Date of intake:: 6/14/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, No known history

Date of assessment:: 6/18/2026

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate - pulls towards places they want to go Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Exuberant in kennel Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social Call over: Approaches handler readily Sociability comments: Neutral body, receptive to treats Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accpets contact Comments: Neutral body Arousal Jog comments: Follows handler exuberantly Knock Knock comments: Alert barks and vocalizes, approaches handler readily, neutral body Toy Toy comments: Grips light and retreats with toy, neutral body

Summary:: Due to entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 8/18/26: Sunflower Seeds is introduced to a novel intact and is loose at the gate with fast mid level wags. She begins toe tapping and huffing at the gate. When let into the yard, she engages in mutual sniffing with the other dog and then begins play bowing and bouncing. She bounces with the other dog, and is tolerant of the dog being in her face. The other dog disengages in play after a couple of minutes, and Sunflower Seeds redirects on her own and explores the yard and greets handlers. They frequently reapproach and greet each other remaining loose and wiggly and will walk side by side at times, but mostly coexist without much interaction. 8/15/26: Sunflower Seeds is introduced to a familiar intact male and is loose at the gate, toe tapping with mid level wags. When face to face, she zooms in the yard and begins play bowing and bouncing around the other dog. She will bump him with moderate pressure and is in his face and the other dog is overwhelmed by her exuberance, so the meet is ended. 8/11/26: Sunflower Seeds is introduced to a novel intact male and approaches the fence with a loose body and high wagging tail, giving partial play bows. She licks the other dog's snout through the fence and continues to solicit play while huffing. She stands up on the fence and follows the other dog along the fence line. The other dog is let into the yard and Sunflower seeds is loose with mid level wags while bouncing around the other dog, giving partial play bows. She zooms around the yard with a relaxed open panting mouth, greeting handlers occasionally before reapproaching and continuing to play bow with the other dog. She is tolerant of play slapping and remains loose throughout.

Summary (4):: 8/23/26: It is reported that sunflower seeds is highly kennel reactive and cage fights at a high intensity. While exiting the kennel room, Sunflower Seeds is reported to jump of the wall in and attempt to cage fight with a neighboring dog. On the way to the yard, Sunflower seeds is reported to repeatedly lunge towards a pop up crate near the exit. When the handler attempts to clip their leash to return her to kennel, she begins head whipping with an open mouth, almost catching their hand. 8/18/26: Sunflower Seeds is at the front of her kennel with a loose body; she is easily leashed and brought out the room, pulling hard. Sunflower is brought to the yard for playgroup (see D2D notes). After the interaction, the handler brings Sunflower inside; they wait to the side as they wait for her kennel to be cleaned. Sunflower enters with ease and the handler removes their leash.

Summary (5):: 8/11/26: Sunflower seeds is at the front of her kennel with a loose body and wagging tail. She is high energy but relatively easy to leash. She runs out of her kennel and is lead to the yard for her dog-dog interaction (see notes). She pulls hard and relieves herself. She is returned to kennel with ease. 8/7/26: Sunflower Seeds is at the front of her kennel with a loose, wiggly body as handler approaches. She is easily leashed and brought out of kennel; as she exits, she looks to the kennel next to her (she is in the front kennel, so she turns her head back into the room to do so) - the kennel is empty and she exits the room without issue. She is exuberant after exiting but allows handler to clip onto her harness while distracted with treats without issue. She pulls hard down the stairs and out to the street and looks at passing pop up crates but does not otherwise react to them. While out in the driveway, Sunflower Seeds sniffs various points of interest and marks occasionally. She looks at passing people and dogs with perked ears, a forward body, and high tail, but does not otherwise react. She checks in frequently with handler and is rewarded with treats. Handler works through various cues with Sunflower Seeds (sit, paw), and Sunflower Seeds readily responds to them, for which she is rewarded with treats. She is highly social and will lean into handler’s legs for pets, allowing petting all over her body. She is eventually returned to her kennel; she pulls hard re-entering the shelter but is otherwise returned without issue. 8/6/26: Sunflower Seeds is reported to be reactive to every dog in crates as she walks past them. 7/29/26: Sunflower Seeds is at the front of her kennel with a wiggly body; she is easily leashed and brought out the room. Before going out the building, the handler clips their leash to Sunflower's harness. Sunflower walks with mild to moderate leash tension. She initially headwhips, but allows pets. While a staff member stands behind some cars and speaks to the handler, Sunflower alert/hard barks at them; at first she doesn't see them, but when she does, she continues to bark at them. While walking back to the shelter, a child begins to run in the handler's direction; Sunflower notices the child and stares at them. The handler puts Sunflower in between themselves and a building wall and shortens the leash; as the child stops walking and slowly is about to walk past, Sunflower attempts to lunge towards and barks at the child. The handler quickly pulls her close to them and turns around; Sunflower looks back at the child, but continues to walk. The handler brings Sunflower inside and returns her to her kennel.

Summary (6):: 7/18/26: Sunflower Seeds is standing at the front of her kennel when the handler approaches. She starts barking and jumping on the bars while the handler unlocks the kennel. She is leashed with treats and readily exits the kennel. She attempts to pull hard towards the neighboring kennel with a stiff body and intense focus on the other dog. Handler is able to pull her away and take out of the room. She stays next to the handler in the elevator; she pants heavily and her eyes are wide. She runs forward in the hallways and all the way outside. She pulls very hard on the leash, making herself choke. The handler is able to stop her with treats and engage her with a pattern game, trying to calm her down; after some time, she loses interest and continues to pull hard forward. As soon as she notices another dog, she freezes briefly, then pulls toward them. Her body is tense, hackles up and her mouth open in excessive panting. Handler is not able to distract her with treats and has to pull her away in another direction. Sunflower Seeds continues to pant heavily and salivate, remaining hypervigilant. Handler engages her in another pattern game, and after some time, she visibly calms down but still displays wide eyes and rapid breathing. During return, handler is able to pre-clip the leash; Sunflower Seeds is distracted with a treat trail and goes back into the kennel with no further issues. 7/12/26: It is reported via white board that Sunflower Seeds might be house trained. 7/11/26: Sunflower Seeds is at the front of her kennel with a soft body, frantically jumping on the kennel bars and barking at the handler; she is leashed and brought out the room. While waiting for the elevator, Sunflower exuberantly jumps on the handler and a staff member nearby; she demand barks at a familiar handler, and she eats the treat they toss. Outside, Sunflower slightly fixates on a dog a few feet away; even after she crosses the street, she looks back at them, but recovers and continues to walk. Sunflower walks with mild to moderate leash tension; she doesn't show interest in passersby. Sunflower also sits on command. Upon entry, the handler clips their leash and returns Sunflower to her kennel.

Summary (7):: 7/4/26: Sunflower Seeds is at the front of the kennel with a soft body and wagging tail. She begins jumping up and down at the front of the kennel. She is easily leashed and pulls hard out of the kennel room, Sunflower is taken outside where she relieves herself a few times. She is then walked back to the shelter and is returned to kennel without issue. 7/3/26: Sunflower seeds is reported to be "hyper" and pulling very hard during her walks; she is noted to jump on and off the handler. Additionally, she is increasingly reactive; she barks and pulls towards dogs when she sees them. 6/25: Highly social, playful girl who loves interaction! She listened well to cues and happily showed off “sit,” “paw,” and “other paw.” She takes treats gently and was very responsive throughout our interaction. She can be playful, but stayed well-mannered and did not try to jump on me. 6/24/26 (Trainer Note): Sunflower Seed was at the front of her top kennel as trainer approached. She had a wiggly body and allowed for clipping her harness and picking her up. On the ground, she pulled slightly towards the exit. Once she was outside, her pulling subsided. She was able to engage with the ping pong enrichment game, going from one snuffle mat to another. She was able to pause to breathe between each snuffle mat. Kennel return was unremarkable. 6/18/26: Sunflower Seed is at the front of her top kennel when handler approaches. She starts jumping on the door when handler attempts to unlock the kennel. She is easily leashed with a treat lure and taken out of the room. Sunflower Seed pulls hard in the hallways and all the way outside. Once she gets to the driveway she immediately relieves herself and continues walking with moderate pulling ahead of the handler. She pulls side to side and attempts to jump on the handler exuberantly. She gently takes treats and barking in the demanding way when handler stops offering them. She is social, follows commands "sit" and "paw" and leans on the handler asking for more pets. After walk is finished, Sunflower Seed is taken to the Canine Behavior office for the assessment (see notes). During returning Sunflower Seed allows pick up and handler is able to being her back into her kennel with ease.

Date of intake:: 6/14/2026

Summary:: Allowed handling and pick up

Date of initial:: 6/15/2026

Summary:: Body relaxed; easily examined

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Sunflower Seeds 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 addition 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 on leash reactivity we recommend a home with no children. 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: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Fearful,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration

Potential challenges comments:: Basic manners/poor impulse control: Sunflower jumps up non-stop, indicating a need for training to improve her impulse control and basic manners. Consistent training to teach her to sit or stay when greeting people, using positive reinforcement and redirection, will help manage this behavior. Please see the handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control. Fearful: Sunflower has been observed to head whip when the handler goes to clip their leash. They should never be forced to approach anything that they are uncomfortable with or submit to petting or handling. It should always be their choice to approach a new person or thing. Sunflower would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to their new surroundings. Please see handout on Decompression Period. On Leash Reactivity: Sunflower has been observed to bark and pull towards dogs when she sees them. She is also observed to attempt to lunge at a child passing her on the street and hard barked towards a different person. While in the kennel room, Sunflower has been observed to be highly kennel reactive. Sunflower 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.