Date of intake:: 1/29/2020

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner surrender

Previously lived with:: 2 adults

Behavior toward strangers:: Shy though warms up and is friendly, outgoing

Behavior toward children:: Unknown

Behavior toward dogs:: Relaxed, playful

Behavior toward cats:: Unknown

Resource guarding:: Yes, snaps over food, toys, and treats.

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Friendly, affectionate, shy with a high energy level

Other Notes:: Barks, howls, and destroys furniture when left alone

Date of assessment:: 2/1/2020

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Fearful, wanders room Call over: Does not approach Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Tolerates contact, tense Exuberant handling: Tolerates contact, tense Handling comments: Lip licking throughout Arousal Jog: Follows, crouching, fearful Arousal comments: Lip licking throughout Knock Knock Comments: No response Toy Toy comments: Sniffs, moves away

Summary:: According to Ghost's previous owner, he has spent time around other dogs and he is relaxed and playful with them. The owner stated that he plays gently with other dogs. 1/30: Handlers were unable to successfully collar Ghost today. He gave handlers clear distance increasing behaviors - lip licking, whale eyes, tightly tucked posture, flat ears- when he became uncomfortable. Out of concern for his stress levels, an attempt to collar him was suspended. A gate greet was conducted and he greeted a novel female with a stiff, tightly tucked posture, with flat ears. 2/4 2/20: Handlers attempted to place a second collar on Ghost today, due to him chewing through the first one. Ghost continues to display clear distance increasing behaviors - lip licking, whale eyes, tightly tucked posture, flat ears- when he became uncomfortable. During one attempt of collaring, the drag leash made contact with his rear leg and he snapped at the handler's hand and spun away. Out of concern for his stress level, any further attempts were ended. Ghost greets a novel female at the gate with a tense posture.

Summary (1):: Ghost loves soft toys. He understands cues for "sit" and "drop"

Date of intake:: 1/29/2020

Summary:: Shy, tense

Date of initial:: 1/29/2020

Summary:: Snapped when attempted to place muzzle on

IN SHELTER OBSERVATIONS:: 2/21: Ghost was at the front of his kennel when I approached. He was loose and wiggly, making attempts to lick handlers hands, as handler unlocked his kennel. Ghost was easily roped and removed from his kennel. He walked out of the room without pulling. Out in the pens, Ghost allowed an easy drag-leash attachment while licking handlers hands. Off-leash, he roamed the pens before running back to handler to solicit attention. He allowed all handling. Handler offered Ghost soft toys and tennis balls, and they engaged in play for the remainder of his session. 2/20: Ghost was brought into a room for socialization. Once off-leash in the room, Ghost explored. He found some toys and began running around with them, bringing them over to handler and allowing handler to pick them up while maintaining a loose body. They engaged in play for majority of their session. 2/4: Ghost chewed through his collar and another attempt to replace it was made during playgroup. Ghost avoided handlers with a stiff posture, flat ears, and whale eyes. He snapped and spun away from one of the handlers when brief contact was made. 1/31: As handler went to remove Ghost from his kennel, he bared his teeth and low growled. As handler made more attempts to remove him, Ghost escalated, barking and jumping towards the rope as it came closer. With another attempt by the handler, Ghost jumped up and caught her wrist, but released immediately.He did not Break skin. Handler left Ghost to decompress and another handler later took him out without issue. 1/31: Ghost was taken on a walk around the surrounding neighborhood to decompress a bit. He was observed to have raised hackles, a tucked tail, whale eyes, and a tense body. A couple blocks into his walk, Ghost began to relax, un-tucking his tail and taking on a more neutral body. After the walk, he was brought into a room for socialization. Ghost explored for a bit on-leash, but soon approached and allowed to be collared and pet. He solicited attention and leaned against handler's legs. He was brought back without any issues. 1/30: Ghost was observed walking low to the ground with a tucked tail, beginning to tremble when handlers got too close. As handler's went to remove him from his kennel, Ghost barked and low growled. He avoided the rope, but once it was secured, he hesitated and balked before slowly walking out of the kennel. Ghost jumped and barked when a handler touched his back, then shied away from other staff members. He was returned without issue, running into his kennel.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Ghost's high level of fear combined with his propensity to escalate to growling when uncomfortable, we feel as though he would be best set up to succeed if placed into an adult only home environment. Place with a New Hope partner: Because Ghost remains highly fearful in the care center and has been observed to escalate quickly to hard barking, growling and snapping at handlers when uncomfortable, we feel as though he would be best set up to succeed if placed with an experienced rescue partner; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing or exposing Ghost to new and unfamiliar situations.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Separation anxiety

Potential challenges comments:: Ghost is reported to snap over resources. Please consult our RESOURCE GUARDING flyer. Ghost remains fearful overall and has been observed to startle easily and hard bark, growl and snap at handlers, please see handout on FEARFUL AND DEFENSIVE AGGRESSION. Ghost is reported to bark, howl, and destroy furniture when left alone. This has not been resolved by leaving him with toys. It is likely that Ghost is experiencing separation anxiety. Please see our SEPARATION ANXIETY handout.