AMCalipups

06/18/2024

New training client Nala! She is a 16 week old Labrador retriever. Such a smart baby. ❤️

12/10/2023

I have reached 300 followers! Thank you for your continued support. I could not have done it without each of you. 🙏🤗🎉

09/07/2023

Love this girl

❤️❤️❤️🐕‍🦺❤️❤️❤️

08/24/2023

Eleanor in the park. Off leash freedom. She is my non reactive helper dog in my reactivity cases as well.

Call or text 515-518-5547 - Ashley Mapes, a professional dog trainer, training since 2011. I work with all breeds, sizes, temperaments (even special cases of aggression and all reactivity cases), and ages. I have done board and trains since mid 2012, and have trained hundreds of dogs, some with behavior issues, some just pups for obedience, some aggressive cases, many reactive dogs, many unruly dogs that are getting hard to handle, etc. Board and train is open for 1 puppy obedience candidate, call for information. Only accepting the right fit for board and train at this time, otherwise offering training at a local park one on one or in group sessions is available. Learn with your dog, help build your relationship, build your skills and theirs, learn how to communicate with your dog in a way they understand, which will expand your relationship and the possibilities of training exponentially. Call or text today for more info.

08/10/2023

Eleanor saw rabbits today. She actually spotted them before I did, but she did amazing. Just calmly stood watching them. Wagged. Did an excited spin, and then calmed down with a heel command and got lots of rewards! 😃

07/29/2023

Come learn with me! 515-518-5547
San Diego, CA

07/14/2023

Professional pet dog training services are available for basic obedience and off-leash training. These services can be provided through classes or in-person sessions at a park. The training focuses on teaching dogs essential commands, improving their behavior, and enabling them to respond reliably even when off-leash. Whether you prefer a group class setting or one-on-one training, Ashley can help you and your dog achieve your training goals.

05/18/2023

Possible reopening in California. Training only available at Bayview Hills Green Park, San Diego at this time.

05/04/2023

Ashley Mapes Dogs is now closed. MOVED AWAY.
Can still be reached at 515-518-5547

03/09/2023

Sweet Kola. He is here for just boarding. He is 16 and has special care needs being mostly blind and deaf. We are loving every minute with him. And he is such a love bug when he isn't taking those nice old man naps. ❤️❤️❤️🐕❤️❤️❤️

02/28/2023

My current goofball board and train, Gigi. She has issues with her companion who is another Lakeland terrier named Sassy.

Sassy info: I trained Sassy here about a year ago and she is doing great, but after her past trauma with her breeder raising not being good, and having been attacked by her brother, she is very sensitive to pushy play.

Gigi info: She was brought home from a very good breeder to be a companion for Sassy. She did well at home with Sassy for about 6 months or so, and then started getting very pushy when Sassy didn't want to play.

The fighting started because Sassy's reactions and body language are different because of her past trauma, and Gigi would misread and push harder and Sassy would defend herself thinking she was being attacked, and then Gigi retaliated. And the owners weren't sure how to handle things, and the fights escalated (I assume because Sassy was reacting more, and Gigi was starting to associate the play push with the fights and it just morphed into Gigi getting frustrated and becoming aggressive in her want to play).

So now we are working with Gigi with my balanced, level headed dog Eleanor, and stepping in if Gigi's frustration turns into aggressive play pushing, and redirecting her to toys or training. Eleanor gives proper dog communication when she is being too pestery and I walk her off with body pressure if I think she is overwhelming Elle. It's all a balance.

02/24/2023

Do you know dog play as well as you think?

02/16/2023

If you care about dogs, this should be listened to

The Real Facts About Science Based Dog Training: A Training Without Conflict® PodcastArguments about dog training are reaching a boiling point and I decided ...

01/29/2023

I couldn't resist a little satirical humour 🤣

01/29/2023

Maverick K9 has this one right! Prongs are the safest collar out there, with proper handling and training! Flat collars, harnesses,and even head collars (whiplash anyone?) can cause your dog severe injury. Prong collars can help with the communication part of the walk, reinforce when in good position or leash is loose (depending on what you want trained) and correct when needed (after dogs learn how the prong works, giving to gentle pressure in the direction it's pulling being rewarded etc, you honestly don't often need more than 1 finger to walk your dog, and corrections are usually just a wiggle of the leash with that 1 finger).

They aren't the demonized tools that the pure positive trainers are trying to say they are. They help you communicate, and yes , they can help you correct if needed. That's balance. Dogs need rules and boundaries, and just like humans, some consequences are required to enforce the rules and boundaries. If you are clear and fair with your correction and you make sure it's timed and done so the dog understands exactly what went wrong, then follow with praise when in position again, the dog learns faster from that clear communication of "not this, that". And all with the wiggle of a finger. No straining or being dragged down the sidewalk by your dog's neck, no harsh yelling or getting angry.

A simple tool and proper use and training can prevent trachea collapse (flat collar), whiplash to broken neck (head collar), and arthritis from forced change of gate (harness). And they want to take that help away.

01/19/2023

The Good Dog Training And Rehabilitation Sean O'Shea is an amazing trainer and knows exactly how and when to apply tools to keep a doh happily balanced. Much respect!

Whether it’s basic obedience, creating a well mannered and respectful dog, or working through more serious behavior issues, nothing works unless you do.

Tools, methods, techniques, are either empowered and made most effective, or are sabotaged and drained of their efficacy by the human implementing them.

The human who succeeds does so WITH the tools, methods, techniques, not BECAUSE of them.

So let’s ensure we place as much focus and discussion on the “best” operating system as we do on the best other stuff.

01/19/2023

01/18/2023

Just a couple amazing infographics from SpiritDog Training! They are so good at explaining things all dog trainers should know and all dog owners should learn and pay attention to! Check out their page for more awesomeness!

01/05/2023

Important and correct

I’ve had some interesting conversations with people online in the last few days, full of lots of misinformation about service animals. As a result, I’d like to review a few service animal facts for the USA.

- To have a service animal, you MUST be disabled.
- You do not need a Dr note, prescription, etc. to have a service animal in public.
- Only dogs and mini horses are recognized as service animals by the ADA.
- To be a service animal, your dog/mini horse must know at least one task that mitigates your disability.
- Service animals do not have to be professionally trained, the disabled individual is allowed to train their own animal.
- There is no legally recognized certification/registration/ID for service animals.

Sources: https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/ and https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/

[image: a grey mini horse, standing in the canned goods aisle of a grocery store. She is wearing a black blanket with red trim, a black halter, black harness with rainbow trim, a purple vest, and little black hoof boots. Her ears are pricked and she has an alert expression on her face]

12/31/2022

This is it exactly. We need treats to help show them the goal. They follow our bodies, they don't understand a word until our movements and rewarding their good moves. Ho would you reward a dog without a reinforcer?

12/31/2022

This is spot on SpiritDog Training

12/31/2022

Xylitol, the artificial sweetener that kills dogs. Be careful with sugar free gum, even some Peanut butter!

I wish I would have known the dangers of xylitol before this. It is in so many things and more people need to know too. At this point, we can only pray that Luna girl will be okay🥺

12/12/2022

Working with dogs is incredible. I love watching them learn. The spark, the flame, and then the dog just wants to learn anything you have to share, their whole world is figuring out what you're trying to show them if only for a 30 minute session. It's beautiful to me. - Ashley Mapes

12/03/2022

I run a professional dog training business. I have been training professionally since 2011, I started out doing in home private lessons first and added doing board and trains in 2012. I went to college at Animal Behavior College for my foundation, and volunteered at shelters and mentored under another professional to gain more experience, I am also constantly reading and learning more to keep with the newest information on how dogs think and learn as well as techniques. I consider myself a balanced trainer that leans very heavily positive. I only use fair and completely understood punishment when I think the dog needs it, and it's immediately followed with showing them the preferred good behavior and rewarding the good. I am by no means a trainer that uses harshness to get behavior.

☆I offer board and train (1 dog at a time, 2 max) out of my home where the dog is only kenneled when unable to be supervised (sleep and when I have to leave) unless they are working on kennel training then they have kennel sessions (1 hr here and there). The dogs learn house manners by default, and I specialize and customize each dog's training to owner and dogs personal needs.

☆If board and train isn't the option you are looking for or doesn't suit what needs training (certain behaviors need to be worked on in your home) I offer in your home private lessons as well.

☆I also do offer boarding that is similar, the dogs aren't in kennels all day and interact with my family and my 2 dogs (who are new dog experts as far as handling interaction properly etc) so it's a nicer option than boarding in a kennel all day.

☆I do day training as an option as well, which is like board and train but the dog goes home each night (this is only for basic obedience).

☆I also offer virtual options for training, as well as a service where I can help match your family needs, space needs, exercise needs, etc to a list of breeds that would be most fitting for your lifestyle.

I do believe in prong and e collar (the high quality - tickle or tap at low levels, muscle stim not shock) but I also believe they are tools that need proper training to use and should be used for communication, not something one should be heavy handed with or use as a no button. They are just an extension of your communication. To me proper prong usage is teaching the dog gently with lots of praise and rewards on one before ever using on a walk (and a walk could be done using your pinkie finger with the leash draped across it if the training is done right. The dog should never have any fear of you or the prong or the walk. And a good correction on a prong is a jingle of the chain, maybe a small quick light "pop" - no yanking - if the dog is really distracted). Training does not need fear to be successful, and I don't believe in scaring a dog into doing anything.

11/30/2022

Don't have the RUDE dog.

11/29/2022

Nero is my current board and train. Rocking it! She's a foxhound mixed with golden retriever. Beautiful dog. So much energy, and SO smart. She is the kind of dog you are always hoping will come, the ones that are fun and eager and will give you everything they got to figure out what you're trying to get across. I love her spirit!

11/25/2022

Very important info on what training a dog actually is. The 4 quadrants of learning. What it means to be force free/balanced/etc and how a dog really needs a careful balance of all 4 quadrants to learn and be happy. You can't just shove treats at every issue, just like you shouldn't use pain and fear to make a dog do something (the only time I am ok with a little pain is to startle them from like running into traffic or getting killed, I don't like it but I prefer the little pain and no long term damage to dead or hurt horribly). It's a very good read and well worth the time of anyone who is looking into to getting a dog trained or working with a trainer or going into training dogs.

Science - (Guilherme Fernandes et al., 2017) This scientific literature review examines the consequences of unpleasant dog training techniques. This was cited in "Review of dog training methods: welfare, learning ability, and contemporary standards" by I.J. Makowska, M.Sc., Ph.D., published for the....