Ashey

Ashey’s Story – From Balcony Life to Leash Manners

Ashey is a 9-month-old classic Doberman who was rescued by @MadLoveAnimalRescue after being found living on a balcony—underfed, without exercise, and with zero training. She’s a young, growing dog with loads of energy, but no idea how to navigate the world.

Trainer Melvin Jones stepped in with a basic obedience plan. Ideally, Ashey would have had 8–10 weeks of training, but with limited funding, we only had 6 weeks to work with. Luckily, Melvin knows his stuff, and Nikki from Mad Love—who’s worked with us before—is fully committed to making this a success.

From the very beginning, the focus has been on teaching Ashey to slow down, listen, and find calm. She started by learning to stay still and centered before we asked her to move—because if you can’t be calm standing still, walking calmly is nearly impossible. Over time, she began to understand how to “follow” her human on the leash, even when there were distractions.

She also learned polite behavior when coming in and out of cars and doors—basically, how to wait her turn and not burst out full of puppy energy. Melvin introduced her to the figure-8 head halter, which has been a game changer for her leash manners. With it, she’s now walking beautifully, focused on her handler instead of pulling or charging ahead.

Ashey still has that classic Doberman energy, but now she’s learning how to channel it. She’s come so far already, and with continued support, she’s going to make an incredible companion.

We’re hoping the right forever family is just around the corner. If she’s adopted during training, her new person will get the tools to continue her progress. If not, she’ll stay with Nikki until her program is complete. Either way, she’s well on her way to a brighter future.

Thank you for making this transformation possible—your donations make real change happen for dogs like Ashey.