Luke Hura is the country’s leading film, television and theatre dog trainer. The Groodles (Golden Retriever and Poodle cross-breeds) under his care, Bodhi and Sandy, will share the role of Annie’s loyal companion in the musical of the same name that will open in Sydney’s Capitol Theatre on 27 March 2025.
As well as this pawsome duo, Hura has trained Koko, the star of the film Red Dog, as well as Buddy, who played Sandy for a previous production of Annie in 2012. Hura has been tasked with training the dogs to perform a variety of tricks “set to script”, as well as teaching the future actresses who will play Annie, how to work with the dogs to ensure they perform correctly and don’t misbehave on stage.
What qualifications/training did you need for this job and how long have you personally been doing this?
I’ve been doing this too long! When I first started there were no qualifications. I often say I wrote the rule book as I’ve been training dogs or over 40 years in the film industry. My first theatre play was Oliver Twist in 1984 with Geraldine Turner as Nancy and Gary McDonald as Fagin and I trained a bull terrier who featured in the show. Then I got lured into TV and film and didn’t come back to theatre until 2012 for Annie.
If you were interviewing someone for this job what would you look for?
Personality and attitude. I need to see them with their own dog and what their dog is like, as that’s a good indication as well as track record as to what they’ve done prior. It can be a complex and overwhelming job for someone who hasn’t experienced doing something like this.
Can you tell us what an average day or week looks like wrangling dogs for the arts?
It’s a full-time gig. I spend hours and hours with the dogs I’m working with, so I know them really well and their capabilities. Every day I always take them out for a run, then they come in and some have brekky and some don’t. Then I spend time training/rehearsing parts of the training that will benefit the project that we’re working on together. All my dogs need to be socialised really well, so a lot of the time is spent going to cafés and exposing them to the public, so they’re used to working with people, including kids, in rehearsal/stage mode.
In the evening, when I’m doing the dishes or cooking dinner I have the speakers on quite loud with music to acclimatise the dogs to the loud sounds that they’ll be exposed to on stage. Normally, I’m training/working with three to four dogs on various projects. At the moment I’m just working with my three dogs for Annie and one of them plays Trevor in Neighbours, which is ongoing.
What are some of the misconceptions about doing this job?
I think people worry that the dogs don’t enjoy it. I’ve done four musicals now (Oliver!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Annie, The Wizard of Oz) and I can confidently say that if the dogs weren’t enjoying it they definitely would not do the job. If a dog doesn’t like it, they’ll just run off stage and not come back. But the dogs absolutely love doing the shows.
What are the best/worse things about doing this job?
Best thing is that I love the response from the audience and their appreciation of when the dog does something really funny. The energy and the crowd’s reactions to seeing dogs on stage. And also some of the comments that people make afterwards about not believing the dogs can do that on stage. Worst is trying to leave the theatre before the crowds come the stage door (especially after two shows) wanting selfies and pats with the dogs and we’re all exhausted and just need to go home!
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Any funny anecdotes you’d like to share?
When I did The Wizard of Oz, Trouble (one of the dogs who played Toto) developed his own take on the role. Right at the very end of the show, he’d need to lie on the bed and watch Dorothy go to the cupboard to get the shoes. Nine times of 10 he would do his own shake (not trained) and lie down on the bed and just watch her. It was remarkable to watch.
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When I did the first run of Annie with Buddy, there’s a part right towards the very end where there’s a big box when the dog has to go into the box. Buddy was a very serious actor; a couple of times I’d be talking to someone and a bit distracted off the side of stage and if I wasn’t primed to give him his cue as the music started, he’d come to the side of the stage and try drag me onto the stage to go into the box. He knew he needed to be in that box!
