Date of intake:: 4/15/2025

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (5 years)

Previously lived with:: 1 adult and 1 child (10)

Behavior toward strangers:: Jax is shy and tolerant

Behavior toward children:: Jax is friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: Jax is friendly with familiar dogs and unfamiliar dog on leash

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Valuable items: Toys, "Treats (bones, rawhides, etc.), Food Reaction: Has a tense body or hovers over them, Growls or hard barks

Bite history:: None reported

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: High (often playful/busy)

Other Notes:: Familiar dogs: Friendly & Outgoing, Playful Unfamiliar dogs - on leash: Friendly & Outgoing, Tolerant Unfamiliar dogs - off leash: Tolerant, Shy/Contact on their terms, Actively avoids Goes potty on: "Outside on walks (grass, cement, dirt, etc.)" Accident frequency: Few times a week Additional info: Peeing in the home Behavior concerns: "General anxiety (paces, whines, unable to settle)" Additional info: Not reported Reacts to on walks: "Moving objects (bikes, skateboards, cars, etc.)", "Small animals (squirrels, birds, rats, etc.)", Cats Reaction type: Growling/Hard barking, Lunging How this dog reacts when... - Held/restrained: Isn't bothered, Snaps - Disturbed while resting/sleeping: Isn't bothered, Snaps - Startled: Fearful, Snaps - Pushed/pulled off furniture: Isn't bothered, Barks/Growls - Paws are touched: Isn't bothered, Snaps - Collar grabbed/touched: Isn't bothered

Date of assessment:: 4/17/2025

Summary:: When brought into the assessment room Jax has a neutral body and readily approaches handlers. Handler offers Jax treats and he is receptive taking the treats with a soft mouth. When the handler presents the collar Jax becomes tense and avoidant. Maintaining his distance from the handler. Jax will approach the handler for a treat when it is tosses but then quickly retreats again. When approached with the collar Jax maintains his distance and begins intensely sniffing the ground and seeking treats. Due to the high levels of fear, stress, and anxiety displayed. Jax is not a candidate to receive a handling assessment at this time.

Summary:: 4/23/25: Jax greets aother dogs at the gate with a neutral body.

Summary (5):: 05/07/25: Jax is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is distracted with treats but flinches away when the leash is introduced into kennel. Jax dodges the leash a few times before eventually allowing handler to leash, he exits kennel and walks with handler out to the street. Once outside Jax pulls forward mildly and begins sniffing around while scent marking. Jax passes people and dogs on the street with no issue and generally ignores whomever he passes. He accepts treats tossed to him and continues using the bathroom intermittently during his walk. After walking for a bit he is brought back to the shelter, Jax allows handler to clip his leash before he is returned without issue.

Summary (6):: 04/30/25: Jax is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is offered treats by handler and accepts them, handler tosses two more treats on the ground and attempts to place a pre-clipped leash around Jax. Jax moves his head away a few times but eventually allows leashing, he exuberantly pulls out of kennel and walks with handler out to the street. Once outside Jax walks with handler, he does not pull and passes people and dogs on the street without issue. Jax uses the bathroom while outside but he refuses treats when offered. After a bit Jax is walked back to kennel and returns without issue, interaction is ended shortly after. 04/28/25: It is reported on the behavior board that Jax has been observed to resource guard his feces. 04/23/25: Jax is at the font of the kennel when the handler approaches. When the handler presents the leash Jax turns his head away and retreats from the from of the kennel. The handler is easily able to lasso Jax. Once the leash is on Jax readily exits the kennel. He is taken to the yard for a dog dog interaction. When returning to kennel Jax allows the handler to clip their leash. He is easily returned to kennel. 04/18/25: It is reported that when staff attempt to take Jax out of kennel he allows leashing without issue. He is leashed successfully on the first attempt and walks on the street with handler without issue and returns to kennel the same. 04/17/25: Jax is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. Handler stays near the front and begins hand feeding treats to Jax through the kennel door. While distracted with treats handler begins slowly introducing the leash to the kennel and attempts to leash Jax. He ducks his head away and begins circling around in kennel as handler continues attempting to lasso Jax. Jax is eventually leashed with the help of more treats and exits kennel quickly. Jax is taken to the play yard for his walk and pulls moderately once outside. Handler reports that once in the play yard, Jax begins attempting to actively avoid handler and scurries forward during his walk frantically. He walks around the perimeter of the yard and enters the play yard but expresses the same fearful demeanor and avoids handler. When spotting or passing dogs in kennel he shows no reaction. He is walked for a bit more before being brought back to kennel. He is returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 04/16/25: Jax is at the center of his kennel as handler approaches, he is offered treats and accepts them gently before handler slowly begins introducing their leash to Jax kennel. Handler continues to toss treats which distracts Jax but he dodges and maneuvers away from the leash when handler attempts to leash. This continues for a bit and while dodging the leash Jax is observed to frequently lip lick, however he does not escalate and eventually tolerates leashing, handler pre-clips the leash before successfully leashing. He is walked out of kennel and follows handler, walking on a loose leash out to the street. From here Jax walks with handler stopping to sniff spots on the street. He walks past people and dogs without issue and is observed by handler to flinch or lower his body when he hears a loud or sudden noise. After walking for a while he is brought back to the care center. He is walked back to kennel and returns without issue, handler ends interaction shortly after. 4/16/25: Jax is laying in the middle of their kennel when the handler approaches. As the handler attempts to leash Jax he turns his head away and presses it against his bed. Jax also bares teeth towards the leash when it touches him. The handler is able to leash Jax using coaxing and he is taken to the street. Jax does not pull and does not react to people or dogs. Jax allows the handler to reclip and he is easily returned to kennel. 4/16/25: It is reported that during intake Jax was avoiding the leash and not receptive to treats. When the handler attempted to leash Jax he bared teeth and snapped at the leash.

Date of intake:: 4/15/2025

Summary:: Baring teeth and snapping at the leash

Date of initial:: 4/15/2025

Summary:: Tense body

ENERGY LEVEL:: Jax is described as active and enthusiastic. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct their energy and enthusiasm. We recommend feeding with puzzle feeders and food-dispensing toys. And we recommend using force-free, reward-based training techniques for Jax.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to fearful behavior and handling sensitivity we recommend an adult only home. No Cats: Due to hard barking, lunging and growling towards cats while on leash we recommend a home with no cats. 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: : House soiling,Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration

Potential challenges comments:: House Soiling: Jax's previous owner states that he has accidents in the home a few times a week. We recommend positive reinforcement, reward-based training only. Accidents should never be punished as this will likely make the problem worse. Please see handout on House Soiling. Resource Guarding: Jax's previous owner states that he will become tense, hover, growl, and hard bark when toys, treats, and food are in his possession. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Jax's mouth, and any time something is removed they should be rewarded with a high value treat or toy. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Handling Sensitivity/Fearful Defensive: Jax's previous owner states that he will snap when held/restrained, when disturbed while sleeping, when startled, and when his paws are touched. They also state that he will growl and bark when pushed off furniture. During his stay in the care center Jax has been observed to be tense with handler and bare teeth and snap when they are attempting to leash him. Their signs of discomfort must be respected; Jax should never be forced to interact, they should always be given the opportunity to walk away from situations or people they find uncomfortable. We recommend a slow approach and force-free, reward-based training methods for Jax. Please see handout on Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Anxiety: Jax's previous owner states that he has general anxiety and will pace whine and be unable to settle in the home. If Jax displays anxious behavior in their future home, we recommend puzzle toys, long walks, and giving them other things to focus on to alleviate their anxiety. Positive reinforcement, force-free training should be used. Please see handout on Generalized Anxiety. On Leash Reactivity: Jax's previous owner states that he growl, hard bark, and lunge towards moving objects, small animals, and cats while in leash. Jax will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than cats and other stimuli. We recommend a front clip harness to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration.