Yoga is one of the best things you can do for your body, mind, and soul. It’s a spiritual and fitness pastime that has been around for centuries, proven to help with depression, addiction, and even pain. There are many different styles and trends that have been developed and taught over time. One of the newest trends increasing in popularity is doga – yoga WITH your dog!
Doga keeps many of the traditional, yet modified poses and incorporates your dog in with them. The practice focuses on gentle stretching, meditation, and dog massage.
Physical Benefits
Doga can be a good way to build muscle and lose fat if you practice regularly. Dog’s normally like to stretch naturally by instinct, which helps them to improve their range of motion and their flexibility. Doga can also be beneficial to dogs that have hip dysplasia or similar pain issues that occur with aging.
Injured dogs (check with your veterinarian) can also benefit from Doga and the gentle stretching by rebuilding strength. Doga should never be forced on a dog and owners should be mindful to listen to their dogs body language. paying attention to any pulling away or freezing type behaviors, if these messages are being sent, it’s time to stop and just try again another time or try a different pose or posture that you know your dog is more comfortable with gradually building up to new poses or stretches.
Socialization
A doga class is a great way to meet new people with the same interests as you! What a great way to socialize with people and dogs in a soothing and controlled environment. Doga can be especially helpful for shy pups who need more socialization or exposure to the new scents and sounds. The aroma of the oils and calming music is perfect for introducing a dog to the sight and sounds of other dogs and people.
Laughter
We haven’t had one Doga class yet where we didn’t have a lot of laughs! We’re finding our calm yet giggling throughout the class. Who couldn’t use a little joy in their life?
Bonding
Yoga brings consciousness to each movement in each moment. Bringing together a variety of poses and moving from one pose to another using your breath and hand signals with your dog, creates symmetry in your communication, like never before. The bond these movements create is one of a kind. Yoga is a breath-initiated practice that connects every action of our life with the intention of moving towards what is sacred, or most important to us. What could be better than taking this relaxation opportunity and pairing it with our dogs?
Seek Calm Together
No two classes are ever alike, just as we are all unique – dogs are quite different! The yoga practice itself recognizes the temporary nature of things. We enter into a posture, we’re there for a moment and then leave. There are moments of stillness, and then a break with a given release cue. These motions begin the process of teaching your dog how to seek calm with you.
Dogs may not be able to do the normal yoga poses other than the downward dog, but they really enjoy the stretching aspect of Doga! Paired with the massage, the clear communication from you, and the soothing energy in the room, this class makes for a one-of-a-kind bonding experience for you and your pup that you can practice in class and at home for years to come!
Join us for our next Doga class. Learn more here!
About Wag n Tails Seminars
We offer seminars on a variety of topics from basic obedience to understanding how your dog learns and responds to cues. We also discuss how to properly use positive reinforcement in dog training and how to be consistent with rewards.
Our seminars are interactive and informative with plenty of hands-on activities. We discuss different dog behaviors and how to structure training around them. We also talk about how to deal with specific issues such as dog nutrition, your dog’s body language, enrichment, treat retreat, barking, aggression, and much more!
Learn more here.
