Do you practice yoga? Now you can do it with your dog: discover the Doga

You're probably wondering what Doga is. It is the union of two words: Dog and Yoga. But is my dog going to practice the sun salutation? In reality, it is a way to connect with our dog through caresses and massages that we do while we practice this discipline. The person and the dog share a mat, in addition to some positions that are especially indicated for the dog to receive a relaxing massage.

The purpose of the Doga is to connect with your dog and for him to relax . In addition, it is very useful in cases of dogs that may suffer from some type of stress.

Doga began casually, while yoga instructor Suzi Teitelman was practicing yoga at her home. He began to realize that his dog imitated many of his postures or “asanas”, that this relaxed him and he began to include him in his yoga sessions. A year later, her students began bringing their pets to classes, and they saw the great benefits of this type of exercise for both of them.

If you want to start practicing Doga with your dog, we recommend that you find an expert to help you do it. In case there is no expert in the subject in your area, you also have a wide range of online courses.

The most important thing is to know your dog and its abilities. You should not force him to do positions that he does not feel comfortable with and, although the Doga is suitable for dogs of all breeds and sizes, remember that the exercises will vary greatly from a small Chihuahua to a Saint Bernard. The essential thing is that both owner and dog enjoy the activity at their own pace.

Generally, a Doga class is divided into four parts : the first of them consists of a series of gentle stretches , which are combined with dog massages. Secondly, postures or asanas inspired by yoga are performed, in which sometimes the protagonist is the person and sometimes the dog. Immediately after, we move on to the stretching part, essential to avoid injuries and even soreness, and to top it off, the class ends with a relaxation part that generally includes soft music. This last part is usually the favorite of both owners and dogs.

The benefits are multiple: relaxation , harmony , positive attitude , fun and, above all, we emphasize that it is a wonderful activity to connect even more with your dog. You dare?