Downward dog with Smart Pups

02 Jun Downward dog with Smart Pups

Four cute Smart Pups showed off their stretching ability and finely tuned downward dog skills at a Stretch and Fetch yoga fundraiser at Mudjimba on Sunday, 29 May.
Eight-week-old pups Tula, Tully, Lynchy and Trapper joined yoga instructor Celia for a relaxing Sunday morning yoga session, while five-month-old Golden Retriever Priscilla greeted yoga enthusiasts at the door.
“At eight weeks old, these puppies like to sleep a lot so they’re very skilled at the shavasana pose, and they do the downward dog on the way to laying down’,” said event organiser Rebecca Thomas, a Puppy Development Trainer at Smart Pups.
Rebecca said 100% of proceeds raised would be donated to Smart Pups. Each puppy takes around 12 to 14 months to become a fully trained assistance dog, which costs around $30,000.
Since 2011, the Sunshine Coast-based charity has provided 280 assistance dogs to children with special needs. Smart Pups trains autism service dogs, seizure response dogs and multi-purpose assistance dogs to help children with day-to-day routines, activities and events.
Not only is the event an opportunity for the general public to meet, pat and interact with a Smart Pup, it’s also a vital part of the puppies’ training.
“This is a great way for the puppies to meet people and improve their socialisation skills,” Rebecca said.
“Sunday was our first Stretch and Fetch session, but it won’t be the last. It’s proving very popular so we will organise another one later in the year.
“We also had information on our fostering program available on the day for people who were interested in fostering a Smart Pup part-time or full-time, plus we had plush puppies for sale too.”
To book in for the next session, keep an eye the Smart Pups Facebook page for details.