Local service dogs train at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
By Mesha Begay
Published on April 11, 2026.
The Academy of Canine Excellence in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has trained service dogs and their handlers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for a real-world training experience. The trip included eight service dogs, 16 handlers, and allowed the dogs to practice navigating large crowds, tight spaces, loud environments and long travel days. The academy, which specializes in training dogs for various types of needs, included autism support, seizure response, diabetes alerts, PTSD, anxiety and more. The owner, Briaun Prichard, stated that the trip served a larger purpose as it showed that people with disabilities can still achieve big things. The Academy aims to plan at least two trips like this each year to further enhance their service dog training.
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Local service dogs train at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
The Academy of Canine Excellence, based in Albuquerque, trained service dogs for various needs at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, emphasizing real-world training for disabled individuals.