Date of intake:: 8/12/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (11 months)

Previously lived with:: Adults, Children

Behavior toward strangers:: Hard barks and/or growls, Alert barks, Snaps

Behavior toward children:: Friendly & Outgoing

Behavior toward dogs:: Playful, Hard barks and/or growls, Lunges, Snaps

Behavior toward cats:: Lunges

Resource guarding:: Moose finds Treats (bones, rawhides, etc.), Stolen objects of a high value. He has a tense body or hovers over them, snaps or attempts to bite, growls or hard barks.

Bite history:: No bite history

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: High (often playful/busy)

Other Notes:: Goes potty on: Outside on walks (grass, cement, dirt, etc.) Accident frequency: Never Behavior concerns: Destructive tendencies (furniture, walls, shoes, household items, etc.), Mouthy/Takes treats rough, General anxiety (paces, whines, unable to settle), Jumps up and bites/chews leash during walks, Pulls hard on leash, Fearful of loud noises (storms/thunder, fireworks, arguments, etc.) Reacts to on walks: Strangers that approach you/family members, Strangers that approach the home/yard, Children, Moving objects (bikes, skateboards, cars, etc.), Cats, Small animals (squirrels, birds, rats, etc.), Large dogs, Small dogs Reaction type: Lunging, Snaps, Other Additional info: He can have a tense body and we think a lot of the reactivity is anxiety/fear induced How this dog reacts when... - Held/restrained: Snaps - Disturbed while resting/sleeping: Isn't bothered - Startled: Fearful - Pushed/pulled off furniture: Isn't bothered - Paws are touched: Fearful - Collar grabbed/touched: Snaps

Summary:: Due to behavior reported by the owners and escalating to lunging and snapping at staff in kennel, Moose is not a candidate for a handling assessment.

Summary (1):: Moose is a solitary dog who prefers contact on his own terms, but he is also very active and playful. He spent most of his time where people are, especially in the kitchen. For grooming, Moose allows his owner/family to bathe and brush him. On leash, he has a rating of 4, with hard pulling, as he is pretty strong and can be somewhat difficult to manage. He is walked 3–4 times per day for about 1 hour each time. Moose is crate trained, does well in the crate. During car rides, Moose loves going for rides but may vomit in the car. He whines in anticipation of arriving somewhere and does best when buckled in. He was also able to settle down for a nap in his crate during a road trip. Moose knows many cues, including sit, down, lay, settle, stay, wait, paw, drop/leave it, break, off, on, come, spin, fist bump, crate, focus, wait to be released to his food bowl, let’s go, and heel. His previous owner describes him as very intelligent and a quick learner. He outperformed other dogs in obedience training when learning and executing commands. Although his obedience can depend on his mood because he can be stubborn, Moose is well trained and especially enjoys training sessions when he knows a reward is coming. His owner loved watching him experience snow and bodies of water for the first time, where he showed lots of curiosity and excitement. They also loved seeing him wag his tail when they came to get him after a night in his crate and watching him wait excitedly by the door to go on a walk. Moose loves tug, fetch, chew toys and bones, running around freely, and digging. He also likes stuffed toys, although they do not last long with him. His favorite foods include chicken and cheese. He also enjoys a game where kibble is scattered on the stairs for him to find.

Summary (6):: 8/24: Moose is easily leashed and greets a familiar person in the hall. He is brought to the yard and walked around on leash a bit. A drag leash is attached, and he explores on his own. A staff member calls him over, and he will sit for treats. He backs up when the wind blows the tarp, huffing. The handler calls him over, and he begins to lean into petting but becomes mouthy, applying no pressure. Moose begins to zoom back and forth in the yard, stopping just before he reaches the second staff member by the door, then zooming further into the yard. His arousal is building as he goes back and forth; the second staff member asks him to sit, which interrupts the behavior briefly before he reverses and approaches again. When he gets in front of her, he stands on his back legs, growling. He runs back to the handler, who stands on his leash, secures with the slip lead, and he is returned to kennel. 8.23 When approached, Moose is at the front of his kennel. He is easily roped and taken for a walk. Moose walks with a soft body and pulls a mild amount. Moose is responsive to the handler and is easily returned to his kennel.

Summary (7):: 8.19 When approached, Moose moves to the front of the kennel with a soft body and is easily roped. Moose is then taken on a walk. Moose pulls a mild to moderate amount and walks with a soft body. Moose ignores people passed at a distance and becomes alert to people walking close on the walk. When clipping his leash, Moose is tense briefly and quickly looks back at staff once clipped; he is then easily walked into the kennel. 8/18: Moose is pacing in his kennel back and forth as handler attempts to leash him. He will back up; then, when the leash is pulled out, he comes forward, jumping up on the door with an open mouth, tongue out. He is tolerant of the leash bumping into him and being leashed. He walks out of the kennel pulling moderately and is brought to the yard. He is kept on leash and explores the yard, relieving himself. When another staff/dog pair passes the yard, he barks and pulls hard to the gate, with some head whipping. The second handler squeaks as a distraction, and the handler moves him to the back of the yard. He begins to vocalize, his anxiety growing and pulling back towards the gate, so they decide to come back. He is able to be clipped and returns without issue. 8/17: When staff approaches Moose in kennel, he is hard barking, lunging, and snapping. He begins to accept treats offered. He will "sit" for treats. When staff slips the lead in his kennel, he will jump up on the door, hard staring. Treats are used to keep his head down. He remains avoidant of being leashed, but as staff continues to try, he remains in the back of kennel, slipping out of the lead when it is secured. He is able to be removed on the humanic leash pole and pulls hard at the end of the leash. He is walked around the yard with an alert body. He explores on his own, ignoring handlers. When returning, he briefly avoids entering his kennel, then goes in on his own.

Date of intake:: 8/12/2026

Summary:: fearful but allowed handling

Date of initial:: 8/12/2026

Summary:: Highly fearful, avoids interaction even with a slow approach and time to warm up, restraint and muzz

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 potential challenges, we recommend Moose go to an adult only home. Single-pet home/ Recommend no dog parks: Due to behavior with other dogs reported by owner, lunging, snapping, we recommend he be the only pet and does not visit the dog park. Place with a New Hope partner: 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: : Resource guarding,Destructive behavior,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling

Potential challenges comments:: Resource guarding: Moose finds Treats (bones, rawhides, etc.), stolen objects of a high value. He has a tense body or hovers over them, snaps or attempts to bite, growls or hard barks. We advise against ever removing items from Blue's possession without safely trading for an item of greater or equal value. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Destructive behavior: Moose is reported to show destructive behavior in the home. We suggest to future adopters that Moose will need to be provided with physical and mental stimulation and with a variety of appropriate and engaging chew toys so he can engage in necessary chewing behavior without damage to human objects. Please see handout on Destructive Behavior. Basic manners/poor impulse control: Moose lacks basic manners and impulse control. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach him to control his impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward-based training only is recommended. Please see the handout on Basic Manners and Impulse Control. Handling/Touch Sensitivity/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Moose has been noted to become uncomfortable with handling at times, snapping with restraint or when his collar is grabbed. In his medical exam, he was escalating to lunging. It is important to always go slow and give Moose 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 Moose’s choice to approach a new person or thing. Moose may do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to his new surroundings. Please see the handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Please see handout on Fearful Potential for Defensive Aggression. Anxiety: Moose is reported to be an anxious dog. If Moose displays anxious behavior in his 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. Please see the handout on Generalized Anxiety. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration/Strength/leash pulling: Moose is strong and because he is reactive it can be difficult to control him on leash. He is reported to reactive to strangers, children, moving objects (bikes, skateboards, cars, etc.), cats, small animals (squirrels, birds, rats, etc.), large dogs, small dogs. Please see the handout on On-Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration. Please see the handout on Leash Manners.