The Academy of Canine Excellence

The first step to joining a program involves filling out an online application and submitting a $50 processing fee. After receiving the application, staff will contact the applicant for a phone interview, which typically takes 1 to 3 weeks to schedule. Following the phone interview and a dog evaluation (if applicable), the final step is an orientation class, which can be expedited by pre-paying $75. All teams must complete this class before dog placement and training begins.

For pet dogs, all pets are accepted for training but must complete an evaluation before enrollment. For service dog applicants, if you do not have a dog, you are advised not to purchase one. If you have a dog, you should submit the application, and a trainer will contact you for an evaluation. It is important to inform trainers of any known behavior issues with your current pet before or during the evaluation, as it takes a very special dog to be a service dog.

The academy offers a “Service Dog Training” program, which is a monthly service including both private lessons and group classes. There is also a “Service Dog Graduate Package,” a yearly membership for program graduates to continue sharpening their skills. “Puppy Preschool” is available for young puppies to gain confidence and socialize. They also offer various classes and packages for pet dogs of any training level, help with behavior issues, and AKC Evaluations.

Pricing Summary

An application processing fee of $50 is required. A dog evaluation costs $75, and an orientation class can be pre-paid for $75 to expedite the application process.

The Service Dog Graduate Package is a yearly membership priced at $1200. Service Dog Training is a monthly service, and pricing requires a call to the business. A Service Dog Evaluation is 30 minutes and costs $75. Puppy Preschool is $400. Emotional Support Dog Training prices vary, and a Behavior Issues Evaluation costs $175. All listed costs are before tax and processing fees. Pricing estimations or quotes are provided only after meeting with the client and their dog. For behavior programs, cost and duration are determined by the severity of the issue. Service dog applicants’ dogs must pass basic behavior and temperament tests.

Policies

The business encourages potential applicants to review frequently asked questions, program requirements, restrictions, and tips for success to help decide if their programs are the right choice. Clients can download application documents, check application status, and review current training policies and COVID-19 precautions via provided links.

All new clients are required to have a behavioral evaluation before joining any classes or programs. For service dog applicants, if they already own a dog, they must submit an application, and a trainer will contact them for an evaluation. It is noted that it takes a very special dog to be a service dog, and clients should inform trainers of any known behavior issues with their pet before or during the evaluation. If a dog fails the evaluation, a trainer will contact the owner within 10 days to discuss training options, noting that while some dogs may progress and re-test, many are not suited for service work.

The Academy of Canine Excellence is a locally owned family business in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with over a decade of experience training service and specialty dogs. They specialize in positive reinforcement and balanced lifestyle training, focusing on real-life scenarios. They work with all temperaments, ages, and breeds of dogs.

The academy trains a wide variety of service dogs to assist disabled individuals, including diabetic detection, anxiety response and alert, PTSD, mobility, light mobility, Autistic, Gluten and allergy detection, and dogs for depression or other psychiatric conditions. They also accept pet dogs for training, behavior modification cases, and puppy preschool bookings, offering AKC Evaluations and other specialty training services.

Their Tramway Training Center features a large room layout with an open lobby for clients. The center also includes a training shop that sells training tools, treats, pet health care and wellness supplies, bones/chews, and toys. The Academy partners with Service Dogs of New Mexico. They also have their own program dogs that assist in training and offer a “Raise A Service Puppy!” program for foster raisers.

Accomplishments

The Academy of Canine Excellence has been training service and specialty dogs for over a decade and prides itself on maintaining the most current certifications and effective training techniques. Their program dogs, such as Oreo (Multi Purpose Service Dog, cancer detection, assists in training), Doc (Mobility Service Dog, pioneered demo work), Orion (Mobility/Anxiety Service Dog, stud), Axel (Psychiatric Service Dog, from veteran K9 and Border Patrol lineage), and Eevee (Hearing/Mobility Service Dog, AKC German Shepherd, granddaughter of Lewchenka Franka vom Phenom), demonstrate their training capabilities.

Other notable program dogs include Echo (Multi-Purpose Training, medical detection), Kelpie (Psychiatric Service Dog, impressive hip score and clear DNA panel), Selkie (Medical Alert Service Dog, from a long line of service dogs), Buddy (Autism Service Dog, working service dog with health testing), and Kermit V (Psychiatric Scent Service Dog, show quality confirmation). Additionally, Rebel and Ellie are recognized for pioneering canine cancer detection by scent alone.

How to Get Started!

To begin, clients must fill out an online application and submit a $50 processing fee. After the application is received, a staff member will contact the applicant for a phone interview, which typically takes 1 to 3 weeks to schedule. Following the phone interview and a dog evaluation (if applicable), the final step is an orientation class, which must be completed by all teams before dog placement and training begins. Pre-paying $75 for this class can expedite the application process.

All new clients, including pet dogs, must complete a behavioral evaluation before enrolling in any classes or programs. For service dog applicants who already own a dog, submitting the application will lead to a trainer contacting them for an evaluation of their pet. It is advised that individuals without a dog should not purchase one for service work without prior consultation.