Date of intake:: 4/5/2026

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

Previously lived with:: 2 Adults 3 Children 1 dog

Behavior toward strangers:: hard bark and lunge at strangers

Behavior toward children:: He prefers contact on his own terms with children.

Behavior toward dogs:: SMB dog and was described to be friendly and outgoing. Kovu will lunge and hard bark at unfamiliar d

Behavior toward cats:: He will lunge and hard bark at cats.

Resource guarding:: Resource guards his home and reacts to strangers by hard barking and lunging when entering the home

Bite history:: No known reports of a Bite history.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Kovu is noted to have a High energy level in the prior home.

Other Notes:: Kovu is generally anxious and fearful of loud noises. He reacts to strangers, cats, and dogs. He does not allow grooming.Kovu is a very active and playful dog. He is crate trained for up to 6 hours and is where he spends most of his time. When on walks he hard pulls. He knows cues like "sit" "stay" "down" and "paw" and his favorite snacks is cheese.

Date of assessment:: 4/8/2026

Summary:: 4/8/26: Due to kovu fearful behavior and growling at handler's a handling assessment will not be condcuted at this time.

Summary (1):: He knows cues like "sit" "stay" "down" and "paw" and his favorite snack is cheese.

Summary (7):: 4/11/26: Kovu is standing at the front of his kennel with a tense body while growling with widened eyes. He is able to be slowly leashed and he then pulls hard on the way outside for a walk. On the walk, he would continue to pull hard ahead and would avoid eye contact with the handler. He would try to avoid the handler by pulling away as they picked up his poop. He then pulls hard ahead on the way back to his kennel, and would constantly look back at the handler with widened eyes. She tries to pull away from the door as the handler re-enters the building, and he then pulls hard back to his kennel and quickly enters with no issues. 4/10/26: Kovu is standing at the front of his kennel growling with a tense body as handler approaches. He has no interest in treats or toys and is able to be slowly leashed with ease. He then pulls hard on the way to the behavior room. In the room, he would pull away from the handler with a tense body and widened eyes. He would stare at the door with a tense body and then pull around to relieve himself. He would head whip with widened eyes as the handler attempts to clip their leash. The leash is able to be clipped when reaching his kennel room door, and he then pulls hard back into his kennel. 4/8 (PM): Kovu is at the front of his kennel and is growling when he sees 2 handlers approach. He does not take treats and continues to growl as he slowly steps backwards. One handler attempts to leash Kovu while the other checks the hallway for any traffic. He slowly moves his head away from the lead but does come forward once the door is cracked open. Once leashed, Kovu slowly walks out of the kennel and speeds up, passing the other barking dogs. He walked to the behavior office. Kovu does not take chicken breast or sausage and begins to growl, which ends in a whine at the other handler. When he stops to relieve himself, the second handler leaves to check his kennel. The handler walks Kovu around the room, not attempting further interaction due to him being stiff, hunched, and attempting to put as much distance between him and the handler as the lead would allow. Once his kennel is ready, Kovu returns to his kennel without issue. A hook is used to remove the lead. Kovu growls and his lips quiver at the hook, but he does not escalate further. 04/07/26: Kovu is standing at the front of his kennel, growling and backing away. He avoids the leash as the handler attempts to leash him. Once leashed, he is brought outside for a relief walk, during which he pulls very hard despite the handler maintaining a loose leash. Kovu displays multiple fearful and skittish behaviors, including a tucked tail, pinned ears, hypervigilance, and frequent lip licking. He also stands while relieving himself rather than squatting. When the relief walk is complete, Kovu is brought back to the care center and returned to his kennel safely without any issues.

Date of intake:: 4/5/2026

Summary:: little handling he was placed into kennel without issue.

Date of initial:: 4/6/2026

Summary:: low growling, hard barking, sedated as precaution

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 Kovu's stranger danger and defensive behavior reported in the prior home, we recommend that he be placed in an adult-only home at this time. No cats: We recommend that Kovu be placed in a home with no cats due to lunging and hard bark at them. Place with a New Hope partner: Kovu has not acclimated well to the kennel environment and has allowed only minimal handling since intake. 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: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling,Kennel presence

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Kovu is noted in the prior home to become fearful of loud noises. In the care center he is noted to growl at handlers. Training should focus on slow, predictable interactions, minimizing sudden stimuli, and reinforcing calm behavior to reduce fear-based responses.Please see the handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. Anxiety: Kovu is noted in the prior home and in the care center to have generalized anxiety; he is noted to whine and seek exit. A structured routine, calming enrichment, and reinforcement of relaxed behaviors can help improve his emotional regulation. Please see the handout on generalized anxiety. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Kovu is noted ot become territorial of his home and will reacts to strangers, cats, and dogs by lunging and hard barking.Training should emphasize increasing distance from triggers, reinforcing focus on the handler, and gradual desensitization to unfamiliar people and animals to reduce reactive responses. Please see the handout On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. Strength/leash pulling: In the care cneter and in the prior home, Kovu is noted to hard pull on the leash. Training should focus on loose-leash walking skills, rewarding engagement and slack in the leash, and using supportive walking equipment to improve control and safety. Please see the handout on Strength/leash pulling. Kennel presence: Kovu is noted to growl at the handler walking past his kennel.