Mary Allen
If you think of dog sports, you probably don’t immediately have this extraordinary sport in mind. The name “doga” is a pun on the words “dog” and “yoga” and gives the listener an idea of what is being done. Quite simply: yoga together with your own four-legged friend.
How Does Yoga with a Dog Work?
In this dog sport, the focus is not on mental or physical exertion, but rather on the joint activity between dog and owner, as well as the positive aspects such as relaxation and inner peace. In yoga, these not only affect people, but dogs also benefit from it, especially through the transmission of mood.
In Doga, the dog is not supposed to actively do exercises but is simply part of normal yoga. The human performs the different positions, the asanas, and simply integrates the dog where it works well. A small dog, for example, can very well be taken on the lap or lie lengthwise on the outstretched legs. If it is light, it can also be partially lifted. A large dog, on the other hand, is primarily involved by lying down on the yoga mat and happily seeking physical contact. He can be stroked or get a massage.
How Did Doga Come About?
Doga sounds pretty bizarre to many people and you might be wondering “why?”. Why should the dog be involved in a sport that is all about relaxation when it’s more likely to bring in restlessness? Jennifer Brilliant, a yoga teacher from New York, is credited with inventing doga. When her book, which she co-wrote with William Berloni, was published in 2003, the enthusiasm for this new type of sport with dogs made the rounds. For them and other Doga teachers, the dogs bring lightness and joy to the yoga class. The participants laugh more, the mood is quickly relaxed and lightened by the cheerful nature of the four-legged friends.
Of course, it gets a little more restless when dogs take part in the yoga class. The other participants and their dogs are aware of this, so it’s not a problem if the four-legged friends don’t want to settle down on their owner’s mat right away. If everyone stays relaxed, this will quickly be transferred to the dogs.
Can Any Dog Take Part in Doga?
In principle, every dog can take part in Doga and try out a taster course. Dogs with health problems in particular have nothing to fear in this sport. If your dog doesn’t find it easy to calm down and take a break, it’s likely to be very difficult for him to relax for this hour. Perhaps the atmosphere works wonders and he gets to know the process and active relaxation through repeated participation.
Just try it out to see if Doga could be something for you and your four-legged friend and don’t put yourself under pressure. If your dog is nervous and restless, wants to play with the other dogs, or needs your attention, try not to get upset about it and just take it with humor.
Doga Home
If you feel uncomfortable at the thought of attending a Doga course because you are worried that you and your dog could make a fool of yourself in the worst case, just try it out in your own four walls. Even if you certainly don’t have to be ashamed, because very few dogs are relaxed at the push of a button and certainly not in such a new situation with many strange dogs and people.
Put on comfortable clothes, unroll the yoga mat and start slowly with the breathing and the different positions. If you don’t have any yoga experience, watch a “Beginner’s Yoga Flow” or a similar video so that a professional explains what to look out for and how possible positions are performed. You simply let your dog into the same room and invite him to be close to you. Your joint exercises are not about performing the positions perfectly or getting your dog as deeply relaxed as possible. Rather, it is about your connection, your time together, and the strengthening or strengthening of your relationship.