Puppy Yoga: All You Need To Know

Puppy yoga seems to be the latest craze in the wellbeing world. Instagram is flooded with pictures of influencers in their coordinated gym wear cradling cute dogs, but is there really any benefit to it? And what about the dogs and their wellbeing?

My personal experiences

I first stumbled across puppy yoga when I saw an advert that it was coming to my city on the weekend of my 30^th birthday. I’d never heard of it before, but a quick Google search told me that it was 50 minutes of yoga and puppy cuddles – I was immediately sold. I booked myself and my fiancé onto a class and went along with no real expectations, just excitement. 

We definitely weren’t disappointed. When we arrived, the yoga mats were already laid out and the puppies were in a crate at the side of the room. Once everyone was in position and the doors were securely closed, the yoga teacher began her flow and the puppies were released immediately. Honestly, it was quite chaotic – the yoga teacher flowed at the front, but most people were more interested in the dogs and didn’t do much yoga at all! However, everyone in the room had a huge smile on their face as the little fluffballs ran around, and my smile lasted for the rest of the day.

I enjoyed my experience so much that I bought tickets for a friend’s birthday a year later. A group of us went along and a similar situation was in place when we arrived. The mats were laid out (this time with a puppy toy at the top of each mat), and the yoga teacher began flowing at the front.

The difference with my second experience was that the puppies were kept in their crate for the first 20 minutes or so of the yoga class, which gave people chance to experience both the yoga and the puppies during the session. I personally think this worked better and seemed a little calmer… that is, of course, until the puppies were released, and the same carnage commenced (in the best, cutest possible way!). In both situations, there still seemed to be ample time for playing with and cuddling the puppies, and it’s an experience I’ve really enjoyed.

I also managed to join a puppy yoga class when I was in Bali and had a very similar experience – the yoga teacher flowed at the front of the class whilst puppies (and handlers) moved around the room. Those without puppies joined in with some of the poses, but when a puppy came over, that tended to be the focus instead! Another fun experience with cute pups and lots of smiles all round.

Does it really have any benefit though?

According to the science, YES. You’ll probably know by now that I’m a huge advocate for yoga, and I really believe in the power it has to improve your mindset and your mood. Yoga has been shown to increase mental well-being and reduce stress (see here for one such academic review), so if you’re after a serotonin boost then this could be an avenue to explore.

You may have also heard that dogs are great for your mood too. It’s been shown that dogs can help to reduce stress and manage anxiety and depression. This is another reason why therapy dogs are becoming more popular and are being introduced into schools, workplaces, hospitals and other high-stress environments. HABRI (The Human Animal Bond Research Institute) has also documented these positive effects of animals on human mental health if you’d like to read more (www.habri.org).

No wonder adding puppies to an already mood-boosting activity like yoga can make it a totally dopamine-inducing experience.

What about the dogs and their wellbeing?

One of my concerns before attending a puppy yoga session was whether it was good for the dogs. I did my research into the companies running the sessions each time and was satisfied that they had the puppies and their wellbeing at the heart of what they do. 

One of the main reasons that puppies are taken to puppy yoga classes is to socialise them for their future. These classes actually get them used to spending time around people, ensure they’re not scared, and prepare them for life in their new homes in the future. 

The puppies are clearly loved and well looked after in each session. The rooms are secured, there are multiple puppy handlers around to keep an eye on them and clear up after them, they have toys and water available, and all participants are given a talk before the session about safe handling and dos & don’ts. The people who run the session are dog lovers through and through, and this shone through very clearly. In fact, some companies (including the one I attended in Bali) even send donations to animal protection agencies too. Plus, the puppies all seemed to love it and have lots of fun!

Should you visit a puppy yoga class?

If you’re wanting a full hour-long yoga flow class, or a place where you can fully tune in and be present in your own practice, then a puppy yoga session probably isn’t the right place for you. The puppies are a huge distraction, and you’ll likely end up spending more time picking up dogs and taking photos than finding peace and stillness in savasana.

However, if you’re after a fun day out, some cuteness, and a dopamine rush then it’s definitely something I’d recommend trying at least once. There are many companies running these sessions now, and they seem to be appearing all over the UK (and, in fact, all over the globe), so there’s sure to be a time and place to suit you. Plus, who doesn’t want a cute pic for the ‘gram? 

Have you tried puppy yoga before? Would you like to give it a go? Let me know in the comments below!

Natalie x