Also known as "Ruff" Yoga, this new American craze may well prove that a dog's life isn't all that bad even though his owner's might be. More and more, owners are taking their dogs to yoga classes and a chain of gyms has actually started offering yoga classes specifically for dogs. The trend is quickly catching on, but started at “Crunch” in New York City, where absolutely anything can happen.
During a recent session held at Madison Square Park, the class attracted nearly twenty people and their pets (that's one hundred and twenty legs and forty minds on the rocky path to enlightenment). In these classes, owners read “pooch stories” to their pets, give them big and sometimes very wet kisses and placed them (or at least try to place them) into yoga positions so that the dogs could concentrate, which is supposed to make the walk in the park easier for both pets and their owners.
How Do You Do It and How Do You Know You Have Done It Correctly?
First of all, this should not be attempted unless you have thirty pure, uninterrupted minutes to devote to getting your pet to appreciate Downward Facing Dog and other asanas (poses).
Secondly, remember that when performing yoga doggie style, the muscles you flex will not only be your own but also some of those you might not have expected; namely those controlling your mouth and eyes.
You mustn't forget to refer to your pet respectfully as “yogi,” which is the new and very proper term for a dog engaged in ruff yoga. He may not call you back, but that can't be your problem. (You obviously have many others or you wouldn't be attempting this in the first place.)
The Benefits of Doga Yoga
The reduction of stress for both owners and animals. According to most animal behaviorists, people who have stressful and nutty animals are usually stressful and a bit nutty themselves. Break the cycle.
A happier, healthier human-dog bond. This way everyone can go to the dogs and end up in the same place at the same time.
Benefits for dogs can only be physical as it's difficult to teach mindfulness to an animal who doesn't understand English. Who knows what the future will bring? After all, who ever would have expected this?
Go and evolve.
