Donalley ACCT-A-250580 is a 6-year-old male who came in as a stray on 5/19. The finder noted that he "was sweet with me, a stranger. He is very nice; a little pushy but just getting to know everything. He is very skinny & bloody, and has been friendly, cuddly, scared & playful." Donalley has been having a hard time adjusting to the shelter, and has consistently been pretty nervous and asocial with people. However, he has made a bit of progress with treats, and is avoidant rather than showing any signs of aggression! He was a little more open with dogs in playgroup, but still not particularly social. Give this shy guy some space to open up! BEHAVIORAL: Per staff 5/31: Kennel Presentation: At the front of his kennel, soft eyes, loose mid tail wags, loose body, ears to the side. Took a treat a little snatchy through the bars. Leash Skills: Easy to leash and came right out. Walked pulling mildly, loose mid tail wags, ears to the side, loose body. Sociability: Came over when I kneeled down with soft eyes, ears back, mid to low tail wags, leaning into me. Would nudge my hand when I stopped petting him. Stayed near my side while in the yard. He did occasionally jump up on me gently with soft eyes, ears back, loose body. Would jump down when I moved away. Play: Enjoyed chasing toys that I tossed, would sniff them then loose interest. Dog Interaction: n/a Return to Kennel: Walked back with the same body language as walking out. Stopped outside his kennel door with ears back and low tail wags. Tossed in a treat and he hopped right in, leash removed easily by hand. Color Level: Leveling down to Experienced Gold Per volunteer 5/25: He was easy to get out of his kennel. He was slow to move through the doors going outside. He did a lot of sniffing and we walked slowly so we could enjoy. In the play yard, he avoided me unless I had hotdogs out. I opted to toss them to him. If I put the hotdogs away, he'd go back to wandering the yard. I had to toss hotdogs into his kennel to get him back in. Per staff on 5/22: "Kennel Presentation: Laying down, wide eyes, ears pasted back. Sat up for offered treat, gentle mouth, whale eye. Easy to leash, needed treat trail through thresholds. Leash Skills: tail down, pulls hard and straight or stops walking and freezes. Ears pasted back, lip licks Sociability: approached tentatively for food (stretched back legs) at first then started to come very close willingly for food. Did some counter conditioning to pets using patterns of pet 3 times, stop, give a treat, repeat. After 2-4 reps, toss treat away from me for some distance. Repeated 3 times. This worked to reduce the flight response to touch and he began remaining in place after the 3 pets, anticipating the reward. With no treats, would remain an arms length away at least, whined three different times when I opened my palm as to offer him to come to my hand, looked at him and spoke to him. Ears pasted back and tail down, averted gaze. Antisocial without food present, actively avoiding interaction. Play: no interest Dog Interaction: saw through the fence. Air scented Return to Kennel: needed treat trail. Once in kennel, low tail wags and looser body noted." Per staff on 5/21: "Kennel Presentation: On the back half of the kennel when I approached, ears back, tail low, wider eyes. Called to him in a baby voice and he barked once then slowly camel forward. Leash Skills: Dodged the leash at first, on second attempt was able to be leashed. Walked pulling mildly, tail low and still, ears back, tense body. Sociability: Asocail in the yard. Kept the full length of the leash, tail low and still, ears back, wide eyes, tense body. Would whine when I talked to him in a baby voice. When attempting handing, tail tucked tightly, head lowered, wide eyes, lip lick, ears pinned back, skin crawled and he lowered his body. Did not attempt further handing. Play: n/a Dog Interaction: n/a Return to Kennel: Walked back pulling hard on the leash, ears back, tail low and still. Stopped outside his kennel, needed moderate leash pressure to return. I clipped my leash ahead of time so it was easily removed." Playgroup notes 5/20: "Steer test: 1/5 with water and 0/5 with can. Good gate greetings. Slow entry into the yard/ Ears back and high tail with face to face greetings. Mingled around the yard, tolerant of the dogs coming up but did not engage in play." VIDEOS: Playgroup 5/20: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfMCm6kgAGI7jY40gfElslFr8ZXFqXjxO ACCT Philly is located at 111 West Hunting Park Ave in Philadelphia. We are open for adoptions 7 days a week. Please visit www.acctphilly.org/adopt for details. If you are a rescue interested in pulling this animal, please email our lifesaving team, or visit here if you are not currently a rescue partner: https://acctphilly.org/acct-philly-love-local-partnership-program/ Confirmed placement is considered a confirmation of an actual rescue pull. Possible placement, interested parties, and other "TBD" statuses are not considered confirmed and do not indicate an animal is no longer urgent. All animals at ACCT Philly are from Philadelphia, as the only open-intake animal shelter in Philadelphia, we are not able to accept animals from outside of Philadelphia. ACCT Philly's Pennsylvania kennel license number is 08313