after-school & summer programs

Assistance Dogs of the West delivers the School Assistance Dog Program, an educational/ vocational program designed to enhance the lives and opportunities for mainstream and at-risk students in New Mexico. This is accomplished through contact with and responsibility for the care and training of assistance dogs and provides highly requested service dogs for people with disabilities in our community.

In these classes, students have the chance to learn to learn some very important and useful skills for leadership in working with dogs. Here’s a short list of what students can expect to get from this course:

• Dog/Human Relationships - Consistency Builds Trust
• Basic Obedience Training - Use Positive Rewards
• Dog Behavior in Public - Dog Socialization
• Basic Commands for Assistance Dogs
• Differing Ability Awareness Training - Learn About Our Clients
• Building Loving Relationships and Letting Go - Emotional Growth
• Community Service - How We Help Others

Five Constituencies Served:

Main stream elementary, middle and high school students are taught to train assistance dogs for with people with disabilities, along with lessons in leadership, disabilities awareness, responsibility and community service.

At risk student trainers (after school and Juvenile Detention Centers) are taught life skills, behavioral health content and to train assistance dogs for with people with disabilities.

Youth and Adult student trainers with developmental disabilities advance vocational and occupational therapy goals as they are taught to train and place assistance dogs for with people with disabilities.

Much needed assistance dogs are placed with people with disabilities in our community, providing them the means to live more fulfilled and independent lives.

Assistance dogs contribute supportive, viable service to a variety of student groups and to people with disabilities in modern society, along with unconditionally accepting relationships.

Assistance Dogs of the West provides instructor/trainers trained to bring these program to institutions and facilities throughout our community. These instructor/trainers share the concepts and curriculum with local schools and agencies. The ADW School Assistance Dog Program has a proven track record of working successfully with students, improving behaviors, skills and attitudes.

The after-school and summer training programs are available to any child in the community. After school sessions begin in January and September of each year, and Summer Sessions are held in June and July. Enrollment is limited to ten students per class.

Please call the ADW office (505) 986-9748 for more information.  Registration forms for the programs can be found here.