We love being able to do all kinds of activities with our dogs! That's why, when we were told about Doga, we were fascinated by the idea! Do you want to know how to practice yoga with your dog and what benefits it has? Then read on!
What does it mean to do yoga with your dog?
Doga or yoga with/for dogs was born from the hand of Suzi Teitelman, when she saw that her dog sat with her while practicing yoga. This is how she came up with the idea of introducing and adapting yoga movements and postures to the company of dogs and this initiative that has become a success in many countries was born.
Yoga with dogs is a way to strengthen bonds with our pet, while we relax together.
In Doga, yoga postures are combined with movements and massages for dogs, but always adapted to them.
And that is one of its great advantages: that any person and dog can practice Doga, since the exercises will be adapted to their physical capacities.
All you need is a mat or towel that you and your dog will share. Do you dare to practice yoga with your dog? I'm sure that when you know its benefits, you will be encouraged!
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| @headstandsandheels |
What are the benefits of Doga?
As we said before, yoga with dogs allows us to share a unique moment of relaxation with our pet that will bring us closer together.
Of course, yoga gets us, both humans and dogs, to relax, reducing anxiety and stress. But remember that dog stress is more common than you imagine!
In addition, the massages and stretches that we and our furry friends do will improve our flexibility and circulation.
In the same way, dogs will get used to certain touches and caresses and to the company of other dogs and humans, but in a quiet way. This is fine, as long as we do it in a room. Other options are to practice it at home or in an outdoor place.
Don't you think these are enough reasons to start practicing yoga with your dog? We think so!
How is Doga performed?
When you are going to do yoga with your dog, you should know that the sessions are divided into parts.But first, it is essential that you get your pet used to the activity. For this reason, the ideal is that you always start doing it at home and for only a few minutes, which will increase as time goes by and your dog gets used to it.
Once the dog is used to yoga, you can consider going to a room with more dogs and people. In this way, you will also encourage their sociability.
As for the parts of a Doga session, first of all, you should prepare a space free of distractions for both you and your dog.
Start getting both of you comfortable and let him get into a position he likes to start giving him a massage. One of the most recommended is the Tellington Ttouch method, which has great benefits in both relaxation and further training.
Once you are both completely relaxed and connected, you move on to yoga-based postures. As we said before, these will be specially adapted for the dog.
Then would come the part in which we stretch our dogs' muscles to avoid possible injuries.
Finally, we finish with our stretches while we relax and pet our dog. Music will help a lot!
If you don't dare start yoga sessions with dogs on your own, you should know that there are many options to do it in a room with a guide.
Cheer up and put it into practice.