Dog Yoga or Doga for Canines and People
Healthy Pets Exercise in Class with their Yoga Buddy
Nov 6, 2009
The ancient practice of yoga uniting the body with the mind has expanded to unite the household dog as part of the triad. Similar to yoga, the appeal is international.
Doga, Yoga for Dogs
This is a whole step beyond mere dog walking. Owner and dog share a mat and peacefulness. The dog’s legs and joints are stretched and massaged into positions. The poses seem to relax canine and human participants.
Most pet owners observe their pet dog or cat stretching alongside them in home practice on the mat. Some seem to mimic the human posture although surely some dog has felt the human is mimicking his down dog stretch.
The natural progression was to invite the well-behaved beloved pet to class. There the dog sits with his master. Before class, the dog may visit from mat to mat, just as his human counterpart does.
The dogs don’t simply lounge through class. Doga is a form of partner yoga. The dog may help flatten the pelvic arch in bridge by proper placement with assistance from the instructor. Depending on the size of the dog, she (or he) may be a prop to balance in triangle or a weight to press down and hold a bent thigh in position.
Benefits of Doga for Dog and BuddyBenefits of doga for both pup and human include:
- Quality time for owner and dog, different from dog walking since both share an interest.
- Atmosphere of unconditional love permeates the class.
- Props are unnecessary with a willing animal
- Encourages folk who might be hesitant to try a class alone to attend with their companion.
- Facial muscles are naturally relaxed into smile mode.
- Dogs get used to having their paws touched and manipulated, making later nail clipping or tick removal easier.
- Savasana is ideal at the end of class for both dog and master to relax and meditate.
New Yoga Field for Dog Products, Yoga Teachers
There is yet to be a teacher certification program but that is probably on its way. Accessories and other media are available for dogs who practice the art, such as:
- Dog gifts and accessories such as yoga mats and T-shirts for dogs doing doga are being created.
- Books and blogs about dogs doing yoga are written. Some titles include Bow-Wow Yoga by Gerry Greengrass, Barking Buddha by Brenda Bryon and Bev Sparks, and Doga: Yoga for Dogs by Jennifer Brilliant & William Berloni
- Dogyogablog.com-describes classes at the Seattle Washington, Human society.
- There is a DVD, yoga4dogs, for sale by private website.
- There are special dog products such doga mats and doga master T-shirts that can be found on dog clothing sites.
Find Doga Classes or Set up New Classes
New classes are popping up in all kinds of places, towns, and countries.
- Classes can be found in dog friendly cities across the US, London, Canada, and Japan. New classes are forming where ever dogs are household pets. Lululemon athletica sponsored a doga class in Canada. The Japan Dog Association holds classes at the Nippon Ayurveda School.
- Call local animal shelters, trainers, handlers, or groups can initiate a new class forming.
- Ask current yoga instructors who may be dog lovers if they might consider this class.
Classes range from $15 to $25 an hour depending on teacher and location. Dogs must be vaccinated and leash trained, with no history of biting. There are no medical restrictions for the humans. Nervous or private dogs may of course request private classes with their owners as suggested by the Nameste Yoga Studio in Tallahassee Florida.
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