Date of intake:: 3/24/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, no prior history

Date of assessment:: 4/3/2025

Summary:: 4/03/25: shadow will remain new hope only due to his stranger danger. Leash Walking Strength and pulling: pulls hard on lead Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Explores- looks for tennis ball, seeks attetion Call over: Readily approaches- treats are tossed, Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Allowed- distracted, looks away,heavy panting Exuberant handling: Allowed- distracted, looks away,heavy panting Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Folow- heavy panting Arousal comments: Knock: Approaches- neutral body Knock Comments: Toy: Grips drops walks away Toy comments: 3/26/25: Due to Shadow's fearfulness in the care center, a handling assessment could not conducted at this time.

Summary:: Due to Shadow entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 03/26/25: When off leash at the Care Center Shadow is introduced to a novel female dog. When at the gate Shadow approaches displacement scenting as he hyper salivates, he will stare at the novel female through his brow while doing so. Ears back and paw raised, Shadow will scent the novel female through the gate. The novel female will begin demand barking although she displays a loose and wiggly frame. This causes Shadow to retreat in discomfort. Conflicted, Shadow begins to scan the environment. Due to Shadow's discomfort both dogs are separated, thus ending the interaction.

Summary (4):: 4/7/25: Shadow was at the front of his kennel with a neutral posture and calmly greeted the handler. He allowed leashing without hesitation and walked easily to the behavior office. Once in the room, he quickly engaged in fetch, approaching handlers with the tennis ball and occasionally placing it in their laps to prompt play. When new individuals entered, he showed brief stiffness but quickly redirected himself by retrieving the ball and bringing it over to them as well. Throughout the session, he remained consistent—focused on the game and socially interactive. Shadow was leashed without issue at the end of the session and walked back to his kennel. Upon return, he showed a hard stare and stiffened toward an unfamiliar staff member nearby and did the same to a dog that was in the hallway, but otherwise did not react and was put into kennel where he began to pace in kennel and pant heavily, which is not typical of Shadow. 04/3/25: Shadow is at the front of his kennel with a neutral body, wagging tail and stretches Infront of the handler. Shadow is easily leashed and brought to the behavior office where he begins to engage in fetch, greeting handlers with the tennis ball and at times offering it by dropping into the laps of the handlers to throw it. Shadow when handlers walk into the office, stiffens briefly before grabbing the tennis ball and bringing it to them as well. Shadow remains the same throughout the session in the room, and is coaxed into the leash with no issue and brought back to kennel where he will hard stare and stiffen at an unfamiliar staff member, but is refocused into his kennel. 04/02/25: Shadow greets the handler with a loose frame and wagging tail. Shadow is easily leashed and escorted out of the care center for a walk. When on leash shadow will walk beside the handler with a loose frame taking in the environment. Shadow is escorted back to the care center where he is unleashed and safely secured.

Summary (5):: 03/31/25 (PM): Shadow is hard barking at the staff members cleaning the neighboring kennel as handler approaches. His frame softens and he wags his tail lightly as handler removes the sheet covering his kennel. Shadow is leashed with ease and pulls mildly outside to the play yard. He engages in a ball toss with two handlers for several minutes. Shadow will become slightly tense and stare at dogs that are being walked by but is redirected with toys. After his session, Shadow is returned to kennel without issue. (AM): Shadow is standing at the front of kennel with a neutral frame as handler approaches. He displays a light tail wag as handler removes the sheet covering his kennel and is leashed with ease. Shadow pulls mildly to the Canine Behavior Office where he is clipped to a drag lead and free to explore the space. He spends his time engaging with handlers with several tennis balls and will drop them when cued. After his session in the room, Shadow is leashed with ease and returns to kennel safely. 3/30/25 (PM): Shadow is standing at the front of kennel with a neutral frame as handler approaches. Handler removes the sheet covering his kennel and he readily takes treats through the kennel door. He is leashed with ease and pulls mildly to the Canine Behavior Office where he relieves himself before being clipped to a drag lead. Shadow spends several minutes engaging in two-ball toss with both handlers in the room and will drop the ball into their hands for them to toss again. Second handler exits the room for a few minutes and will return with another familiar handler behind them. As second handler enters the room, Shadow remains soft framed but once third handler is in view, Shadow becomes tense, squared, drops ball and charges forward but handler is standing on his lead so he cannot move forward. Third handler imediately exits the area and Shadow softens again. He is switched back to slip lead and returns to kennel safely. (AM): Shadow was standing in kennel and began barking as sheet was removed. Handler offered treats which he did not take. Shadow climbed up on kennel door. Handler offered a tennis ball which Shadow immediately picked up. He was leashed with ease and walked to the yard. Shadow had episodes of diarrhea (D7) with drops of blood in kennel, in the hall, and in the yard. Shadow was taken to the BA room while waiting for his kennel to be cleaned. Shadow greeted handlers by approaching and sniffing. He would try to jump up on them. Shadow found a number of tennis balls which he would carry around and chew. He began bringing the ball to different handlers and dropping it at their feet. He favored a mini tennis ball that squeaked. He would sit and knew "shake" on both sides. Shadow was highly toy motivated and would catch the ball in his mouth. He was returned to kennel and climbed up onto his kuranda bed. Shadow sat calmly with his tennis ball. Handler covered kennel for his comfort.

Summary (6):: 03/29/25: Shadow is standing at the front of kennel as handler approaches. As handler removes the sheet covering his kennel, Shadow tenses and will hard bark. Handler kneels down and speaks to Shadow with a soft tone, tossing him high value treats which he will readily eat. Shadow's frame softens slightly, and he is easily leashed. Shadow is walked to the Canine Behavior Office and will tense and hard stare at two handlers who are present on the other end of the room. He is easily redirected with treats and will walk over to the side of the room and relieve himself. A second handler slowly approaches Shadow and will offer him pieces of ham. Shadow is cued into a "sit" and catches the ham as it is tossed to him. Shadow then hard barks and jumps toward second handler slightly but he is redirected by another piece of tossed ham. Second handler disengages and Shadow begins to investigate the laundry hamper, nudging it with his nose until it opens. Shadow retrieves a large plastic ball from inside and will carry it around the room. When the ball rolls towards the other two handlers, they will kick it back towards Shadow and he immediately engages with it again. As the other two handlers exit the room, Shadow settles himself in a corner, laying down and chewing on his ball for several minutes. After his session, Shadow carries his ball back to the kennel room, returning to kennel safely. 03/28/25: Shadow is standing at the front of his kennel as the handler approaches. He tenses initially before recognizing the handler and softening, offering a small tail wag. There is an unfamiliar person behind the familiar handler and Shadow hard stares but does not escalate. He allows the familiar handler to leash him and readily exits the kennel. Shadow sniffs the environment with interest and allows both handlers to exist in his space. He is walked to the play yards where he leans into contact with the familiar handler. Shadow tentatively approaches the unfamiliar handler and sniffs them intently before walking away. He reapproaches and allows the unfamiliar handler to pet him on his neck and above his tail. He is returned to kennel without issue.

Summary (7):: 3/27/25: Shadow was visited multiple times a day for structured kennel work, focusing on reducing his hard barking and defensive behaviors at the front of the kennel. Handlers used a slow approach, avoiding direct pressure and allowing him to acclimate before any interaction. High-value food was offered at a distance, reinforcing neutral behavior. Movement around the kennel was controlled, minimizing sudden changes that could trigger a reaction. Leash exposure was introduced incrementally, ensuring he remained under threshold. Shadow remained alert and responsive throughout sessions, showing clear patterns in his stress responses, and is able to have the handler kneel in front of his kennel without reaction. 03/27/25: Shadow is at the front of his kennel initially hard barking at the front of the kennel at the handler, but begins to soften when the handler baby talks him and is able to feed him high value treats. Shadow will be fed treats through the leash and is tolerant of leashing, but when another handler goes to greet Shadow he will lip curl, hard bark at the front of the kennel. Shadow is walked out of his kennel and into the behavior office where he initially begins to explore, hard staring at an unfamiliar handler but able to refocus on high value treats. The longer Shadow is able to explore, he begins to soften his body to a more neutral body language, with a relaxed tail and body, but panting in-between. Shadow is able to use the bathroom and shake off after a long session of engaging with handlers with a tennis ball, engaging in sit cues and paw cues. Shadow is able to explore some more, grabbing toys out of the toy chest and eating from handlers hands/what is tossed to him when handlers enter. Shadow when new people enter the room will boof a bit, but is able to be coaxed with more chicken. Shadow is clipped, and brought back to kennel with no issue. 03/26/25: Shadow is hard barking and slamming his muzzle into the gate upon the handler’s arrival. When the kennel door opens, he will run to the back, avoiding the leash as the handler attempts to lasso him. Once properly leashed, Shadow will be brought out for a playgroup session to meet a playmate. At the greet gate, he will approach and sniff the other dog’s nose, but his face and body will become more intense. In response, the other dog will be removed from the yard, and handlers will work together to safely remove Shadow’s collar. Once accomplished, Shadow will be brought back to his kennel safely with no issues.

Date of intake:: 3/24/2025

Summary:: tranquilized by NYPD

Date of initial:: 3/25/2025

Summary:: hard-barking in kennel, was able to be roped and led out of kennel

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Shadow so we cannot be certain of their behavior in a home environment. However, they will need daily mental and physical activity to stay 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.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to Shadow's fearfulness in care, we recommend he goes to a adult-only home. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Shadow's fearfulness in care, we recommend he is placed with one of our New Hope Partners

Potential challenges: : Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling

Potential challenges comments:: Handling/touch sensitivity: Shadow is noted to be head shy when the slip lead is placed over his head.Gradually introduce the slip lead in a calm and controlled environment, rewarding Shadow with treats and praise for positive responses. Begin by placing the lead near his head without touching, then slowly progress to gentle placement over time. Use positive reinforcement to build trust and reduce his fear. Please see the handout on Handling/touch sensitivity. Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition: Shadow is noted to take toys roughly and treats with hard pressure. To address Shadow's rough handling of toys and treats, practice bite inhibition exercises. Offer toys and treats in a controlled manner, rewarding Shadow for taking them gently. Please see the handout Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition. Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Shadow in the care center has began to hard bark and muzzle punching the kennel when approached in kennel. Shadow 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. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Shadow is noted to bark at strangers and other dogs.To address Shadow's reactivity to strangers and other dogs, practice desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques. Gradually expose him to these triggers in a controlled manner, rewarding calm behavior with treats and praise. Use positive reinforcement to create positive associations and reduce his reactivity over time. Please see the handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Strength/leash pulling: Shadow is noted to pull hard on the lead.To address Shadow's leash pulling, implement consistent leash training techniques. Use a no-pull harness and practice loose-leash walking exercises, rewarding Shadow for walking calmly beside you. Please see the handout on Strength/leash pulling.