Date of intake:: 6/29/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: Yes

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

Previously lived with:: 2 adults, 1 child, 1 small dog

Behavior toward strangers:: Milo will hard bark and growl

Behavior toward children:: Milo will actively avoid

Behavior toward dogs:: Milo is tolerant

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Milo will growl and hard bark around valued food and items.

Bite history:: 4 years ago, a family member approached the owner. With no warning, Milo snapped and bit the visitor's hand. This bite left marks and a scratch but did not draw blood.

Housetrained:: Yes

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium

Other Notes:: Milo does have general anxiety when left alone. Milo is specifically reactive towards scooters. Milo growls when his paws are touched. Milo's previous owner describes him as social and affectionate.

Date of assessment:: 7/5/2026

Summary:: Milo Bean has been observed to be highly fearful while in care. When handlers approach Milo to leash him, he will dodge the leash, snap at it, and bark. Due to this fearful behavior and his bite history, Milo is not a candidate for a handling assessment at this time.

Summary:: According to Milo Bean's previous owner(s), Milo is tolerant of other dogs. 7/7/26: Milo Bean was introduce to a novel intact female and approached the gate with a neutral body, ears pushed back, tight mouth, hackles slightly raised, and a leftward high curled tail. With time, he began to have his ears perked and gently sniffed through the fence. He would take a step back and give some high wags before reapproaching again, his hackles no longer raised. He still had a sideways curled high tail, but did a few toe taps and followed her through the fence line. He then disengaged and shook off. He was then introduced to a novel intact male and approached the fence with a neutral body, ears perked forward, and leftward high curled tail. He gave some slow tail wags, and engaged in mutual sniffing through the fence before gradually lowering his tail, intermittently freezing, curling his lip, pushing his ears back, and giving a hard bark. He retreated and minimally shook off, not reapproaching and sticking by his handler.

Summary (5):: 7/7/26: Milo Bean is standing in the back of his kennel when the handler approaches; as they attempt leash him, he stays in the back moving back and forth. The handler leaves the kennel door slightly more open, and Milo approaches the front, but then quickly goes back when they try to lasso him. With the attempts made, Milo high-pitch vocalizes, bares teeth, and barks; after several attempts, Milo snaps at the leash once it's secured on him. He walks out the room, and is brought to the yard for playgroup (see dog-dog notes). In between interactions, Milo sniffs each handler present, and scurries away when they attempt to pet him, or, at least, present their hand for sniffing. After the interactions, the handler walks Milo into the building; he head whips a few times as the handler clips their leash. He is returned to kennel with ease.

Summary (6):: 7/6/26: Milo Bean is lying down on his kuranda bed on approach. He begins to bark and vocalize loudly towards the handler. A pole-like leash is presented. As it slowly approaches him, Milo begins to dodge his head back and forth. He will turn and bark towards the leash before approaching the front of the kennel. Handler eventually is able to leash Milo slowly with the pole leash. Milo quickly exits the kennel and he is slowly walked towards the backyard. Milo stops at the backyard and sniffs around. He then pulls back into the shelter. He tries to enter neighboring kennel rooms but is kept away. When Milo's kennel is clean he is then returned to his kennel without issue. 7/5/26 (PM): Milo Bean is lying on his bed in back of kennel. Handler tries to leash Milo but he screams when the leash touches him. Milo puts his head into the back corner and tries to dig at his bed a linen to avoid being leashed. Handler decides to let him be. 7/5/26: Milo Bean is standing on his bed barking as handler approaches kennel. While he is being leashed Milo continues to vocalize and evades leash twice. Once handler gets Milo leashed he screeches (the Shiba wail) and is pulled from kennel. During walk Milo walks ahead of handler with light leash pressure with a neutral body and remains aloof. He does not accept treats offered by handler. He is returned to kennel with no issue. 7/4/26: It is reported for both AM & PM walks, Milo was reluctant to being leashed. Each time a leash was presented and was attempting to leash him, he would snap at the leash and a rod leash had to be used.

Summary (7):: 7/3/26: Milo Bean was standing at the front of his kennel with a tense body and vocalizing.m as handler approached. Handler had to let leash hang for a while before Milo came to front of kennel where he was leashed and taken for a street walk. While on walk he walked ahead of handler with light leash pressure and a neutral body. When halter attempted to pet Milo he ducked away. He was returned to kennel with no issue. 07/02/26: Milo Bean is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches, he approaches the leash as it enters kennel but quickly back away once it touches him. This process repeats two more times before Milo begins relieving himself possibly due to stress so handler moves the leash away for a bit. Handler returns after a while and begins attempting to lasso Milo due to him now being in the back corner of the kennel. He alert barks at handler and shows teeth when the leash touches him but eventually after a few attempts he is leashed. He immediately walks out the kennel and begins walking with handler out to the street, outside he pulls mildly and walks past people without issue. He generally ignores dogs he sees and finishes relieving himself after walking for a while, handler subtly clips his leash as he does so. He is walked back to kennel and returned without issue. 7/1/26: (PM WALKS) Milo Bean is sitting at the front with a neutral body. Handler unlocks the kennel and Milo retreats to the back of the kennel. Handler presents the leash and he retreats further into the kennel. Handler returns with a pole leash. As the leash approaches Milo, he begins to bark at the leash while dodging from the leash. After a few attempts he is successfully leashed. Milo then exits the kennel and is taken out towards the backyard. Milo walks ahead of the handler remaining aloof. He pulls mildly and stops to sniff various spots around the yard. Milo is then walked back to the kennel and he hops in. The leash is then removed and the interaction is ended. 7/1/26: Milo Bean is standing at the front of his kennel with a neutral body; he begins to curl the side of his lip as the handler removes the kennel cover. As the handler attempts to leash him, Milo moves away; this is repeated several times until the handler is successful in leashing Milo with a pole leash. While walking to the hallway, Milo frantically walks back and forth, relieving himself before stepping outside. The handler brings Milo to the yard. There, he sniffs around the playpen and walks back and forth; he also jumps onto the bench to look around. The handler presents a treat and their hand for him to sniff, but Milo shows no interest. The handler walks Milo around the perimeter, which he walks with mild leash tension. Upon entry, the handler brings Milo to his kennel and he enters. The handler eventually removes the pole leash with a hook, even as Milo avoids the hook.

Date of initial:: 6/30/2026

Summary:: Hard barking, staring, tracking, high alert. Opted to sedate

ENERGY LEVEL:: Milo is described as medium energy. They will need daily mental and physical activity to keep them engaged and exercised. And we recommend using force-free, reward-based training techniques for them.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

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

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): Due to the fearful behavior observed while in care and the bite history, we recommend an adult only home. We recommend placement with a New Hope rescue partner who is able to provide an experienced, adult-only foster home. Force-free, reward based training and/or consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Bite history (human)

Potential challenges comments:: Resource Guarding: Milo's previous owner states that he will growl and hard bark when in possession of food and items. Nothing should ever be taken directly out of Milo's mouth, and any time something is removed they should be rewarded with a high value treat or toy. Please see handout on Resource Guarding. Handling Sensitivity: Milo's previous owner states that he will growl when his paws are touched. Positive reinforcement, reward based training should be used to pair touch with good things such as food rewards in order to teach Milo to be more comfortable with this. Please see handout on Handling and Touch Sensitivity. Fearful Defensive: Milo's previous owner states that he will hard bark and growl at strangers. While in care, Milo has been observed to dodge the leash and snap at it when handlers are attempting to leash him. It is important to move slowly with Milo, to build positive associations (treats/toys/praise), and to allow them to initiate interactions with new people. They should never be forced to greet or to interact if they are not comfortable and soliciting attention. Please see handout on Fearful and Defensive Aggression. Bite History (Human): Please see bite history above for more details. Please see handout on Bite History and Potential for Future Aggression. On Leash Reactivity: Milo's previous owner states that he is reactive to scooters. Milo will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach them to look at you rather than other stimuli. Please see handout on On Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration.