How to Do Yoga With Dogs in the House

Playful dogs are going to want to play while you do yoga.

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Most dogs are not going to sit quietly in the corner while you bend, twist and contort yourself into amazing yoga shapes. They’re going to want to play. Since shutting them out of the room usually only leads to howling through a closed door, invite your dogs to do yoga with you. Sure, they may fail at a proper backbend, but at least they’ll be happy to be included. With quick reflexes and some strategic steps, you, too, can do yoga with two dogs in the house. Really.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

3 yoga mats
Flexibility
Balance
Patience
Distraction items like toys or bones

Step1

Roll out the mats. This action alone is enough to make some dogs go gaga. Place the 3 mats far enough away from each other so one is always open for your use when the dogs hog the others.

Step2

Begin your routine. Once the mats are down, the dogs will remain excited by them for at least 32 seconds, so you have time to start your usual routine.

Step3

Improvise. That 32 seconds is going to go quick, so be ready to change mats, positions and routine sequences as the dogs weave between your legs during wide-legged forward bend, lick your chin during your half-moon pose and challenge your balance and concentration during the warrior poses.

Step4

Encourage participation. Since the dogs already have their own mats, urge them to try some poses with you. For some reason, canines are very adept at upward and downward facing dog.

Step5

Be quick with the poses. If you stay too long in cobra pose, for example, you may end up with 125 lbs. of canine on the small of your back.

Step6

Look at it as a challenge, not a pain in the butt. After doing yoga with two dogs in the house, my balance, concentration and ability to stay in a headstand for fear of slamming down and crushing them has increased a million-fold.

Tips & Warnings

If the dogs are really getting out of hand, throw the nearby distraction items into the other room. That will buy you up to 51 seconds and enough time to do a headstand against the wall.
Don’t roll up the mats until the dogs are ready to be done with them. It may otherwise lead to ripping and chewing.
Don’t spend a lot of money on yoga mats.