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Learn Yoga with Your Dog and Be Flexible.

 

Do Yoga with your Dog

  

Doggie Yoga is catching on, with dogs and humans attending classes combined to take advantage of the benefits of yoga exercises.

 

I started practicing yoga about seven years ago after a diagnosis that led me to learn about holistic health regimes.  I still do yoga today and when I experienced the many benefits I started my puppy on it also.

 

Today you can find yoga lessons on TV, CD’s books, and videos and can practice in the privacy of your own home.   You start out the morning with about 20 minutes of yoga on the floor and you can include your dog.   Be aware that your dog may hog your yoga mat so get one for them also.  Play some soothing music and close off noises, turn off the phone and relax happily with your dog to prepare for your session.

 

While its raining outside or as in colder winter areas it is not always easy to get your dog out for a walk.  Why not include Fido in your yoga exercises and have some fun at the same time. 

Laughing yoga is also on particular practice I especially like, you can ease a lot of stress with laughter.  This indoor yoga training will not of course take the place of a good long walk but it will strengthen your dog’s immunity to diseases.

 

Benefits of Yoga:

 

1)     Relieves stress and induces relaxation.

2)     Increases your flexibility even if you or your dog has arthritis.

3)     Helps depression, memory and lifts your spirit.

4)     Reduces high blood pressure and helps heart disease.

5)     Yoga may help people with cancer and aids in a good sleep.

 

Always start out with a good stretch and put your dog lying on its side on the floor preferably on a yoga mat or a towel.  Stretch your dogs front paws and you will find your dog will do the stretches all on its own.  Stretch out the back legs and rub your dog’s back.  All dogs love a good back rub and do some gentle massage to encourage circulation for about five minutes.  Roll your shoulders and arms before your start and do some leg and arm stretches to warm up.

 

Hatha Yoga

 

Yoga of this type has several versions depending on your preference but it includes poses and breathing.  Poses are easy for dogs to be training to duplicate as you do them, they can be encouraged to mimic your poses. Take deep and slow breaths out and in as you watch your dog relax it will breathe slower also.

     

In This picture Chantale Anderson illustrates the Downward Dog pose.

 

Downward Dog:

 

This pose is so good for your dog and it is very easy to do.  Get down on your hands and knees with feet on the floor lower the front part of your body while still on your hands lift your head to the ceiling and lower the back part of your body to the floor.  Now pull up on the back legs of your dog so that they are in the position shown in the photo. Hold this pose for a minute or two and repeat often.

 

When I first did this my dog imitated my moves and she started crawling on her elbows across the floor to me.  As a puppy I said to her “downward dog” and she got it pretty well down pat the first few weeks I brought her home.

 

If you balance your self on one foot and see how long you can stand on it this will tell you how out of balance you really are –that is your body is out of balance.

 

The Human Society in the Seattle area has classes that are very busy teaching dogs like Beans, Leilani and Gus traditional dog poses especially downward facing dog.

 

Written By:  Teri Salvador

 

Tags:  Yoga for dogs, Doggie Yoga, Yoga classes with dogs, dogs, cats,