In 1975, a Labrador called ‘Rusty’ was the catalyst for Luke Hura’s love affair with animal training. The acclaimed trainer became a professional four years later when he began hundreds of dogs with various temperaments ranging from aggressive, neurotic, shy and badly abused dogs for clients. 

Coinciding with the era of films including Lassie and Benji, Luke aspired to venture into the world of canine movie stars, and this was realised in 1981, with his first TV opportunity for a commercial. Since then, he has trained dogs, as well as many other animals, for thousands of TV commercials, films, TV-series, short films, musicals and theatre productions.

Boasting a portfolio spanning three-decades, with iconic productions including Neighbours, Red Dog, Oddball, Sons & Daughters, Prisoner, Flying Doctors, Blue Heelers, Annie, Oliver Twist, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and currently ‘Toto’ in the Australian Wizard of Oz Musical, there is no denying that Luke’s expansive experience esteems him as one of the most experienced in his field.

Luke is renowned for his unique style of animal training connecting to their mind and energy through his use of meditation. Through this process he is able to feel what the dog is feeling and become their most trusted personal coach, mentor and their battery of positive energy.

Because filming and a busy schedule with live theatre isn’t enough, Luke’s desire to impart his knowledge for others to learn from has inspired him to put pen to paper in the form of his first book. With a focus on his unique work experiences, highlights and animal training stories, this will present a huge resource to animal lovers globally.