Watch a dog stretch after a nap or give an inviting playful bow you can see how dogs are naturals at stretching. So it’s no surprise that dog owners are being drawn to practice doga: yoga with their dogs.
Doga, also known as Ruff Yoga, is a relatively new twist on the ancient Hindu practice of yoga. Even if you’ve never practiced yoga, doing doga with your dog is easy and a great way to spend time relaxing and bonding with your dog.
Dogs are expert stretchers – whenever the moment feels right they stretch and shake, improving circulation and creating space in their joints (which helps maintain flexibility). Practicing doga gives you the perfect opportunity to do simple stretching exercises with your dog which can be a therapeutic de-stressor and wonderful bonding time for both of you.
Not only are dogs already experts when it comes to relaxing and playing, but many yoga poses, or asana, have names that would indicate that they were inspired by the natural daily movements of animals. There’s a good reason why one of the most widely recognized yoga poses is called Downward-Facing Dog which has us humans mimic a stretch or play bow our dogs do naturally on a daily basis.
Doga is a partner activity for you and your dog and while some gyms are starting to offer doga classes, it is best to do your doga session indoors, either just you and your dog or with a fairly small group. This type of setting provides fewer distractions and allows both dogs and humans to concentrate and be present in the moment.
A typical doga session includes a lot of gentle stretching and dog massage, staying in physical contact with your dog and occasionally even gently using your dog as a yoga prop to help you achieve certain poses (usually only when you have a larger dog).
One of the best ways to practice doga is to adapt your regular practice to include your dog. Start by simply having your dog stay near you, at the edge of your mat, while you practice. Begin with some calm breathing exercises and a little bit of dog massage or petting. This way your dog becomes relaxed and accustomed to the setting and what you’re doing. Then when you begin to move into various asanas and vinyasas you can adjust so that you get the chance to touch and pet your dog. For example, when moving through a basic sun salutation, during the forward bend or Uttanasana gently place your hands on your dog. This simple physical connection between the two of you can be incredibly calming.
Eventually you can include your dog more and help him to achieve specific doga positions. While doga should not be considered an obedience class, you can use similar training tactics during doga lessons. Using a reward or treat based system (never punishment) you can teach your dog to strike poses on command. Some easy ones to start with are downward facing dog, cobra and triangle pose.
If you need some inspiration on how to get your dog doing doga, a book by Jennifer Brilliant, Doga: Yoga for Dogs (Chronicle Press) gives a great and whimsical introduction to doga. It’s filled with fun photographs of “dogis” (dogs who are accomplished doga practitioners) in various poses that dogs of all sizes can master. She even renames some of the asanas to be more dog-friendly, with poses like child’s pose becoming pup’s pose in doga.
However you choose to practice doga, remember that the point is to have fun with it and allow yourself to relax and connect with your dog. Namaste!
