A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM with Dog Training Elite.
Dog Training Elite

Service Dog Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM

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Our Service Dog Training Could Help:
Veterans or civilians with PTSD, anxiety, or depression
Children or adults with autism
Individuals with epilepsy
(participating locations)
Advanced medical training (participating locations)

Dog Training Elite New Mexico

Service Dog Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service dog as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Disabilities include mental or physical impairments that affect an individual’s ability to perform one or more major life activities (walking, seeing, etc.).

Because service dogs play such a key role in the life of disabled individuals, they are protected by the law. Places of residence, employment, and commercial facilities cannot discriminate against disabled individuals with service animals. If you are wondering how to get a service dog, you can either purchase a fully trained dog or purchase a service puppy and train it.

With our service dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM, we ensure that your dog is trained to meet the specific needs of your disability, providing personalized support and empowering both dog and handler for long-term success.

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A man and his support service dog - learn more about our positive training methods at Dog Training Elite.

Our Positive Approach to Service Dog Training


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At Dog Training Elite, we believe that successful dog training requires dedication, patience, and balance. That’s why we are committed to using positive reinforcement techniques in all of our training programs.

Through balanced training, our team helps owners build trust with their dogs. This approach is especially important for service dog training because strong relationships and communication are essential for dogs to reliably assist their handler.

By focusing on encouragement rather than punishment, we created confident, well-behaved dogs that are eager to perform their best and impress their owners.

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You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Gus
    Apr. 8, 2026
    Kayla D was and is the most phenomenal trainer for my dog Ramon. Her expertise, patience, and genuine care has made every session engaging and effective. Ramon responds incredibly well to her guidance, and I’m thrilled to share that he is now service trained thanks to her exceptional coaching. The team of trainers, including both Kayla’s and Lacey, has been incredibly supportive and wonderful throughout our journey. Their combined knowledge, encouragement, and personalized approach created a training experience that was not only successful but also enjoyable. It has been a lot of fun working with them, and the positive energy they bring kept us motivated every step of the way. I wholeheartedly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone seeking top-tier training, thoughtful instruction, and a caring, talented team. If you’re looking for excellent results and a team that truly cares about you and your dog, this is the place.
  • Gina Padilla
    Apr. 6, 2026
    Sending a big shout out to Kayla Collins for her professionalism.. she's the best dog trainer anyone could ever ask for.. thank you! from your friends..Gina and Lucy
  • Laurel Wright
    Apr. 5, 2026
    Steve is a really good instructor! The dogs took to him right away and instructions easy to follow. The dogs caught on quickly and easy to follow through for the remainder of the week. Highly recommend this form of dog training.
  • Jacob Lucero
    Apr. 3, 2026
    Could not be happier with Dog Training Elite in Albuquerque. Our dog Xochi was very reactive which made it difficult for her to enjoy many activities with us including walking in public around other dogs, having friends over to our house. Kayla C came to work with us and Xochi, helping us teach Xochi commands but also teaching us how to respond to Xochi's reactivity. After even the first session Xochi showed improvement. Finally the ultimate test was when Kayla C brought her own dog Axl into our home, and though Xochi wasn't thrilled, she allowed him to exist in our home, even sit in HER chair! The group sessions are very helpful as well, each time Xochi goes, she shows improvement and learns that other dogs are not always so scary! Now Xochi's quality of life has greatly improved because she can be at ease around new people and dogs, and she now has pack leaders who are learning how to lead her. DTE NM, Kayla C and Lacy could not have done a better job.
  • Tania Nevarez
    Mar. 28, 2026
    Great trainers with a lot of experience.
  • Cass Jane
    Mar. 22, 2026
    The weekly training really helped calm our dog down around people. We actually see a difference from day 1 to the end of training and going on walks does not feel stressful anymore!
  • Megan Thomson
    Mar. 9, 2026
    This company has really helped my dog's and my own confidence through our path to seizure alert and response training! Obedience training has come in clutch!
  • MaryJayne Rogers Ph.D.
    Feb. 28, 2026
    We decided to have our dog in training to become a service dog. He was born very timid and really struggled around people, noises, and other dogs. We have been working with Kayla C. from DTE. She is awesome! She is very friendly and easy going. Plus, she has an amazing eye for the dogs psychology and body language. We passed our Public Access test today and really thank Kayla for all if her help!
  • Sarah Wright
    Feb. 22, 2026
    Very good experience! We used Dog Training Elite New Mexico when two of our three dogs started having issues getting along with each other. After multiple emergency vet visits, we felt like we were running out of options, but our trainer Kayla showed us how to create a manageable pack environment. The dog we put through the program has come a very long way thanks to Kayla's expertise, and we feel better equipped to keep the pack in order. I appreciated that Dog Training Elite New Mexico worked WITH us on the issues so we could learn along the way and loved that they gave us the flexibility to work with our schedule. The group classes are a huge perk and our experience with those trainers have also been very positive so far. They clearly love and understand dogs and are willing to put in the effort to help their clients. Would absolutely recommend!
  • Bryann-Rose Arnold
    Feb. 11, 2026
    This place is great! I have, or rather, had, a very reactive heeler. She would bark at everything and everyone. Snapping, nipping and if it weren’t for her muzzle maybe even biting. I did a consultation and the woman they sent out was great. Very friendly, understanding and overall very welcoming. My dog even stopped growling in her presence which I was amazed by. A few weeks later we had our first session with Kayla C. and she is now one of my favorite people! She has a great, warm personality. She did great with my dog and even now my heeler lets Kayla touch her. 8 weeks of one on one training with Kayla and I now feel SO comfortable taking my dog out in public. She had a dog get in her face the other day and she was unbothered by it. She’s had random people come up and have conversations with me, and now people are able to get closer than 20 ft. I’m so amazingly proud of the progress my dog has made and I’m grateful to Kayla for her help in guiding us through this. There was no judgment, just understanding. I definitely recommend this group of trainers.
  • John Yan
    Jan. 22, 2026
    Dog Training Elite New Mexico truly set the bar for what a supportive, professional, and passionate team looks like. From the very beginning, I was met with kindness, patience, and genuine support from Justin and Kayla. This wasn’t just a team, it felt like a family that truly cared about one another, the wonderful dogs, and every client who walked through the door. I’m deeply grateful for the trust they placed in me, the lessons they shared, and the countless moments of teamwork, laughter, and growth along the way. Being surrounded by people who lead with heart and purpose made the work so meaningful every single day. Thank you for the memories, the friendships, and the impact you’ve had on me. I’ll always be thankful for my time with Dog Training Elite New Mexico 🐾👋❤️
  • Pamela Schaefer
    Jan. 18, 2026
    We have been training our 18 month old German shepherd mix rescue and our 8 month old Golden Mountain Doodle during the past year. I cannot find the words to recommend Kayla highly enough. She is professional, kind, punctual, loving to our dogs and has done wonders training our dogs. She truly is the best!
  • Sarah
    Jan. 16, 2026
    Working with these teams has been a mind blowing experience! The knowledge Kayla D and Kayla C have when it comes to training is phenomenal. Both of them have brought Rico into a place I’d never have thought we could go. I’m incredibly thankful I found them and can’t wait to work some more with them
  • Megan Black
    Jan. 7, 2026
    I loved working with Dog Training Elite! Kayla was phenomenal with our boy Roan! I enjoyed every one-on-one session. Every single question I had, she answered and explained very well, in a way that helped make sense of different behaviors and cues dogs give. I also appreciated that they were very workable with our busy schedule, as we have four kids and another dog, so we are constantly on the go. I'm thankful that we got the package that we did so that way going forward we are able to forever go to group sessions, and continue our training with our boy. I feel like that will continually be so beneficial! If you're debating if you should work with Dog Training Elite, just go for it-you won't be disappointed!
  • Lacey A
    Jan. 3, 2026
    Kayla has been the best trainer I've ever worked with. She is incredibly knowledgeable and understood exactly how to approach every issue I ran into when training my pup Vader. At 8 months old Vader is the best dog I've ever had. All of that is thanks to Kayla and all the other trainers who have been there to teach me the best way to teach my dog. Since I dont have any other dogs to play with my VERY social puppy she would occasionally bring her dog so they could play after training if we had time. Which was also a great way for him to learn respectful playing. I will forever be thankful of her generosity. I look forward to working more with Kayla and the other trainers since Vader and I still have a long way to go for him to become an official service dog!
  • Tam Cobb
    Jan. 3, 2026
    Abby was a great trainer who helped me with my dog's reactivity and ensuring the basics were solid. She was easy to follow and results driven. DTE has a good stable of trainers including Kayla x 2 for group sessions and service dog training.
  • mckenize russell
    Dec. 18, 2025
    It was a pleasure working with Kayla. She helped me a great deal with my girl Tootsie and gave her and I the confidence and tools to continue to make a very scared pup into a great dog. Tootsie has already come so far from where we started and I couldn't be more excited about our future.
  • Roseanne Cheng
    Dec. 8, 2025
    Excellent results for our 2-year old Labrador Retriever! The training sessions were very accessible for us and we learned so much about our dog! We now appreciate how smart she is and how much she enjoys having a job to do! Our family is grateful for all of the support in training our dog!
  • Maria Felski
    Dec. 5, 2025
    Elite helped us gain control of our lives again! We came to Elite with our dog-reactive pitt, Athena. John helped us capitalize on Athena’s deep desire to please and, under his guidance, we made significant progress with her in our 5 weeks of classes. As an added plus - Athena loved John and had loads of fun. We still have a lot of work to do, but for the first time we feel hopeful and energized about our training journey. Money well spent!
  • Valerie Pacini
    Nov. 18, 2025
    Dog Training Elite Albuquerque was wonderful training me and my now service dog. The trainers helped me learn to be a good handler and teammate with my dog. All the trainers were patient, knowledgeable and compassionate with me and my dog. I especially value the fact that they understand that service dogs are still dogs who need love and kindness. Kayla brought fun and enthusiasm to our training sessions. The one on one sessions gave us time to focus on what my dog needed, and the group sessions helped Cooper practice being 'just a dog', hanging out in the park with other babies and their people. I highly recommend DTE for all canine training needs. Another important reason I love DTE: I had approached other service dog programs to train my Cooper, but they said that he was "too old" for that. (He was 7 and 8 when I asked). Dog Training Elite didn't automatically turn him down. They considered his breed (Sheltie) and its longer life span and they assessed his demeanor and temperament (he's calm, patient and attached to me the way a service dog needs to be) for suitability as a service dog. DTE said he was "halfway there on his own" and seemed to be a good candidate to train and refine skills as a service dog. Guess you can teach an "old" dog new tricks after all--if you have the right trainers.
A Dog Training Elite New Mexico owner smiling with his dog in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico

Is a Service Dog The Same As a Therapy Dog?

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Many types of working dogs increase the quality of life for their handlers. The three main categories of working dogs are service animal, therapy animal, and emotional support animal. Each category covers different areas of support and different levels of protection under the law.

  1. Service Animal

    As mentioned above, service animals assist individuals with disabilities. Depending on the person’s needs, the service animal learns how to perform certain tasks. Guide dogs, for example, help blind individuals safely navigate their environment. Seizure response dogs respond to their handlers when the individual is having a seizure. Service animals are highly trained and specialized, and they are also offered the most protection under the law compared to therapy or emotional support animals.

    Dogs are not the only kinds of service animals - miniature horses are often trained to support individuals with disabilities!

  2. Therapy Animal

    Therapy dogs provide comfort and improve the mental well-being of individuals in hospitals, hospice care, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, and more. These dogs must have a friendly, calm demeanor and be comfortable when handled by strangers.

    Therapy dogs are not trained to perform specific tasks, but they must be obedient and well-mannered. Therapy animals are permitted in some areas where pets are not, but they have fewer protections than service animals. All therapy dogs must be certified before they can offer their services to the community.

  3. Emotional Support Animal

    Emotional support dogs relieve loneliness, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms of mental health disorders. They provide comfort to their handlers, but they are not trained to perform specific tasks. Most emotional support animals are sensitive to the emotional changes of their handler and will remain close by at all times. Emotional support animals are not protected by the ADA, but residential buildings must permit emotional support animals.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico

What Can Service Dogs Do?

Service dogs are crucial in assisting individuals with various disabilities and conditions, providing them with support, independence, and companionship. These highly trained dogs can perform specific tasks tailored to the needs of their handlers. Learn about breeds that make great service dogs, who can benefit from a service dog and the training that will help these pups meet their handler's needs.

Service dogs are a great help to disabled individuals thanks to their incredible ability to perform highly specialized tasks, like opening doors, switching lights on and off, assisting with balance and stability, guiding, pulling wheelchairs, answering phones and making calls, finding objects or places, unloading and loading items, clearing rooms, finding help, and many more. Service dogs improve the lives of disabled individuals by increasing their autonomy.
Individuals with certain diseases and disorders can benefit from a highly trained service dog. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and they can detect the chemical changes associated with oncoming seizures and increases in blood pressure. Alert service dogs alert their handler to these situations to prevent a life-threatening emergency. Alert dogs also help those with extreme allergies detect potential allergens in food.
Disabled or epileptic individuals are more prone to emergencies than the average person. Service dogs are trained to alert their handler to a potential emergency, and alert surrounding individuals to an active emergency. Service dogs can also call for help on pre-programmed phones.

Additional Service Training Info

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - PTSD Service Dog Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM, Dog Training Elite is here to help. Our service dogs are trained to assist with symptoms such as anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and panic attacks, providing grounding emotional support.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM helps individuals with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. We'll help train your dog to mitigate symptoms by offering emotional grounding and support during stressful situations.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Autism Support Dog Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM

Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. Our compassionate trainers work closely with your family and dog throughout the entire process, ensuring your pup is fully prepared to provide comfort, safety, and companionship.

A service dog at a ball game with their owner - get professional Albuquerque / Santa Fe service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico

Service Dogs for Anxiety, PTSD, and Autism

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Service dogs trained to assist handlers with severe anxiety or depression perform specific tasks that reduce the potential for panic attacks or self-harm attempts. Such tasks include deep-pressure therapy, tactile stimulation, alerting, clearing rooms, blocking strangers from approaching, and more. Service dogs trained to assist those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have greatly improved the lives of many veterans.

Service dogs also make a big impact on the lives of children with autism. Children with autism are often prone to meltdowns, have trouble communicating, and are quick to run off or become easily lost. Service dogs prevent and mediate all of these behaviors to provide a higher quality of life for children with autism and their families.

As autism is a spectrum disorder, each child has varying needs of assistance. Autism service dogs perform the following tasks:

  • Tracking: Children with autism often wander away, and a parent’s worst fear is turning their back for just a moment and discovering their child is gone. Autism service dogs will track the child if this ever happens.
  • Tethering: This task minimizes wandering, which is common in public settings. The child is tethered to the service dog’s leash or harness, preventing him or her from wandering away.
  • Behavior Interruption: Repetitive and ritualistic behaviors are typical of autistic children, as are meltdowns when the child becomes overstimulated. Autism service dogs recognize these negative behaviors and redirect the child’s attention when they start. A simple paw or nudge is all it takes to prevent a meltdown.
A service puppy waiting for their owner - Dog Training Elite New Mexico.

How Do I Get a Service Dog?

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If you are wondering how to get a service dog, there are a couple of different approaches. Some service dogs are purchased outright, fully trained. Or a compatible dog is selected and trained from an early age. Training a dog from the start is the best option, especially for those with specialized needs.

Training a dog to perform service responsibilities must start from day one. Only certain breeds are suited to service work, and breeders put a lot of time into raising puppies to be service animals. Once you have purchased a service puppy, additional training is necessary to prepare your puppy for life as a service dog. This is a complicated process that involves various steps. Dog Training Elite makes getting a service dog easier with our service dog training program.

Our talented trainers can help select puppies that are prepared for a life of service from well-respected breeders. When these puppies enter the service dog training program they are closely monitored for behavior and temperament and can be fully obedience trained by the age of six months. These puppies undergo extensive socialization and additional training to ensure they are well-suited for service and therapy needs including specialized service training alongside the new handler.

This program is ideal for handlers who want to take part in the developmental years and extensive training of their service puppy.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite New Mexico.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

A trainer, a man and his service dog - find the best service dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Albuquerque / Santa Fe Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through Albuquerque / Santa Fe service dog training. Our proven, balanced training methods help create highly skilled, dependable service dogs that are both obedient and loyal to their handlers.

From mobility support and physical assistance to emotional well-being and more, Dog Training Elite is committed to providing personalized, high-quality training that makes a lasting impact.

Choose Dog Training Elite New Mexico and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.