Date of intake:: 10/11/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Previously lived with:: 2 adults and 3 children

Behavior toward strangers:: Friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward children:: Freindly and outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: Lunges

Behavior toward cats:: Unknown

Resource guarding:: None reported

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: High energy

Other Notes:: Reported to have general anxiety, fearful of loud noises and anxious when left home alone. Reported to bark and lunge on walks at small animals, other dogs and bikes. Is not bothered when woken up, when startled and when collar is grabbed

Date of assessment:: 10/15/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Fearful Call over: Approaches with coaxing Sociability comments: Tense body, tucked tail, whale eye. Fearful and reluctant to allow collar Handling Soft handling: Fearful Exuberant handling: Fearful Handling comments: Tense body, tucked tail Arousal Jog: Follows handler Arousal comments: with coaxing Knock Knock Comments: Approaches handler readily Toy Toy comments: Sniffs, No reaction

Summary (3):: 11/4/2025 (PM) (Trainer Note): Nova Scotia is at the front of kennel with a neutral body, already hyper-focused on the leash in handlers hand. Handler attempts to lure using a long rope toy, as well as another high value rope toy. She remains uninterested and focused on the leash. As soon as it is presented she bites it and pulls it in her kennel intensely. Handler is able to spray cheese onto her face and remove the leash. A decoy leash is used to leash her. As soon as she is removed from kennel, she is more soft-bodied, and no longer interested in the leashes. She is taken to the yard for a walk. She remains neutral bodied, and vigilant of other dogs. She takes treats gently and approaches handler with a relaxed, low, tail wag. She is returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (4):: 11/4/25: As handler approaches Nova Scotia's kennel, she is at the front with dilated pupils and jumping off the kennel walls while persistently barking at the handler. Handler tosses a treat towards the back of the kennel, and she isn't receptive. Handler then attempts to feed her a treat through the bars, and she would sniff and ignore it afterwards. Handler opens the kennel door and attempts to leash her; she would then grab the handler's leash and begin to intensely tug on the rope. Handler uses a treat and spray cheese to help deter her, which wasn't successful. A second handler then uses a squeaker, which she shows minimal interest in, but enough for her to allow herself to be roped by a separate leash after handler tosses the first one in. Once she is leashed with a different leash, she would jump up in the kennel and intensely tug on the rope. Shortly after, handler opens the kennel door, and she exits the kennel while still pulling on the rope at a high intensity. Nova would continue to tug on the leash as handler takes her to the yard; she wouldn't drop it for any toy or high-value treats. The second handler then uses a corrective sound (pet corrector), and she would immediately drop the leash and wouldn't attempt to bite it afterwards. While out in the yard, she would remain tense-bodied, with ears pinned back, as she was still distorted from the pet corrector. She would relieve herself and not react towards any of the dogs that were in any of the neighboring pens and would remain settled in a pen. Handler then takes her for a lap around the perimeter of the yard, where she would have a mild pull alongside of the handler, and she is easily clipped and returned back to her kennel with no further issues. 11/3/25: (PM walk) Nova Scotia is at the front of her kennel with a neutral body. Spray cheese is put onto the kennel bars and she would sniff but wouldn't go past that. She is then easily leashed and removed from kennel, she would have a mild pull alongside of the handler and is taken out for a street walk. On the walk she would sniff around and relieve herself easily, while not reacting towards any passing stimuli. She would remain loose bodied throughout her walk, but is easily startled by loud sounds (building doors opening & closing) She would continue the walk with ease and showed no rope reactivity. She is then easily returned back to her kennel with no further issues.

Summary (5):: 11/3/25- Nova Scotia is at the front of the kennel barking at handlers with a neutral body, one handler sprays cheese on her door and she licks at it. Other handler is easily able to leash her, when she exits tries to cage fight with both neighboring kennels. Handler has to pull her away and on a short leash. She pulls towards the pop up crates, handler presents treats and is able to refocus Nova. She takes treats with hard pressure and handler gives them with an open palm. She pulls hard to the play yard. When she passes another pen she pulls hard with a tense body with a high tail with hackles up. Handler has to pull her away and is brought into a pen. She is social with handlers and allows them to scratch her back. She occasionally will pull towards the neighboring pen with another dog. Handler presents treats again and she follows them. The other handler sprays cheese and she comes over to eat it. She follows the command to sit and gives paw, she is rewarded. When being brought back in she pulls again with a tense body with hackles up at the other dog in the pen. Handler keeps her close, she is easily clipped and she tries to cage fight with the neighboring dog. Handler pulls her away and she goes into kennel without further issue. 11/3/2025: Nova Scotia is observed to chew through a staff members leash while attempting to leash. Treats and squeakers were used and were unsuccessful. Canine behavior assistance was requested to remove the leash from kennel. k9 behavior used copious amounts of spray cheese to distract her while a hook was used to remove the leash. 11/2/25: It was reported on the whiteboard that Nova Scotia is "very kennel reactive , scratches your legs when trying to pull back from other dog kennels"

Summary (6):: 10/30/25: Nova Scotia is alert barking with neutral body, slightly wide eyed toward front of kennel. Handler pre-emptively drops treat trail from kennel door to room exit due to previously noted kennel reactivity. As handler begins to unlock door, Nova Scotia increases frequency of barking, a treat is used to leash Nova Scotia with ease. Nova Scotia exits kennel on short leash, with hard pulling, tense body turns head to kennel on left, then to right, pulling toward kennels, treat is ineffective to distract or redirect Nova Scotia while exiting. When passing last kennel in room Nova Scotia pulls harder, almost lunging toward last kennel in room, Nova Scotia is muscled away. While waiting for elevator Nova Scotia pulls toward occupied pop-up crates, sniffing through crate covers but is verbally cued away. On sidewalk Nova Scotia pulls notably less, walks with mild pulling, checks in with handler visually when verbally cued. Nova Scotia sees a LMB with MOP, Nova Scotia visually fixates with tense body, however when verbally cued drops into a sit and re-focuses on handler with soft body and eyes. Nova Scotia re-enters MACC, initially pulls straight to kennel when re-entering kennel room, however lunges with tense body, muzzle punching door of neighboring kennel. Nova Scotia is muscled back into kennel, takes treats offered. 10/29/25: ACS reports Nova Scotia is kennel fighting with high intensity, pushing off the room wall toward occupied kennels. 10/26/25: Nova Scotia is at the front of her kennel, barking at the handler as they approach. She is easily leashed and once removed from kennel, she would begin to pull hard towards the neighboring kennel. She is then kept on a short and tight leash as she is persistently trying to kennel fight with the passing dogs. In the hallway, she is panting and pacing back and forth. She is then kept in the driveway where she would remain hypervigilant, actively searching for dogs as she would hear barking. She would relieve herself and then jump onto the handler in a social manner, with a loose and wiggly body - soliciting pets. A treat is then tossed and she is receptive towards it, she would continue to walk around in the driveway with no issue. She is then returned to her kennel, where she wouldn't kennel fight. Interaction is then ended.

Summary (7):: 10/23/25: Nova Scotia is reported to be kennel fighting. 10/15/25: Nova Scotia is at the front of her kennel with a neutral body as the handler approaches her. The handler leashes her with ease and brings her out the room. While on the street, Nova Scotia walks ahead of the handler with little tension. She also does not mind passersby. The handler stops to give her a treat, which she gently takes. As the handler gently pets her head, Nova lowers it away from the handler's hand. When returning to the building, Nova Scotia sees another dog and attempts to pull in their direction while crossing the street; she is able to unshift her focus from the dog. Nova is then brought in for her assessment. As the assessor attempts to collar her, Nova presents whale eyes. (SEE ASSESSMENT NOTES). The handler is able to leash Nova Scotia and return her to her kennel with ease. 10/14/25- Nova Scotia is at the front of her kennel with a neutral body with her tail tucked, handler presented a treat and she gently took it. As handler tries to leash she pushes her head through the door, handler closes the door a little more and she backs up. Handler is able to leash and she pulls hard exiting the room with her tail slightly tucked. She is taken for a street walk and once in the drive way she stops pulling as hard. She has a moderate pull on the street with a low tail. She is aloof with handler at first, they presents treats to her and she comes over with a soft body to take them. She walks some more and does checks in with handler for more treats. She automatically sits when handler stops walking and follows the command for paw, she is rewarded. When returning into the building handler and Nova wait on the side as another handler exits with a dog. Nova pulls hard towards them with a tense body and handler presents treats. She follows handler into the driveway and she allows handler to scratch her head, neck and back. She is easily clipped and returned to kennel without issue.

Date of intake:: 10/11/2025

Summary:: Fearful, tail tuck

Date of initial:: 10/12/2025

Summary:: Fearful, tense, whale eyes

ENERGY LEVEL:: Nova Scotia is described as high energy. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them engaged and exercised. And we recommend using force-free, reward-based training techniques for them.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Recommend no dog parks,Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful behavior we recommend an adult only home. 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: : Fearful,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/Anxiety: Nova Scotia is noted to be fearful of loud noises and anxious when left alone. During her stay in the care center Nova is observed to have a tense body, tucked tail and whale eye. Nova Scotia will need daily enrichment and time to decompress in a new environment. Please see the handout on General Anxiety and Decompression. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Nova Scotia is reported to lunge at dogs and bikes while on leash. Positive reinforcement training should be used to teach Nova Scotia to check in with her adopters when she sees her triggers. Please see the handouts on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration Leash Biting: Nova Scotia is obsvered to bite the leash when handlers attempt to leash him. This behavior was not able to be redirected and Nova chewed through the leash. We recommend walking them with a toy to dissuade them from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach them to focus on you rather than grabbing the leash. Please see handout on Leash Manners.