Learn How to Animate a Dog Walk Cycle in Maya

Animating a quadruped at a walking pace is a fundamental skill for any aspiring animator. The key is capturing rhythm, balance, and accurate biomechanics so that the motion feels grounded and believable. By observing references and applying correct stride mechanics, you’ll build a realistic walk cycle from start to finish.

Guided by Jonathan Symmonds—Hollywood creature animator and co-founder of Sophoria Academy—you’ll learn how to build a production-quality dog walk cycle inside Maya. You’ll discover how to analyse references, refine curves, and control body mechanics to achieve natural quadruped animation.

Create Portfolio-Ready Quadruped Animations

By completing this course, you’ll produce a studio-quality dog walk cycle that demonstrates your ability to animate quadrupeds with weight and rhythm. This project is ideal for adding to your demo reel, impressing recruiters, or expanding your animation skillset for careers in VFX, animation, or game development.

Master the Art of Animal Animation

From capturing the stride of a walking dog to refining animation curves for smooth motion, you’ll gain the confidence to animate quadrupeds at any pace. The included dog rig, light rig, and final scene setup provide all the tools you need to practice and showcase your work at a professional level.

Course Information

• Course Duration: 3 hours 05 minutes
• This course can be taken at any time
• Category: Animation
• Course Cost: 49 USD
• Prerequisites: None
• Software required: Autodesk Maya 2019+
• Instructor: Jonathan Symmonds

• Animate a Dog Walk Cycle in Maya: Create a lifelike quadruped walk with accurate stride and rhythm.
• Work With Animation Curves: Refine motion and smooth splines for professional-quality results.
• Efficient Workflow: Follow a proven process from blocking to final polish.
• Dog Anatomy for Animators: Understand stride length, hip movement, and balance in walking dogs.
• Accessible for All Levels: No prerequisites required—perfect for beginners and intermediates alike.
• Learn From Industry Experts: Taught by Jonathan Symmonds, lead animator on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
• Enhance Your Demo Reel: Add a professional-quality dog walk cycle to showcase your animation skills.
• Exclusive Rig & Assets: Includes the dog rig, cached animation, scene setup, and lighting.
• Flexible Learning: Study at your own pace with pre-recorded lessons you can revisit anytime.