Date of intake:: 2/26/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: No

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

Previously lived with:: 2 adults, 3 kids (1, 2 and 9 years) and 2 small dogs.

Behavior toward strangers:: Max will sometimes growl and hard bark at strangers

Behavior toward children:: Max will sometimes growl and hard bark at children

Behavior toward dogs:: Max will sometimes growl and hard bark at dogs

Behavior toward cats:: No experience

Resource guarding:: Owner stated that Max has a tense body or hovers over a high value item and can bark or growl when approached when in possession of a high value item.

Bite history:: Owner reports that Max has never bitten his children or the other dogs in the home. When the owner was watching his mother's dog in his home, he suspects that Max may have bitten his mother's dog as he saw some blood coming from the mouth of his mother's dog though the owner did not witness an incident.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium energy

Other Notes:: In his previous home, Max was trained to use wee-wee pads. Owner reported that Max can be mouthy and can take treats rough, jumps up often and is fearful of loud noises. When on walks, Max can sometimes growl or bark at bikes/skateboards/scooters/traffic and large dogs. Max is reported to not be bothered when he is held/restrained, his feet/paws are touched and his collar is grabbed or touched. He is fearful when startled and can bark or growl when removed from furniture.

Date of assessment:: 2/27/2026

Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Fearful Call over: Approaches with coaxing Sociability comments: Fearful and trembling, tolerates pets and collaring and accepts treats readily Soft handling: Tolerates contact Exuberant handling: Tolerates contact Comments: Slightly tense but tolerates contact from handler Arousal Jog comments: Baulks, jogs slowly Knock Knock comments: Approaches slowly with wagging tail Toy Toy comments: No response

Summary (6):: 3/13/26: Max is wiggly bodied as handler approaches. A member of vet services enters the room, give Max medications inside of a 'meatball' and he readily takes through kennel bars. Max is easily leashed, he pulls hard out of kennel, but is loose-forward bodied. He pulls toward a medical cart that has more treats/food on it used to give out medications, he is coaxed away with mild leash pressure and treats from handler. On walk Max is exuberant, pulls hard, at times 'pounces' and runs to end of leash but is highly social with handler. It takes a few attempts but Max understands sit, takes treats offered. When being pet, Max becomes soft bodied and leans in for contact. When returning Max sees a small dog with member of public, he looks, pauses, but is easily coaxed away with mild leash pressure and verbal cues. Max readily re-enters kennel. 03/08/26: Max is at the front of his kennel as handler approaches. He is leashed while distracted with a treat and removed from kennel and they exit following handler to the street. Outside Max is loose and passes people without issue, when seeing dogs from afar he will stare at them very briefly but loses interest in them after a moment. Max accepts treats from handler and walks nearby them for a bit, stopping to relieve himself along the way, after a bit Max is brought back inside and returns to kennel without issue. 2/28/26: Max is standing at the front of his kennel, loose and wiggly. He takes a treat. He is easily leashed and lead to the yard. He sniffs around with a neutral body. He sees another dog between the walls within 5 feet, and pulls moderately and whines. He is redirected with verbal coaxing, and takes another treat with a soft mouth. He allows petting and becomes loose and wiggly when addressed. He relieves himself outside and spends more time sniffing intently. He returns to his kennel willingly

Summary (7):: 2/27/26 (assessment): Max is lying down and then stands up with a soft body. He is easily leashed and brought out the room. Max refuses to step out of once exit as there's a water puddle, but he exits through the other. On the street, Max walks with leash tension ranging from moderate to none at all. he has no interest in passersby. When seeing other dogs near and far, Max stares at them with a neutral body, but easily disengages and continues his walk. he is also very social with the handler; he presents a loose/wiggly body anytime they speak to him softly, as well as takes treats softly, amd looks back at the handler. Max also randomly, but briefly cowers and baulks twice, but quickly recovers both times. Max is then brought in for his assessment (see notes) and returned to his kennel afterwards. 2/27/26 (am walk): Max is lying down in kennel as the handler approaches. He is easily leashed and brought out the room. While walking through the hallway, Max stops walking, but as the handler speaks to him softly, he continues. The handler brings Max to the yard; there, he jumps on the bench and presents a wiggly body as the handler speaks to him. In the pen, when the handler sits down, Max jumps next to them and leans his body into them. The handler then brings Max inside to the office. There, he is given treats and pets. when another handler enters the room, Max looks at them with a neutral body. When a treat and pets are given, Max is receptive, maintaining a neutral body. The handler then clips their lelash and returns Max to his kennel with ease. 2/26/26: Max is laying down on bedding, quiet with soft body as handler approaches kennel. Max stands up, approaches with soft eye contact, takes treats. He allows easy leashing, walks out with low-tail, low head, soft body. Max is walked to yard, he sniffs areas of interest, walks besides handler. Handler sits next to handler on bench, he is notably shivering from the cold. Max allows all contact, soft body, takes treats and stays close to handler. He takes treats gently from handler. After some time Max is walked back to kennel. He paused in front of kennel but follows treats tossed into kennel.

Date of intake:: 2/26/2026

Summary:: easily leashed by Canine Behavior to be escorted inside, lifted with towel into kennel

Date of initial:: 2/26/2026

Summary:: tense and tail firmly tucked. allows handling while licking cheese

ENERGY LEVEL:: Max is described as active and enthusiastic. He will need daily mental and physical activity to keep him engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy and enthusiasm. We recommend feeding with puzzle feeders and food-dispensing toys. And we recommend only force-free, reward-based training techniques for Max.

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: Due to Max's fearful disposition and need for contact on his own terms, we recommend a home with no children. Single-Pet Home/No Dog Parks: Due to reports of Max's reactivity and possible incident involving another dog in the home, we recommend a single pet home and that he avoid dog parks. Place with a New Hope Partner: Max has not acclimated well to the kennel environment and has allowed only minimal handling since intake. This paired with a possible incident in his previous home involving himself and another dog, 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,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful: During his intake and subsequent interactions, Max has been very fearful, becoming tense and trembling when interacting with staff. In his previous home he was reported to hard bark and growl at people and children at times. It is important to always go slow and give Max the option to walk away from any social interaction. They should never be forced to approach anything that they are uncomfortable with or to submit to petting or handling. It should always be their choice to approach a new person or thing. Max would do best in an initially calm and quiet home environment and should be given time to acclimate to their new surroundings. Please see handout on Decompression Period. On-Leash Reactivity/Barrier Frustration: Max's former owners report that he will growl and bark at people, dogs, skateboards and bikes during walks. Max may need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach him to look at you rather than other dogs. We recommend a front clip harness or head halter to help manage this behavior. Please see handout on On-Leash Reactivity and Barrier Frustration.