Help Ava Get the Behavioral Support and Safe Haven She Deserves
It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 months since this incredible dog and her babies came into my life. From the very beginning, I’ve remained committed to their safety, protection, and well-being — and I’m committed still.
Many of you have followed Ava’s story since the day she was rescued — dumped, pregnant, and alone in the Southern California desert. She gave birth under a metal trash bin at an organic waste management facility.
She and her puppies came into my care shortly after, and for eight months, I poured everything I had into helping her heal — supporting Ava as she raised her babies and began the long process of her nervous system settling, re-regulating, and learning new perspectives about the world.
Ava is high-drive, powerful, and incredibly intuitive.
Inside the home, she’s sweet, affectionate, and beautifully tuned in.
Outside, the world still feels unsafe. She becomes hypervigilant — scanning, guarding, and bracing for threats that aren’t there. Her early trauma and missed critical learning windows left deep imprints that require specialized, ongoing support.
Ava isn’t broken — she’s a product of lived experience (as we all are).
She’s brilliant, loyal, and full of heart — but she needs the right kind of help to rebalance, decompress, and rebuild.
Where Things Stand Now
After a few months in her new home, it’s become painfully clear that it’s not the right environment for her. She’s backslid and become dysregulated again — her needs aren’t being sufficiently met, frustration has compounded, and she’s once again living in survival mode.
She’s simply too much dog for her current people and their lifestyle to handle. This isn’t a failure on anyone’s part — it’s just the truth about what Ava needs to thrive.
She requires structure, clarity, leadership, emotional stability, safety, and security — and someone fluent in behavior and energy who can help her nervous system settle and rebuild trust. She has needs that need to be met.
Why I’m Asking for Help
I’ve been exhaustively trying to find the right home for Ava since her puppies were weaned, and have been unable to.
Because of this, I’ve made the (very) difficult decision to move in order to take Ava back into my care — to once again honor the promise I made to her: that she would never fall through the cracks.
I’m not in a position to do this right now, but it’s necessary in order to save her life.
I can’t do this alone.
To give her the best possible chance, I’m placing her in a 4–6 week behavioral board and train program with a behaviorally fluent trainer who takes a root-cause approach — no quadrant isolation, just grounded, integrated, dog-centered work.
This will give Ava a safe, structured environment where she can begin to rebalance, decompress, and heal, while giving me time to organize this move and rebuild the foundation she needs long-term.
The Goal
Board and train programs at this level of care typically range from $4,000–$7,500, depending on the trainer, duration, and level of behavioral support needed.
Funds raised will go directly toward:
- Ava’s professional behavioral rehabilitation
- Transportation and boarding costs
- Any necessary care, food, or supplements during her stay
If donations exceed the immediate training cost, the remainder will go toward Ava’s ongoing recovery and safe reintegration into my care.
Why This Matters
After decades in this field, I’ve seen too many dogs fall through the cracks — not because they were “unfixable,” but because they didn’t receive the right kind of help.
I’ve also seen — and experienced — how often trainers take on cases beyond their depth, often with the best of intentions. I was once a struggling pet parent myself — it’s actually what led me into this line of work — going through six or seven trainers in search of help for my own dog, Lobo. I never found the right guidance, and he paid the ultimate price for it. (https://kimberlyartley.com/lobos-story)
Lobo was one of my greatest teachers, and continues to teach beyond this. Heartbreakingly, this situation with Ava feels eerily reminiscent of what we experienced years ago.
As have countless clients who’ve come to work with me over the years — carrying the fallout of poor guidance, mismatched methods, and missed understanding.
There’s no shame in referring out or knowing your limits. Sadly, money and ego still drive too many decisions — and the dogs, and the people who love them, pay the price.
Ava deserves better. She’s fought hard to come this far, and I refuse to give up on her now.
How You Can Help
Donate — any amount makes a difference and goes directly toward Ava’s care and training. I’m currently speaking to several trainers and will update as soon as a location is confirmed.
Share this campaign widely — especially with trainers or anyone who might be able to help.
Reach out if you have contacts for qualified, behaviorally fluent professionals in or near Southern California. I’m still relatively new to this area and don’t have many connections yet.
I’ll also be relocating soon to safely bring Ava back into my care once her board and train program is complete. While this fundraiser is focused specifically on covering Ava’s behavioral training and rehabilitation, any additional funds raised will help with related transition or travel costs to ensure she has a stable, secure environment to come home to.
Together, we can give Ava what she’s always deserved: safety, stability, and a fair chance at peace.
100% of all book profits are also going toward this effort (though this only equates to about $2.34 per book — it’s still something, and the book’s message expands this mission).
With sincere and heartfelt gratitude,
Kimberly Artley
Author, The Human End of the Leash: Dog Training’s Missing Link
Signed & Personalized (with custom bookmark and highlighter): Click here for signed and personalized