The Struggle was Real
On an ordinary Thursday morning, I was checking my emails when I saw a newsletter from a local yoga studio. While scanning though the content, the headline “Puppy Yoga is Back!” made my heart pound.
I rushed to the site to sign up for a class. Even though the class was posted a mere two hours before I logged on, it was all booked up.
I was not ready to give up that easy on my puppy yoga dreams. So, I emailed the studio to ask them if they were going to have more sessions in the near future. Almost right away, the owner replied back that she was about to add an earlier class and I should keep my eye out for it.
I refreshed my screen about a hundred times in the next minute waiting for the class to appear on the website. After multiple emails back and forth with the owner, I finally called her and we realized there was a glitch in the system.
After the struggle of getting three spots before the other puppy lovers swooped in, I could finally wipe the sweat from my brow and count down the days to the class. Lucky for me, this fundraiser was a last minute class, so it was only a little over a week of waiting.
Puppy yoga will be the cutest exercise you will ever see.
Puppy Yoga Day!
I sprang out of bed hours before my alarm clock. Mind you, it was still dark. It is not often that I can be in a room full of puppies, and most importantly, smell that puppy breath.
The Puppy Yoga class was early on a Saturday morning, so my mom, sister and I met at the studio to get the best seats. Ones that were central enough for all the puppies, but no one would focus on your yoga skill. (As if someone would turn their attention away from the puppies! Silly me.)
FYI: The puppy lunged at my camera milliseconds after this picture was taken.
The Yoga…
There was not much Yoga. First, the instructor tried her best to motivate us into the poses. Then, she tried to accommodate us with floor poses and hip stretches. But near the end, she gave in to our puppy eyes, and ultimately, gave up.
To be honest, I was not expecting any yoga. I attempted to fool everyone—and myself—as I stretched on the mat. But really, it was just a distraction as I waited for the crates of puppies to arrive. As I heard the scratching of their nails and the tiny yelps from the crates, all motivation left the building. All of us turned into puddles of mush, and cooed the puppies out to play.
However, in my defense, it was difficult to keep my Zen as a puppy nibbles on your ankles while in downward dog, or as a tiny head peaks up at you during child’s pose.
Peek-a-boo Puppy!
Overall Consensus:
GO! Right now!
It was not the typical, stress-relieving yoga class, but it was an incredibly fun activity. It is the type of class that no one takes themselves seriously, so it is a lighthearted experience and judgment free.
Since all the puppies were a few months old, it was a great way for the puppies to be exposed to people and large crowds. All the puppies were curious and shy when the crate doors opened, but as the class went on, they were playful and bold. Having all of us in the room helped them develop their socialization skills, and I am sure the pups were having just as much fun as us.
Caution: Puppies will attack anything that dangles or giggles.
Most yoga classes start and end with a mantra, but with this class, we spread the message of “adopt, don’t shop”. Although puppies are adorable and cute, there are plenty of animals in local shelters that are waiting for a forever home. If you are looking for your next best friend, please do so responsibly.
The Cost for Cuddles
If you are reading this and thinking “sounds like fun, but it is probably expensive”, I would like to calm your mind. My ticket to puppy yoga was $20, which is not too expensive when you think about a movie ticket is about $15. So, for a hour of “exercising” and puppy cuddles, I think it is worth the price. The event was a fundraiser for a local shelter, so one third of the proceeds were donated to benefit local animals.
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Would you try Puppy Yoga?
