Dogs & Yoga: Wacky or Worth It?

I recently made acquaintance with the folks at DogVacay, which hooks dog owners up with dog sitters when they go out of town.

I don’t have a dog of my own – hopefully someday – but I have been volunteering at a local shelter in Chicago for a couple months now. Chicago Canine Rescue has a great volunteer program and I’ve started working with a couple “challenged” dogs: Emmy (the shy one) and Bobby (the hyper one).

Dancing with Spencer in play group

Dancing with Spencer in play group

But back to my original point…

These Dog Vacay folks are talking about “doga,” i.e. yoga for dogs. Proponents of doga say doing yoga with you dog can help relax your pet and enhance human-canine bonding. Learn more in the post, “Turn Your Pooch Into a Barking Buddha.”

If anyone has tried doga before, I’d be very interested to hear what you thought of it. Did your dog actually cooperate with the poses? What poses did you try? Have you noticed any changes in your dog’s demeanor after a yoga session?

Getting ready to walk Jason at the shelter

Getting ready to walk Jason at the shelter

At the moment, I’m really into dogs and really into yoga. Perhaps Emmy and Bobby have some downward dogs in their future…

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