Or is it?
Doing yoga with animals is a time-honored tradition, easily going back to yoga’s roots. But, in the US, it’s relatively new.
Many yoga studios and organizations have combined yoga classes with animals in the past few years. Dogs are often chosen because they are easily trained, can stay where you want them to stay, and are darn cute.
Many people enjoy doing yoga with dogs, especially when you get some of them to try and mimic human behavior, like the downward dog position.
And it goes way beyond just the cute factor. Animals have a calming and relaxing effect on many people. Many studies show that having a pet or simply interacting with an animal can help reduce blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and many other problems. [1] In addition, some studies show pet owners live longer than non-pet owners. [2]
But, having a pet might be out of your reach if you live in a city or an apartment. That’s where these classes step in.
If you’re looking to do yoga with dogs, your local animal shelter is the first place to try—many partner with yoga practitioners to offer classes where dogs or other animals will be available.
It’s great for the shelters, as the dogs are often up for adoption and ready for socialization. Some report having many dogs adopted out after a couple of classes.
The one thing you will not get during these yoga classes is complete silence and relaxation. While some dogs are calm and collected during the class, some want to play. And their antics can make the class fun and exciting.
So, keep an ear out for yoga classes with dogs. And it’s not just dogs. Classes like to include goats, birds, horses, reptiles, hamsters, and even cats. But be warned, even though yoga with cats sounds like a good idea, most of the classes don’t lead anywhere. Instead, the cats lay on the yoga mats, preventing the practitioners from doing their poses.
References:
1: Brooks, Helen Louise, et al. “The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence.” BMC psychiatry 18.1 (2018): 1-12.
2: Diener, Ed, and Micaela Y. Chan. “Happy people live longer: Subjective well‐being contributes to health and longevity.” Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being 3.1 (2011): 1-43.
