Spay/Neuter Status: Unknown

Basic Information:: Optimo is a large chocolate and white male large dog who was found running loose in the street and brought to the ACC as a stray.

Previously lived with:: Unknown information

How is this dog around strangers?: When meeting the staff at the ACC for the first time he was friendly. He allowed the counselor to pet him and leash him with no problems.

How is this dog around children?: Unknown information

How is this dog around other dogs?: Unknown information

How is this dog around cats?: Unknown information

Resource guarding:: Unknown information

Bite history:: Unknown information

Housetrained:: Unknown

Energy level/descriptors:: Unknown information

Other Notes:: Unknown information

Medical Notes: Unknown information

For a New Family to Know: Unknown information

Date of intake:: 2/28/2018

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray

Date of assessment:: 3/2/2018

Look:: 2. Dog pulls out of Assessor’s hands each time without settling during three repetitions.

Sensitivity:: 2. Dog stands still and accepts the touch, eyes are averted, tail is between legs, body stiff, mouth closed, lip long, ears likely back, may lip lick.

Tag:: 2. Dog is not fearful, but is unresponsive when touched. Approaches the Assessor when the game ends (may need coaxing to approach). Dog is focused on stimuli other than the Assessor.

Paw squeeze 1:: 1. Dog does not respond at all for three seconds. Eyes are averted and ears are relaxed or back.

Paw squeeze 2:: 1. Dog does not respond at all for three seconds. Eyes are averted and ears are relaxed or back.

Toy:: 1. No interest.

Summary:: Optimo came into the assessment room very anxious and high energetic. He was very distracted with sounds and action going on outside of the door. Optimo would bark an whine the entire time of the assessment.

Summary (1):: Optimo was surrender as a stray so his past behavior with other dogs is unknown. 3/01: When off leash at the Care Centers, Optimo enters the yard whining, barking and pacing. He greets the novel female dog, at the gate, with a soft posture. Optimo relaxes after the pen door opens, and is sexually motivated. He delivers a warning (low growl), when the greeter solicits play, then walks away. Optimo alternates between exploring the yard and sniffing her genitals. 3/02: Optimo is a bit pushy in his attempts to greet a nervous female dog. He follows her around the pens, investigating the area. 3/3: Optimo is a bit sexually motivated when in the pens with a novel female. He listens to the handler’s corrections and paces the pens, sniffing around the area.

Date of intake:: 2/28/2018

Summary:: Allowed all handling during intake.

Date of initial:: 2/28/2018

Summary:: Wags tail and allows all handling.

ENERGY LEVEL:: Optimo displays a very high activity level in the care center.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: NEW HOPE ONLY

Behavior Asilomar: TM – Treatable-Manageable

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

Recommendations comments:: No children: Optimo appears to easily startle and become uncomfortable with up close handling, for these reasons we advise against a home with children at this time. New Hope Only: Due to all the noted concerns in the shelter environment, the behavior department believes Optimo would be best set up to succeed through placement with a New Hope partner who can further assess his behavior in a stable home environment. Force-free, reward based training is advised when introducing or exposing Optimo to new and unfamiliar situations.

Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Anxiety,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Strength/leash pulling

Potential challenges comments:: Basic Manners/poor 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. Anxiety: Optimo 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 Optimo, so we cannot be certain whether similar behavior will be seen in a future home environment. On-leash reactivity/Barrier Frustration: At the care center Optimo has been observed to react to other dogs on leash, lunging and barking when walking pass their kennels. As Optimo socialize well with other dogs, this reaction is likely due to frustration, we recommend a front clip harness or head halter to help manage this behavior. He will need positive reinforcement, reward based training to teach him to look at you rather than other dogs. Strength/Leash pulling: Optimo is a very 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.