Date of intake:: 7/31/2025

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

Previously lived with:: 1 adults, 4 kids, 2LMB

Behavior toward strangers:: Minimal experience but is tolerant, friendly and outgoing.

Behavior toward children:: Friendly, tolerant & outgoing.

Behavior toward dogs:: She is reported to be friendly & outgoing with all dogs both familiar and unfamiliar.

Behavior toward cats:: No experience.

Resource guarding:: No known reports of Resource guarding at the prior home.

Bite history:: No known reports of a bite history.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Mazi is noted to have a medium energy level in the home.

Other Notes:: She is a vocal, solitary and independent dog who prefers contact on her own terms. She likes to be in the bedroom, living room and kitchen. She allows family to bathe and brush her but has escalated to barking and growling when overstimulated. She goes on 30 min walks 1-2x daily with moderate pulling. She has never been in a car.

Date of assessment:: 8/2/2025

Summary:: Due to Mazi's high level of fearfulness, a handling assessment is not conducted at this time.

Summary:: According to Mazi's previous owner(s), She is reported to be friendly & outgoing with all dogs both familiar and unfamiliar. 08/04/25 Mazi is introduced at the gate to a male greeter dog while off leash at the care center. Mazi will approach the gate with a tense body and a high stiff tail. Mazi will chuff at the greeter dog before walking away from the gate, maintaining a tense body. This concludes the interaction.

Summary (5):: 8/9/25: Mazi is at the front of her kennel with a very loose and wiggly body, tapping her front paws and rubbing onto the kennel bars when the familiar handler approaches. Mazi is easily leashed without treats, and begins to bounce around the hallway, lean into contact and briefly get the zoomies. Mazi walks out into the hallway and onto the sidewalk, exploring her surroundings, staring at dogs when they pass and huffing at strangers that walk or job pass, but is very easy to refocus with food. Mazi continues to walk with a loose body down the street, pulling mildly and leans into contact with the handler. Mazi continues this, and is walked back to kennel after a bit with no issue.

Summary (6):: 08/06/25 Mazi is at the front of her kennel toe-tapping as the handler approaches. Mazi is easily leashed as she allows the handler remaining still, proceeding outside for a walk. Mazi will trot alongside the handler, hard barking at strangers as they pass. She is taken to a pen where she will relieve herself upon arrival and then catch the zoomies. The zoomies will lead her to start leash biting but she is easily redirected with treats. She is returned to the facility where she will enter the building and her kennel with no issue. 08/06/25 (AM): Mazi is at the front of her kennel with a neutral body and slight tail wag as the handler approaches. She is easily leashed and pulls mildly outside. Mazi tenses and hard stares at other dogs and barks at strangers, but is able to be redirected. She softens when she turns towards the handler and begins to tail wag. She is led up to the yard where she jumps up onto the bench to observe people and dogs. She stiffens but does not escalate further. The handler sits on the bench and Mazi jumps up next to them before jumping off again. She takes treats from the handler with a soft mouth. The handler stands and moves away from the bench. Mazi jumps up again, then jumps off. She moves frenetically for a moment before jumping up and grabbing her leash, shaking it. The handler throws treats and she trades readily. The handler attempts to engage her in a side to side pattern game but she runs after the treat and then turns again to grab the leash. She again begins to shake it, but trades for treats. The handler returns her to kennel without issue. 08/04/25 Mazi is at the front of her kennel, standing with one paw raised. The handler will make their small, kneeling down and speaks to her in a high pitch voice. Mazi will allow leashing, proceeding outside for her walk. Mazi displays a neutral frame as she trots alongside the handler. Mazi will see other dogs with novel handlers while on her walk and chuff when passing them, becoming tense in frame. Once out of her sight, she returns to being aloof, maintaining a neutral frame throughout her walk. She pulls her way back into the facility as they enter the building, approaching her kennel room and hard barking at neighboring kennels. She will willingly pull her way into her kennel. She will remain in kennel hard barking at neighboring kennels.

Summary (7):: 8/3/25: Mazi is at the front of her kennel with a low body, but does not bark at the handler and begins to wag her tail slowly. Mazi is fed treats and very carefully leashed as she is eating them. Mazi walks out of kennel slowly and on the walk begins to soften her body, explore her surroundings and relieve herself. Mazi is coaxed a bit on the walk, and does approach to sniff the handler but huffs and walks away. Mazi pulls mildly on leash, and is allowed to walk down the quiet street at her pace. Mazi is a bit hypervigilant, but her body is softer on this walk. Mazi enters the building, allows the handler to clip her leash and return her to kennel without issue. Mazi when the handler walks away, will demand bark and wag her tail slowly, but remaining fearful in general. 8/2/25: Mazi is at the front of her kennel standing with a tense body, tucked tail and begins to hard bark and growl at the handler when approached. Mazi does not move backwards, and continues to low growl as the handler crouches down. Mazi when the handler is searching through there marker pouch, begins to tilt her head and is tossed treats under the kennel door. Mazi begins to slowly eat these treats, and the handler notices she will whale eye the handler at times when grabbing them, and is trembling in her back legs. Mazi is slowly coaxed with treats through the loop that is placed onto the ground, and as she begins to put her head into the loop the handler will slowly lift it, taking note of each time she notices and becomes uncomfortable. Mazi does this enough times where she tolerates the leash being put around her neck, and slowly walks out into the hallway. An ACS is in the hallway, staring at Mazi and she begins to growl as she's walking away. Mazi outside is hypervigilant, looking back towards the handler, tucked tail and explores her surroundings intermittently. Mazi does hard stare at staff if they are in close proximity, but does not react and is walked past. Mazi is able to relieve herself, and walks back to kennel. Mazi's leash was not clipped, and it was taken off by herself with the help of the handler throwing treats behind her front legs so she would naturally tilt her head forward for the leash to fall off. Mazi will bark when the handler leaves and a pouch is placed onto her kennel to drop off treats.

Date of intake:: 7/31/2025

Summary:: Fearful, hard barking, luunge hard bark and growl when the leash was rermoved.

Date of initial:: 8/1/2025

Summary:: lunging in the crate, barking, unable to get near, sedated for exam.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Mazi high level of fearfulness, we recommend she be placed in an adult-only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Mazi was surrendered by their owner due to a no-pet policy in the home. In the prior home she is noted to vocal, solitary and independent dog who prefers contact on her own terms. In the care center Mazi is a fearful and has shown hard barking, growling, and whale-eyeing at handlers when approached in the kennel. She displays a tense body, tucked tail, and trembling in her hind legs. With patient, low-pressure handling and high-value treats, Mazi has tolerated leashing. While outside, Mazi alternates between exploring and scanning her surroundings, hard staring at staff who come near but not escalating further. Mazi’s would benefit from placement with a New Hope partner experienced in working with fearful/defensive dogs who can provide a structured, low-stimulation environment to help her build trust and confidence.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling,Kennel presence

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: In the prior home she allows family to bathe and brush her but has escalated to barking and growling when overstimulated. Upon intake Mazi is noted to seem fearful and was hard barking/growling whenever staff approached. Once secured with double leashing in the kennel, staff attempted to use a hook pole to remove the ropes. Staff were able to remove one, but the Mazi continued to lunge, hard bark, growl, and bite at the hook pole. To avoid escalating the situation, staff contacted the behavior team for assistance with safely removing the remaining rope. In the care center she has remained fearful and displays a tucked tail, whale wye and will growl and lunge when handlers approach her kennel. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: In the prior Mazi is noted that on walks she is reactive to strangers that approach and will hard bark, or growl. Gradually exposing her to these triggers at a distance while rewarding calm behavior, and using tools like a no-pull harness can help manage her reactivity. Please see the handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Strength/leash pulling: Mazi has begun to leash bite when coming out of kennel and in the yard. Kennel presence: Mazi is noted during her medical exam she was lunging in the crate, barking, unable to get near,then had to be sedated for exam.