🐾 Doga Day: 5 Yoga Poses You Can Do With Your Dog

Today, Freedom and I rolled out the mat for another part of our September workout journey —

Doga

And yes, I mean yoga with your dog. 🐕🧘‍♀️

Today’s five poses were:

1.🐾 Downward Dog

2.🐾 Child’s Pose

3.🐾 Warrior II

4.🐾 Side Stretch

5.🐾 Happy Baby / Happy Puppy

In today’s video, I first work through the movements with Freedom, showing ways you can teach or encourage your dog to participate. Then I demonstrate the human versions of the poses.

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The goal isn’t to force your dog into yoga poses.

In fact, if you watch dogs closely, you’ll notice that they already stretch their bodies naturally. We’re simply learning to recognize some of those movements, put them on cue when appropriate, and turn a few minutes on the mat into something we can enjoy together.

So grab your mat, grab a few treats, invite your dog over, and let’s get started!

🐕 1. Downward Dog

For You

Here is how to do your pose:

Start on your hands and knees.

Tuck your toes and gently lift your hips up and back. Lengthen through your spine while reaching your heels toward the floor. Your knees can stay slightly bent if that feels more comfortable.

Think about creating a triangle between your body and the floor.

Breathe. Don’t worry about making the pose perfect.

For Your Dog

This one has a pretty appropriate name, doesn’t it?

Dogs naturally perform this stretch — especially after waking up.

You have two ways to teach it.

Option 1: Lure the movement

Have your dog standing comfortably on all four paws.

Place a treat near their nose and slowly lure their head forward and downward, encouraging them to extend their front legs while their rear stays elevated.

The moment you get the stretch you’re looking for, mark it:

“Good Downward Dog!”

Then reward.

Never push or pull your dog into position.

Option 2: Capture the natural behavior

This is my favorite because your dog already knows how to do it!

Watch your dog when they wake up from a nap. Many dogs naturally stretch their front legs forward while keeping their rear end up — often followed by a stretch in the opposite direction.

Be ready.

As soon as you see the stretch:

“Good Downward Dog!”

You can also use a clicker to mark the exact moment.

Then reward.

There is one caveat here, it could take a little extra time because your waiting and observing your dogs natural moves which can take time in watching their every waking up moments and you can miss the opportunity if you aren't ready!

However,over time, you’re attaching a name to something your dog already does naturally.

🐕 2. Child’s Pose

For learning your pose:

From your hands and knees, gently bring your hips back toward your heels.

Reach your arms forward and allow your head and shoulders to relax toward the mat.

Take a few slow breaths.

This should feel restorative — not like you’re fighting your body to get into position.

For Your Dog

Freedom’s version is much simpler.

We’re essentially asking our dog to lie down comfortably on the floor.

Cue your dog’s regular DOWN and reward the relaxed position.

That’s it!

You don’t need to manipulate their body to make their pose look exactly like yours.

Remember: Doga isn’t about making your dog look human.

It’s about sharing movement, training, attention and relaxation together.

🐕 3. Warrior II

For your pose:

Step your feet apart.

Turn your front foot outward and bend your front knee while keeping your back leg strong.

Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach in opposite directions.

Look over your front hand.

Stand strong.

Breathe.

You’ve got this.

For your dog's pose:

For our canine version, we’re looking for that beautiful alert stance dogs sometimes naturally assume when something has captured their attention.

Have your dog standing on all fours.

Hold a treat slightly in front of them so they’re interested in moving toward it, but don’t let them actually walk forward.

For a larger dog, another person can help by holding the treat.

If needed, you can lightly steady near the base of the tail/rear body without pulling, lifting or restraining the tail while the treat encourages your dog to shift their attention and weight forward.

We’re looking for a gentle, natural weight shift — not a forced stretch.

Freedom actually does something similar naturally in our backyard when she spots one of the bunnies.

It’s basically:

“I see you. I want to play with you. And I’m ready!” 😂🐇

🐕 4. Side Stretch

For learning your pose:

Sit or stand comfortably and lengthen through your spine.

Reach one arm overhead and gently lean toward the opposite side.

Come back through the center.

Switch sides.

Don’t collapse forward. Think about creating length through the entire side of your body.

For teaching your Dog their pose:

Have your dog sit comfortably.

Rather than pulling on a paw or bending your dog’s body, use a treat to encourage the stretch.

Bring the treat slowly toward one side of your dog’s body so they gently turn their head and upper body toward it.

Return to center.

Reward.

Then repeat on the opposite side.

Keep the movement small and comfortable.

We’re encouraging natural mobility, not trying to see how far our dogs can bend.

🐕 5. Happy Baby + Happy Puppy

And now we get to the fun one!

Happy Baby steps for your pose

Lie comfortably on your back.

Bring your knees toward your chest and allow them to open slightly.

Hold behind your thighs, your lower legs, or the outside of your feet — wherever you can comfortably reach without straining.

Relax your back into the mat.

Breathe.

And yes, you can even rock gently from side to side if that feels good.

Happy Puppy to train your Dog to do

If your dog already enjoys lying or rolling onto their back, encourage that familiar behavior.

Then comes the important part…

BELLY RUB! 😂🐾

Add a treat and you’ve pretty much created the canine version of a spa day.

If your dog doesn’t naturally enjoy being on their back, don’t put them there. A relaxed side-lying position and a good belly or chest rub works just as well.

The point is relaxation and connection.

❤️ This Is What Doga Is Really About

Your dog doesn’t have to perform a perfect yoga routine beside you.

They don’t have to understand Warrior II.

And they definitely don’t care whether your Downward Dog would impress a yoga instructor.

What they understand is you.

Your voice.

Your attention.

Your movement.

Your praise.

Your touch.

And the time you’re spending together.

That’s one of the reasons I’m bringing Freedom along on my September fitness journey.

I’m working on becoming stronger, moving more, reducing stress and building healthier habits — but I don’t have to leave my best workout partner behind.

Neither do you.

So today, spend a few minutes on the floor with your dog.

Stretch.

Breathe.

Train.

Laugh when things don’t go according to plan.

Give your dog a treat.

And don’t forget the belly rub.

Because sometimes a healthy choice doesn’t have to be complicated.

Sometimes it’s simply you, your dog and a yoga mat. 🐾❤️

Doggone Healthy Choices — healthier people, healthier dogs, one choice at a time.

Until tomorrow have a happy healthy tail wagging day,

Pamela and Freedom