Date of intake:: 10/19/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray(Unknown History)

Date of assessment:: 10/24/2025

Summary:: 11/11: Clark continues to leash bite when attempting to conduct a handling assessment. He does greet the assessor with a loose and wiggly body, pressing himself into their legs for petting, but he immediately begins biting the drag leash once it is picked up. He will jump up and bite the lead; once latched on he bites and pulls on it persistently. He is difficult to redirect with toys and is slow to respond to their treats once aroused. Due to his behavior, a handling assessment could not be conducted. 10/24/25: Clark has displayed leash biting behavior when given a plush toy he holds it but will quickly loose interest and goe back to leash biting. Due to this, a handling assessment will not be conducted at this time.

Summary:: 10/23/25 Due to leash biting before the interaction can begin, Clark is returned to kennel. A greet couldn't be conducted.

Summary (6):: 11/12/25: Clark is at the front of his kennel pawing at the kennel door when approached, is coaxed with treats into the leash and walked out of kennel. Clark pulls moderately to teh sidewalk and begins to explore, coughing a bit from pulling and when coaxed when lean his head into petting, zoom around and start to begin his walk again. Clark does this a couple more times, and does not react to any dogs or people that pass. Clark is loose/wiggly when interaction and when returning to kennel does not go in, and is given a second and decides on his own to enter kennel. Clark will bite the leash a bit when the handler starts to pull it over his head, but does not hold onto it. 11/8/25: Clark is standing at the front of his kennel heavy panting as handler approaches. He begins to jump and paw at the door while barking as the handler unlocks it. He continues to jump and bark at the door and tries to grab the handler's leash as they try to leash him. He is able to be leashed while being distracted with a giant rope toy. He then pulls hard with heavy panting on the way outside for a walk. On the walk, he continues to pull hard ahead with heavy panting and would constantly stop and jump up on the handler to try and grab their leash. After he relieves himself, he would try to bite at the leash as the handler picks up his poop. He pulls hard on the way back to his kennel and enters with no issues.

Summary (7):: 11/7/25: Clark is reported to be leash biting in and outside of his kennel on walks by staff 11/4/25: Clark is at the back of his crate and begins to bark and moves to the front of the crate as the handler approaches the kennel. as they get their leash ready, Clark begins to paw at the door frantically. He is distracted with treats at the door while he is leashed. Clark comes out of the kennel quickly, pulling moderately to the sidewalk. Once outside, Clark will sniff and mark. At one point, the handler guides Clark off the sidewalk between two parked cars to let another dog handler pass them and Clark will jump on the handler with a loose body, attempting to lick their face as he jumps and leaning into petting. Once the other dog has passed, the handler starts walking and Clark starts to lightly mouth the leash. He is easily redirected with treats and will sniff the rest of the walk. He will pull moderately back to his kennel where he is secured safely. 10/24/25: Clark is reported to leash bite when coming out of his kennel and while on walks. 10/23/25: Clark is laying down in his crate as handler approaches. He comes forward and is able to be leashed with ease. He is then taken to the play yard for play group. In the yard, he has a tense body and would head whip and hard stare at the handlers as they tried to collar him. He would then begin to jump towards the handler and bite at the leash. He had no interest in treats or toys. To avoid escalation, he is then taken back to his crate and his dog to dog is unable to be conducted at this time.

Date of intake:: 10/22/2025

Summary:: The dog does grab at the leash so a toy was used for distraction. T

Date of initial:: 10/22/2025

Summary:: nervous but amenable to gentle handling and tasks

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): We reccomend Clark be placed in an adult-only home at this time due to his low threshold for arousal and leash biting. Place with a New Hope partner: Clark came into the care center as a stray due to this his behavior in a home environment is unknown. In the care center Clark has shown leash biting behaviors, making it difficult for handlers to walk him. While he can be leashed with ease initially, he quickly escalates once outside, displaying tense body language, head whipping, hard stares, and leash biting toward handlers. He shows low treat and toy engagement, suggesting stress and difficulty focusing in stimulating environments.Due to these behaviors, Clark would benefit from placement with a New Hope partner experienced in working with dogs exhibiting leash frustration and arousal-related behaviors. He will need a structured environment, gradual desensitization to handling and leash pressure, and positive reinforcement training to build impulse control.

Potential challenges: : Leash-biting,Kennel presence,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Low threshold for arousal/Leash-biting/Kennel presence: During Clark intake Clark grab at the leash so a toy was used for distraction. While in the care center he can be leashed with ease initially, he quickly escalates once outside, displaying tense body language, head whipping, hard stares, and leash biting toward handlers. He shows low treat and toy engagement, suggesting stress and difficulty focusing in stimulating environments. Training should prioritize decompression, structured outings, and arousal-reduction techniques such as pattern games and calm reinforcement. Using distraction tools like toys during leashing may help redirect his energy and reduce escalation. Please see the handout on Low threshold for arousal/Leash-biting/Kennel presence.