler will continue to coax her with a high-pitch voice and praise as she confidently makes her way down. Brown Sugar is guided into her kennel room and returned to her kennel where she will enter willingly. 05/06/25 As the handler enters the lived room to check on Brown Sugar, she is lying down in her crate. Brown Sugar appears nervous, displaying whale eyes and tense frame. The handler will close her crate door in order to clean the live room. Once the handler has cleaned the live room, they will unlock the crate and attempt to coax Brown Sugar out of the crate using treats. Brown Sugar remains planted, not budging, remaining in place. The handler will leave her some treats before exiting the room.

Summary (6):: 5/5/25: Brown Sugar was observed resting in an open crate in the live room throughout the day. She had eaten around her medication. Brown Sugar remained laying down as handler clipped leash to collar. A second handler slowly slid her forward on her blanket so that handler 1 only had to use minimal leash pressure to guide her out. With verbal encouragement and a slow approach, Brown Sugar climbed the stairs leading outside. She walked to the yard and was clipped to a drag leash. Brown Sugar walked to a corner of the yard with her tail untucked and looked around as if exit seeking. She sat and eventually lay down in her chosen spot where she remained for duration of interaction. Handler tossed some treats within reach which she did not eat. Handlers sat in adjoining pen to give her space. Handler 1 crouched down beside her to pick up leash and she followed handlers to the elevator without stopping. Brown Sugar perked up when an animal care staff member entered the elevator and trotted along behind them down the hall. When Brown Sugar planted her feet, handler passed the leash to the staff member who walked her the rest of the way back to the live room. Brown Sugar immediately went into her crate and allowed handler 2 to switch her back to a traffic handle for the night. Handler 1 turned on nightlight and left calming music playing in the room. 5/4/25: Brown Sugar was resting on kuranda bed when handler approached. Handler crouched in doorway and tossed pieces of cheese and beef jerky within reach which she did not eat. She appeared to have been eating well as her meal tray was empty. Handler stepped one foot into kennel and slowly placed leash loop over head. Due to kennel being soiled, handler used directional leash pressure to guide her out and she walked the short distance to the live room. Brown Sugar pancaked right in front of the door, with her tail tucked between her legs and her hind end not quite lowered all the way to the floor. Handler switched her to a slip leash with stopper and gave her space by sitting on the opposite side of the room. She did not take treats tossed within reach. Handler played calming dog music and spoke to her in a soft voice while averting their gaze. Handler offered a large stuffed toy which she gradually moved closer to. After some time sitting quietly in the room, Brown Sugar's trembling had lessened and she had relaxed her hind end to lay on the floor. Handler returned her to kennel and brought her the large stuffed toy and a soft blanket. Handler tossed some treats onto her bed before ending interaction.

Summary (7):: 05/03/25: Brown Sugar is standing up at the front of kennel with a neutral frame as handler approaches. She begins to tremble slightly as handler stands in front of kennel but will eat pieces of cheese tossed to her when handler looks away. Once handler kneels down in front of kennel door, she lays down, trembling lightly. Handler speaks to her with a soft tone and offers her more cheese, but she no longer shows interest and will side eye handler. She remains in place and allows handler to slowly place their lead over her head. Handler attempts to coax her forward, but she remains firmly in place. Directional leash pressure is used to move her forward slightly and she stands up, slowly walking on her own to the Live Room. Brown Sugar sits in the corner of the room with a slightly tense frame. She will sniff pieces of cheese offered but does not eat them. Handler sits on the other side of the room to give her plenty of space and will speak to her with a soft tone. After her session, handler attempts to lure her forward with directional leash pressure, but she stays planted. Handler picks up her hind end and once she is in a standing position, Brown Sugar slowly walks back to kennel, returning safely. 05/02/25: Brown Sugar is lying in the middle of kennel trembling as handler approaches. Handler cracks open the kennel door and kneels down, speaking to her with a soft tone. Brown Sugar continues to tremble and side-eye handler. Handler offers her high value treats which she shows no interest in. They are able to slowly drop their lead over her head, but she does not stand up or come forward, even with coaxing. Handler decides not to get her out from kennel due to her fearfulness and possible discomfort. They sit at her kennel for several minutes and offer pieces of ham and cheese which she will sniff but not eat. Brown Sugar allows handler to pet her on the head softly but maintains a slightly tense frame. Handler slowly removes her lead and places a few more pieces of cheese into kennel before exiting.

Date of intake:: 5/1/2025

Summary:: Fearful, tail tucked, did not take treats, pancaked/did not want to move

Date of initial:: 5/2/2025

Summary:: timid but allows handling, solicits pets

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to how uncomfortable Brown Sugar is currently with touch and novel stimuli, we feel that an adult-only home would be most beneficial at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Brown Sugar 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 challenges comments:: Fearful: Brown Sugar has been highly fearful and avoidant of interaction with handlers. It is important to always go slow and give her the option to walk away from any social interaction. Brown Sugar should never be forced to approach anything that she is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be Pam’s choice to approach a new person or thing. She would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to his new surroundings. Please see handout on Decompression Period.