Date of intake:: 10/28/2017

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, limited information provided by finder

Behavior toward strangers:: Friendly, playful, outgoing, but can be intimidating due to size and high energy level

Energy level/descriptors:: Biggie is described as being highly active and energetic.

Date of assessment:: 10/31/2017

Look:: 1. Dog’s eyes are averted, ears are back, tail is down, relaxed body posture. Dog allows head to be held loosely in Assessor’s cupped hands.

Sensitivity:: 1. Dog stands still and accepts the touch, eyes are averted, and tail is in neutral position with a relaxed body posture. Dog’s mouth is likely closed for at least a portion of the assessment item.

Tag:: 1. Dog follows at the end of the leash, body soft.

Paw squeeze 1:: 1. Dog gently pulls back his/her paw.

Paw squeeze 2:: 1. Dog gently pulls back his/her paw.

Toy:: 1. Minimal interest in toy, dog may smell or lick, then turns away.

Summary:: Tag:2. Dog follows but becomes aroused, jumping, panting and bites the leash but de-escalates with distraction.

Summary (1):: Biggie is uncomfortable and anxious in a social group setting. He displays raised hackles, high pitched whiny and barking. Biggie was brought in as a stray so his behavior around other dogs is unknown. The Behavior Department believes that Biggie would be most comfortable as the only dog in the other. Any resident dogs should be polite and respectful. All introductions should be conducted slowly and be under supervision. 10/29: When off leash at the Care Center, Biggie enters the pen with a stiff posture and display anxious behavior– high pitched whiny and barking. He greets the novel female dog very briefly, then paces the yard barking and whining mostly avoiding further contact with her. 10/30: Biggie appears uncomfortable and anxious while interacting with a group of calm male and female dogs. He approaches briefly face to face, then jumps back when the other dogs gets too close. His hackles stay raised throughout the session and he hides behind handlers several times to avoid interacting with the other dogs. 11/02: Biggie continues to display nervous posturing and is uncomfortable with face to face greets as well as rear sniffs.

Date of intake:: 10/28/2017

Summary:: Highly active

Date of initial:: 10/29/2017

Summary:: Social, loos-bodied, wiggly, easy to handle.

ENERGY LEVEL:: Biggie is described as highly active and exuberant. 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 Biggie.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: EXPERIENCE (suitable for an adopter with some previous dog experience, especially with the behaviors outlined below)

Behavior Asilomar: TM – Treatable-Manageable

Recommendations:: No young children (under 5),Recommend no dog parks

Recommendations comments:: No young children: Due to the behavior seen in the care center, we feel that young children may be intimidated by biggie very high energy level and anxiety. He needs a slow approach and time to warm up. He should never be forced to interact with new people, and should be allowed to greet and initiate an interaction at his own pace. Recommend no dog parks: Due to the behaviors that Biggie has shown during playgroup (see GROUPBEHAVIOR SUMMARY), we feel that Biggie should not visit dog parks. The Behavior Department recommends that he be socialized in a more controlled setting until his behavior towards other dogs can be further addressed. Reward-based, force-free training can be utilized to help Biggie associate dogs with things he enjoys like toys or treats.

Potential challenges: : Anxiety,Strength/leash pulling

Potential challenges comments:: Anxiety: Biggie has shown some signs of potential anxiety in the care center, vocalizing (whining, barking) continually through the SAFER and through play sessions outside. This behavior was not reported at intake, and we have no known history on Biggie, so we cannot be certain whether similar behavior will be seen in a future home environment. Strength/leash pulling: Biggie is a large, strong dog with the capability to pull over an average adopter. His adopter must be prepared and able to handle a dog of this size and strength. It is recommended that he be walked on a front clip harness or head halter, which help diminish his strength through leverage, and that he be trained using positive reinforcement, reward based training to not pull on leash.