Yoga… With Your Dog?

Good afternoon,

Yesterday I mentioned something called doga.

If you’ve never heard of it before, you’re not alone.

Doga simply means yoga practiced with your dog.

But it’s not about forcing your dog into poses or turning them into a circus performer.

It’s really about something much simpler.

Finding the perfect workout partner.

And maybe even the perfect lifestyle partner.

Dogs already move naturally.
They stretch when their bodies need it.
They live in the present moment.

In many ways, they already understand the heart of yoga better than we do.

Something else interesting happens when we include them.

There is actual scientific evidence showing that simply petting your dog can lower blood pressure and reduce stress.

Just one calm stroke of your dog’s fur can begin to slow your breathing and relax your body.

That’s a big part of what meditation is all about.

So when people think about yoga or doga, they often think about meditation too.

And sometimes that’s exactly how a doga session begins… or ends.

Just sitting quietly, breathing, and sharing a calm moment with your dog.

But doga can also help in another surprising way.

Because your dog is learning to slow down and focus with you, it can make training easier as well.

A calmer dog is a more attentive dog.

That means doga can support everything from basic manners to more advanced training, simply by building a stronger connection between you and your dog.

Over time I became fascinated with how naturally dogs fit into this practice.

So I started developing something around the idea of people and dogs stretching, breathing, and relaxing together.

I’ll share more about that tomorrow.

Until then, watch your dog the next time they wake up from a nap.

You might notice they’re already practicing.

Talk tomorrow,

Pamela, Scout, and Freedom