Animal Welfare

At Pawsome Yoga, the health, happiness and welfare of every puppy attending our sessions is our highest priority.

We understand that people care deeply about the well-being of animals, and we welcome questions about how our sessions are run. We are committed to maintaining high welfare standards and ensuring every puppy has a safe, positive and enjoyable experience.

Licensing and Legal Position

We are familiar with the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and have taken professional advice regarding our activities.

Pawsome Yoga does not own the puppies attending sessions, nor do we engage in their training or exhibition as defined within Schedule 1 of the Regulations. Based on current guidance and legal advice, our activities do not presently require an animal activities licence.

Should legislation or official guidance change in the future, we will review our practices and take any necessary steps to remain fully compliant.

Working With Responsible Puppy Owners

We work exclusively with responsible puppy owners who provide detailed information about their litters before attending sessions.

Puppies typically attend between eight and twelve weeks of age, shortly before moving to their permanent homes. Attendance is carefully considered based on breed, temperament and individual needs. Sessions are discussed extensively with owners beforehand,d and puppies generally attend no more than two sessions in a day, with breaks between classes. Under no circumstances do puppies participate in more than three sessions.

Puppies are never expected to interact continuously. They are free to sleep, play, rest, explore or engage with participants entirely on their own terms.

Comfortable beds, pens, blankets and familiar bedding carrying scents from home are always available, allowing puppies to relax whenever they choose.

Supporting Puppy Development

Early socialisation plays an important role in helping puppies develop confidence and adapt to new environments.

Our sessions are designed to replicate many aspects of a typical family home, including gentle background music, natural daylight, everyday household sounds and calm interactions with people.

Puppy owners regularly tell us that attending sessions has helped improve their puppies’ confidence and assisted with the transition into their forever homes. We are fortunate to receive updates, photographs and videos showing many former attendees thriving with their new families.

Health and Hygiene

Puppies attending sessions have received at least their first vaccination.

Studios are thoroughly cleaned before and after every event using veterinary-approved disinfectants, including products effective against canine diseases such as parvovirus.

Fresh drinking water is available at all times, and feeding schedules are never disrupted. Puppies are provided with toys, bedding and comfortable resting areas throughout their visit.

Guests are asked to remove outdoor footwear and coats before entering the studio, wash their hands and avoid wearing clothing that has had significant recent contact with other dogs.

Only pet-safe cleaning products are used during sessions.

Responsible Handling

All attendees receive a Puppy Welfare and Handling Guide by email approximately 48 hours before their class.

This explains how to interact with puppies respectfully, including allowing puppies to approach voluntarily, supporting them correctly when held and recognising signs that they wish to rest.

Printed copies are also available on the day, and guests are asked to confirm that they have read and understood the guidance.

Members of the Pawsome Yoga team remain present throughout every session and will intervene if necessary to ensure puppies are handled appropriately.

Calm and Comfortable Sessions

Pawsome Yoga sessions are first and foremost yoga classes.

Participants spend most of the session practising yoga while puppies explore the space naturally around them. Music is kept at a low volume, comparable to the volume of a television or radio in a family home, and is selected specifically to create a calm atmosphere.

Sessions take place during daylight hours with access to fresh air and natural lighting wherever possible.

Some sessions may include the puppies’ mother, depending on the owner’s wishes.

Rescue Dogs and Charity Support

Pawsome Yoga is proud to support rescue organisations and charitable causes.

Alongside puppy sessions, we have hosted events featuring rescue dogs of various ages and breeds to raise awareness, encourage adoption, and generate funds for rescue centres. All proceeds from these events are donated back to the organisations involved.

We have also supported animal welfare and mental health charities, including Dogs Trust, Papyrus and several local rescue centres.

Our Commitment

Animal welfare is at the heart of everything we do.

We carefully select the puppy owners we work with, maintain high hygiene standards, supervise every interaction and continually review our procedures to ensure they reflect current best practice.

Our aim is simple: to provide a safe, enriching and enjoyable experience for puppies during an important stage of their development while giving people an opportunity to enjoy yoga in a calm and welcoming environment.

If you have any questions about our welfare procedures, please feel free to contact us. We are always happy to discuss how we prioritise the well-being of every puppy that attends Pawsome Yoga.