Date of intake:: 4/26/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender, 2 Years

Previously lived with:: 4 adults

Behavior toward strangers:: He barks around strangers.

Behavior toward children:: He is playful, friendly, and outgoing around children.

Behavior toward dogs:: He barks at other dogs.

Behavior toward cats:: No experience.

Resource guarding:: No reported resource guarding.

Bite history:: No bite history.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: High

Other Notes:: He is not bothered when held/restrained, when woken from sleep, when startled, when pushed off furniture, when his paws are touched, or when his collar is grabbed. He is a very active and playful dog. He spends most of his time where people are, in the living room, in the kitchen, or in the backyard. He loves water, and allowed his previous family to bathe him, brush him, and trim his nails. He did not go on walks in his previous home, but had access to a backyard. He loves going for car rides. He knows, "sit", "go to bed", "paw", and "shake". He is a very good listener. He knows how to play soccer. He is a very sweet, smart, and loyal dog.

Date of assessment:: 5/2/2025

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: hard barking reported at kennel front Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: vocal, barks at assessor and people in the hallway, appears vocal rather than stranger danger Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately Social/Fearful Call over: Approaches with coaxed Sociability comments: barking at assessor, approaches when baby talked, leans rear into petting, vocal, anxious, panting Handling Soft handling: Accepts Contact Exuberant handling: Accepts Contact Handling comments: leans in, panting, settles, lip licks, whining Arousal Jog: Follow- Neutral body Arousal comments: Knock: Barks at knock, approaches barking, settles/recovers on his own and allows handoff to assistant Knock Comments: Toy: Ignores, Sniffs Toy comments:

Summary:: According to Maxwell's previous owner(s), He barks at other dogs. 04/30/25 Maxwell is introduced to a female greeter dog at the gate while off leash at the care center. Maxwell doesn't greet the greeter dog, hard barking at her as she arrives in her pen. Maxwell continues to hard bark, baring teeth and lunging at the gate. Maxwell is moved away and returned to kennel, concluding the interaction.

Summary (5):: 5/2/25: (KSV) Maxwell is seen to be barking at the front of his kennel and begins to be offered treats at the bottom of his kennel door, where he begins to eat and bark inbetween the handler taking a bit to get more. Maxwell is neutral bodied, vocalizing/barking at the front of his door with a strained expression. Maxwell is left alone to allow him to settle. 04/30/25 Handler witnesses Maxwell thrashing and head whipping intensely when being returned to kennel. Maxwell will use his paws to attempt to push his self forward, pushing off of the handler handling him. As the handler applies pressure to stabilize Maxwell, he will snarl and start leash biting. Maxwell bites up the lead, snapping, thrashing and spinning on the lead. The handler witnessing this runs to the handler handling him to aid them. The handler approaching uses a pet corrector which does nothing as Maxwell continues to pull towards the handler handling him while they stiff arm him. The handler slips their lead onto Maxwell, and he is now double leashed at this point. Maxwell is returned to kennel. Upon arriving, he will allow for handlers to remove the leashes from him with a hook. Once removed, Maxwell will hard bark.

Summary (6):: 04/30/25: When the handler approaches Maxwell's kennel, he is standing at the door, watching the handler. As the handler attempts to leash him, Maxwell lightly bites at the lead and paws at the handler’s leg through the kennel door. He is successfully leashed and escorted into the care center hallway. While passing other kennels, Maxwell becomes reactive—barking with raised hackles. The handler maintains control with a short lead, keeping him close while exiting the care center. Outside, Maxwell continues to hard bark at every dog and person he encounters. He is taken to the play yards for a dog-to-dog interaction (see Maxwell’s behavior assessment for further details). On the return to the care center, Maxwell remains highly aroused, persistently hard barking at dogs and people. Upon seeing a pedestrian with a guide dog, Maxwell fixates on the dog and attempts to lunge, pulling hard on the leash. The handler moves to the side to create space, but Maxwell continues to try and push past, using his paws to shift the handler. When physically restrained, Maxwell snarls and climbs up the leash, beginning to bite it. He bites and thrashes, snapping and spinning on the lead/ "Alligator rolling". A second handler arrives with a pet corrector and attempts to assist, but Maxwell continues to leash bite and thrash. The first handler uses a stiff-arm technique to stabilize him long enough for the second leash to be secured. Once double-leashed, Maxwell is safely escorted back and secured in his kennel. A hook is used to simultaneously remove both leashes, and Maxwell sits calmly during the process. 4/28: Maxwell is barking rapidly at the front of his kennel when a handler approaches. He does not accept treats and does take a step back when the handler presents the leash but is otherwise leashed easily. He is brought to the behavior office for another handling assessment attempt. Just before he reaches the office door, he barks twice and then quiets. Once in the room, he is placed on a drag leash and greets another handler, but begins barking at a third. The third handler leaves so the assessment can start while they clean his kennel. He does become somewhat anxious, but is willing to engage in playing with tennis balls. Once his assessment is complete, he is easily leashed and walked back to his room. Once in the room, Maxwell begins hard barking while passing the other kennels, but goes into his kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 04/27/25: Maxwell is standing at the front of kennel barking as handler approaches. He displays a slightly tense frame and will continue to bark as the kennel door is cracked open. Handler tosses him treats but he shows no interest. As the lead is presented, Maxwell displays conflicting body language and will back away, bark, and then return to the front of kennel to exit. Handler holds lead open and will leash Maxwell as he returns to the front of kennel attempting to exit through the cracked door. His body is tense, and he skitters along the length of the hallway as the neighboring dogs lunge and bark at their kennel doors. Maxwell pulls mildly to the Canine Behavior Office and will bark at assessor with a tense, anxious frame. He leans his hind end into handler's legs. Handler and assessor take Maxwell for a walk up to the play yard. He will bark at other dogs passing by but is easily guided past with directional leash pressure. Once in the play yard, Maxwell's body loosens a bit, and he spends time scenting. He will slowly approach assessor and sniff before walking away. Handler is able to slowly collar him, and he accepts petting along his hind end with a neutral frame. After his session, Maxwell is returned to kennel safely. 04/26/25: Maxwell is lying at the side of kennel with a trembling frame as handler approaches. He remains planted as handler cracks open the kennel door. Handler kneels down and speaks to him softly while tossing him treats. Maxwell shows no interest in the treats but does rise and slowly approach the front of kennel. Once handler places the lead into the kennel door, Maxwell becomes slightly tense and will back away while lightly vocalizing "woo-wooing" at handler. Handler keeps their lead at the crack of the kennel door and Maxwell will approach it several times hesitantly sniffing it and the handler's hand, each time slowly backing away. On the fourth approach, Maxwell slowly puts his head through the lead before retreating quickly to the back of kennel. Handler opens the kennel door wide, and he will slowly exit, becoming tense and skittering down the room as the neighboring dogs begin to hard bark and jump up onto the kennel doors. Once in the main hallway, Maxwell loosens slightly and will walk close to handler; his side lightly brushing into their leg as they walk to the Canine Behavior Office. Once in the room, Maxwell stands in front of handler with a trembling frame. Due to his anxiousness, a handling assessment is not completed at this time. Maxwell accepts petting along his back end with a slightly loosened frame. Handler easily clips their lead, and he is returned to kennel safely.

Date of intake:: 4/26/2025

Summary:: allowed handling

Date of initial:: 4/26/2025

Summary:: Initially taking treats and tolerating basic handling but became more anxious during exam

ENERGY LEVEL:: Maxwell 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 addition 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 Maxwell.

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 Maxwell's fearfulness of strangers and behavior in care, we recommend he goes to an adult-only home. Single-pet home: Due to Maxwell's behavior shown while in care, we recommend that he be the only pet in the home. Recommend No dog parks: Due to Maxwell's reactivity shown while in care, we recommend that he avoids all dog parks. Place with a New Hope partner: Maxwell came into the care center as an owner surrender after his previous owner's health declined and could no longer care for Maxwell. His prior owner noted that Maxwell loves water and knows how to play soccer. He did not go on walks in his previous home, but had access to a backyard. Maxwell has not adjusted well to the care center environment.He displays a high level of anxiety and sensitivity to environmental stressors, especially during transitions in and out of the kennel and in the presence of other dogs or people. Maxwell has shown in care to thrash, leash bite, spin, and snap, often requiring double leashing and multiple handlers for safe management. He has fixated and attempted to lunge at dogs and pedestrians, and consistently hard barks at people and animals, with minimal responsiveness to redirection or pet correctors. Although he occasionally allows petting and shows moments of affiliative behavior (leaning, sniffing, engaging briefly with toys), these interactions are brief and inconsistent. Maxwell is not reliably food motivated, and his tolerance for touch and proximity varies widely depending on context and arousal level.Maxwell requires placement with a New Hope partner that can provide experienced handling, a quiet and controlled environment, and a behavior modification plan focused on desensitization, impulse control, and decompression.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Maxwell is reported to bark at strangers and has displayed similar behaviors in care towards other strangers. Maxwell would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to his new surroundings. See handouts on Decompression Period and Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Anxiety: Maxwell is a bit anxious in teh care center. If it does appear in a future home, we recommend puzzle toys, long walks, and giving him other things to focus on to alleviate his anxiety. Positive reinforcement, force-free training only should be used. See handout on Generalized Anxiety. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: At the care center, Maxwell has been observed to react to other dogs on leash, barking at them. Maxwell may need positive reinforcement, reward-based training to teach him to look at you rather than other dogs. We recommend a front clip harness or head halter to help manage this behavior. Leash-biting: Maxwell is reported to leash bite while on lead. Maxwell will use his paws to attempt to push his self forward, pushing off of the handler handling him. As the handler applies pressure to stabilize Maxwell, he will snarl and start leash biting. Maxwell bites up the lead, snapping, thrashing and spinning on the lead