The American Kennel Club (AKC) is proud to announce the recipients and Honorable Mentions for the 2006 Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE). Established in 2000, ACE has become a valuable public-outreach program for the AKC as well as a source of pride among the fancy and the dog community.

    A photograph and story about the recipients in each of the five categories; Exemplary Companion, Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Service, and Therapy are shown below along with photos of this year's Honorable Mentions. The five recipients will receive their engraved silver collar medallions and $1,000 cash awards at a presentation ceremony at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California, on December 2-3, 2006. A local presentation will also be held for each recipient at an AKC dog show near their hometown. This information will be posted on our Web site when it becomes available.

    Presenting the 2006 Honorees for Awards for Canine Excellence

    Service Dog: Aspen

    Labrador Retriever

    Owner: Katherine R. Huggins of Enid, Oklahoma

    Aspen, an 11 year old yellow Labrador Retriever, has been Katherine Huggins' constant partner since puppyhood. Katherine, suffering from Cerebral Palsy, chronic pain and seizures, purchased Aspen with the intention of training her as a service dog. At 6 months of age, she revealed that she was able to predict Katherine's seizures up to 30 minutes in advance, thus enabling Katherine to regain control of her life.

    Working as a team, Katherine and Aspen have set no boundaries. Katherine is a Public Fire & Life Safety Educator, teaching safety and rescue procedures to rescuers and fire departments. The team provides demos for rope and water rescues, teaching valuable lessons to rookies and seasoned firefighters alike. "Aspen helped me realize that my disability doesn't define me. I define myself by my abilities," says Katherine.

    In 2000 Aspen won the Delta Society Beyond Limits Award as Central Region Service Dog of the Year. Aspen's achievements have inspired Katherine to share her training methods with countless others, including 130 veterinary referrals. Katherine has decided to start a service dog training center in Enid, Oklahoma, which she hopes will train and match service dogs with disabled children ages 10-18.

    At 11 years of age, Aspen has lost her vision, but not her trust in Katherine. Just as Aspen adjusted to her owner's disabilities, Katherine now works to ensure that Aspen maintains the same quality of life. The bond of trust they share is indestructible and gets them through the trials they face each and every day.

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