Our Animal Welfare Standards | Yoga Paws
Animal welfare sits at the heart of everything we do at Yoga Paws. We understand that puppy yoga can raise genuine welfare concerns when puppies are poorly sourced, overhandled or not given enough rest. That is why every decision, from the breeders and carers we work with to the way each session is structured, is guided by the puppies’ wellbeing. Our approach is grounded in the internationally recognised Five Freedoms and Five Domains, helping us create calm, enriching and carefully managed sessions in which every puppy feels safe, comfortable and supported.
Prepared by the Yoga Paws co-founders and reviewed regularly as our animal welfare practices evolve.
Some Of Yoga Paws' Animal
Welfare Partners
Trusted By The Best
Ethical Partnerships | Where Our Puppies Come From
Ethical Breeders
We work only with carefully vetted breeders who meet our standards for animal health, welfare and responsible breeding. Registration with a recognised national or breed organisation, where applicable, forms part of our assessment but is never treated as proof of responsible breeding on its own. We also review each breeder’s animal care, living conditions, health testing, socialisation practices and wider reputation before working with them. Each event features one familiar group of vaccinated puppies from the same breeder or carer, helping to minimise stress and support calm, positive socialisation.
Rescues & Shelters
We are proud to work with reputable rescue organisations and animal shelters through carefully planned events and fundraising partnerships. These collaborations provide calm, supervised opportunities for positive socialisation while raising valuable funds and awareness for adoption, animal welfare and responsible guardianship.
The Puppy Experience
Our sessions are designed around each puppy’s individual needs and natural behaviours. If they want to play, they play. If they want to rest, they rest. Each puppy sets their own pace, and our role is simply to create a calm, low-stress environment that supports comfort and wellbeing.
Studios are temperature-controlled, hygienically maintained with veterinary-grade F10, and equipped with soft mats, age-appropriate toys and constant access to fresh water. All participant belongings, including shoes, are left outside the studio, and everyone must sanitise their hands upon entry.
Between sessions, puppies enjoy dedicated 60-minute rest periods in their own quiet space. This is fitted with a cosy bed, toys, fresh water, blankets, puppy pads or grass, and a comfortable puppy pen.
Each session is supervised by trained event staff whose sole responsibility is monitoring the puppies. They continuously watch their body language for signs such as withdrawal, lip-licking, avoidance, fatigue or overstimulation and step in immediately when needed.
Puppies attend Yoga Paws sessions for socialisation, enrichment and positive exposure only. Our events are not sales environments, and we do not support or permit puppy sales during our classes. We believe decisions about pet ownership should be made thoughtfully and responsibly, away from the excitement and emotion of an event.
“Working with Yogapaws paws was professional and seamless. We had wanted our puppies to try something different and we had seen Yogapaws on social media. We transported our puppies into the city and were met by staff who assisted in making them comfortable.
The yoga area was clean and warm. The puppies were able to have a play and had their own separate space with clean bedding, water and toys. The sessions commenced and the puppies enjoyed the many pats and cuddles.
The area was then cleaned down and lights dimmed and puppies could sleep and have quiet time. The puppies enjoyed their experience interacting with the big world that awaits them.”
SAPAGOLD Golden Retrievers
ANKC Registered Breeder
Our Standards in Action | Five Freedoms & Domains
The Five Freedoms and Five Domains are the gold standard of animal welfare in Australia. Fun fact, we have actually built our operations off the back of them.
🐾 Hunger and Thirst / Nutrition - Puppies have constant access to fresh water and are fed according to the instructions of their breeder, carer or rescue partner.
🐾 Comfort / Environment - Our studios are spacious, climate-controlled and equipped with clean mats, suitable toys, comfortable bedding and quiet spaces where puppies can rest undisturbed.
🐾 Health - Only healthy, age-appropriate puppies that meet our vaccination requirements may attend. Before every session, the studio, mats, toys and puppy areas are sanitised using veterinary-grade F10. Guests sanitise their hands on entry, while shoes and personal belongings remain outside the puppy area.
🐾 Natural Behaviour / Behaviour - Puppies are free to explore, play, zoom, stay together or rest whenever they choose. Natural behaviour is encouraged, and interaction is never forced.
🐾 Freedom from Fear and Distress / Mental State - Sessions are calm, structured and closely supervised to keep stimulation at a comfortable level. Our team continuously monitors every puppy’s body language and immediately steps in if we notice signs of stress, tiredness or overstimulation.