Date of intake:: 2/11/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (3 months)

Previously lived with:: 2 adults 1 child (17)

Behavior toward strangers:: playful, friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward children:: Playful, friendly and outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: when around other dogs he hides and actively avoids and will bark to solicit play when comfortable

Behavior toward cats:: unknown

Resource guarding:: no known history of resource guarding

Bite history:: no known bite history

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Very High

Other Notes:: he jumps up non-stop, anxious when left alone and general anxiety. He will bark/whine when held/restrained, isn't bothered when disturbed when sleeping, push/pulled off furniture, feet/paws touched or when his collar is grabbed and is fearful when startled. He is social/affectionate, very active and playful. He likes to be where people are and tolerates being bathed. He goes on 2 30min walks daily and doesn't do well in a crate and loves going for car rides.

Date of assessment:: 4/15/2026

Summary:: 2/14/26 Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild pulls Reactivity to humans: N/a Reactivity to dogs: N/a Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social- seeks attention Call over: readily approaches- leans into touch, wiggly Sociability comments: heavy panting, mild mouthy, jumps up often Handling Soft handling: Allowed - leans into touch, wiggly Exuberant handling: Allowed- leans into touch, wiggly Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follow- jumps up,wiggly Arousal comments: Knock: No response Knock Comments: Toy: No repsonse Toy comments: 10/08/25: Pepper is 4 months old and too young for a handling assessment, but during his interaction as exuberant and mouthy, but highly social.

Summary:: According to Pepper's previous owner(s), when around other dogs he hides and actively avoids and will bark to solicit play when comfortable once comfortable he is affectionate and playful. 03/13/26 Pepper is introduced to a novel female while off leash at the Care Center. He approaches the gate with a slightly tense frame, high flagged tail before walking away. When he reapproaches, his frame has loosened and he engages in bounces and play bows which the female reciprocates. Pepper and the female engage in mutual sniffing face to face and Pepper becomes increasingly tense and will side eye the female. The female walks away and when Pepper returns again with a tense frame, she escalates to growling and corrects by snapping at him. Both dogs begin an altercation and will vocalize and make contact with mouth but don't bite down or break skin. Both dogs are separated safely by handlers.

Summary (5):: 04/13/26 (Trainer Note): Pepper was at the back of his kennel as the handler approached. When they opened the door, Pepper would come forward, playbow and run back to his bed. The handler attempted to clip his collar using spray cheese and treats and pepper would continue to approach and retreat with a loose body. The handler attempted to clip his collar a third time and Pepper lightly mouthed their hand. A known handler approached and Pepper allowed them to clip his collar. Pepper pulled strongly to the training room and when inside would begin to sniff and explore the space. The handler attempted to play the 123 game with Pepper and he continued to sniff around the room. Pepper would approach the handler and jump and stand on their lap for a few minutes whilst they gently pet him. Pepper did not want to engage with training, so the handler gave him a sniffle mat. Pepper was returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (6):: 04/06/26 (Trainer Note): Pepper was standing at the front of his kennel as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls mildly to the Live Room where the handler will continue work on charging the marker and the 123 game. Pepper will periodically lose interest and sniff around the room. Pepper will solicit pets from the handler and then try to sticks his nose in their treat pouch. Pepper will begin to look to the handler when he hears the marker word yes. Pepper is easily re leashed and returned to kennel. 04/02/26 (Trainer Note): Pepper is at the front of his kennel panting moderately as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and pulls moderately to the canine training room. Pepper shows no real interest in treats, persistently jumping up onto staff. He engages readily with the flirt pole and carries the toy around the room with a loose body. Pepper is easily leashed and returned to kennel without issue. 3/28/26: Pepper is at the front of his kennel heavily panting, with feces smeared across his door and floor and his water bucket tossed over. Pepper sees the familiar handler and begins to whine, jump on the door and is easily clipped to his collar and brought to the behavior office. Pepper in the office is high energy, body slamming into staff, mouthing with moderate pressure but is easily refocused with a toy or treats. Pepper leans into contact and continues to play with multiple staff before being brought back to kennel with no issue. 3/26/26: Pepper is laying down on his bed as handler approaches his kennel. He comes forward to the front with a loose body as the handler unlocks the door. He is hesitant of being leashed and would back away as the handler attempts to leash him. He has no interest in treats the handler offered. He is able to be quickly leashed when he turns his head away and he is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he would walk ahead of the handler with a loose body and would stop at each tree to sniff. He would pull ahead when he saw people and dogs. He is able to be redirected when a squeaker is squeaked and he would then take treats. He is then able to return back to his kennel with no issues.

Summary (7):: 3/20/26: Pepper is reported to leash bite and reluctant to be removed from kennel. 3/15/26: Pepper is at the front of his kennel as the handler approaches. He is leashed with ease and will walk beside the handler to the play yard. Once in the play yard he is switched from the slip leash to the drag leash and is given a ball. Pepper will hold the ball in his mouth with a tense frame and look at the handler. The handler will show him another ball to encourage him to drop the one in his mouth. It will take him up to a minute to drop it, which he will do slowly while looking at the handler. The handler will toss the ball in their hand marking and rewarding Pepper for placing the ball on the ground. This will go on a few times. Due to Pepper's tense frame, the handler will toss treats to get his attention away from the balls, luring him towards them with a treat trail. He is then lured into the loop of the leash and unclipped from the drag leash. He is then returned to his kennel with no issue. 3/8: Throughout the day, Pepper is reactive to other dogs and people who pass his crate. His reactivity triggers other dogs in the room. Pepper growls or grumbles, hard barks, and intermittently lunges at dogs or other handlers/staff. When a volunteer attempts to leash him, he dodges and whale eyes them. He is offered treats and is then leashed. Once out of his crate, Pepper attempts to kennel fight as he passes the other dogs in their crates. 3/4: A handler sees Pepper charging towards other crates once removed from his crate. Upon return, he attempts to go around the staff member, air snapping towards another barking dog's crate. 3/3/26: Pepper is at the front of the crate with a loose frame as the handler approaches. He is leashed with ease and will pull mildly to the behavior office where his collar is clipped with a drag leash. He will sniff around the room and then finds a toy. The handler will then encourage him to play two toy fetch which he will enthusiastically play. The handler will then give Pepper a licki mat which he will lick with a loose frame. He is returned to his crate with no issue. *First stay in care* 10/08/25: Pepper is lying down inside his kennel and jumps up, displaying a soft, loose, and wiggly frame as the handler speaks to him in a soft tone and offers treats. Pepper takes treats gently from the handler’s hand and allows petting as he licks the handler’s hand. When the handler reaches for more treats, Pepper begins to vocalize with light barking, soliciting more attention and treats. Once the session concludes, Pepper remains inside his kennel safely and secure without any issues.

Date of intake:: 2/11/2026

Summary:: timid, allowed intake tasks

Date of initial:: 2/12/2026

Summary:: high energy, allowed for handling and tasks

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

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Pepper's inital fearfulness during his intake, anxiety and lack of manners, we recommend a home with No children (under 13). SINGLE-PET HOME/RECOMMEND NO DOG PARKS: Due to the concerning behaviors that Pepper has shown during playgroup (see DOG-DOG SUMMARY), we feel that Pepper should not visit dog parks and be the only resident dog. The Behavior Department recommends that he be socialized in a more controlled setting until his behavior towards other dogs can be further addressed. Reward-based, force-free training can be utilized to help Pepper associate dogs with things he enjoys like toys or treats. Place with a New Hope partner:Pepper came into the care center as an owner surrender due to landlord issues. In the prior home, he is social/affectionate, very active, and playful. He likes to be where people are and tolerates being bathed. Pepper has not adjusted well to the center environment and has shown arousal concerns, mouthing handlers during leashing with hard pressure, and leash biting behavior, making it difficult for handlers to walk him. In a more calmer settlings, he is noted to allow petting and seeks attetion from familiar handlers.We recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home.

Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Fearful,Separation anxiety,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting

Potential challenges comments:: Basic manners/poor impulse control/Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition: Pepper has demonstrated a lack of basic manners in the care center, jumping up onto staff. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach her to control her impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is recommended. See handout on Basic Manners and Impulse Control. Fearful: Pepper was reported to be initially timid during his intake with staff. It is important to always go slow and give Pepper the option to walk away from any social interaction. he should never be forced to approach anything that he is uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be Pepper’s choice to approach a new person or thing. Please see handout on Decompression Period. Separation Anxiety | Generalized Anxiety: Pepper was reported to become anxious in the previous home, including when left alone. Details about his anxiety with either scnario was not provided. Any attempts to modify these behaviors are unknown. Please see the handouts on Separation anxiety & Generalized Anxiety. Leash-biting: will grab the leash during walks.Training should emphasize lowering excitement before exiting the kennel, using high-value treats for redirection, and reinforcing calm engagement to prevent leash-biting. Please see the handout on leash biting. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Pepper is noted kennel fight. Training should focus on increasing distance from triggers, reinforcing attention and calm behaviors, and using structured, controlled exposures to reduce reactivity. Please see the handout On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration.