Categotry Archives: Exercise

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Downward Dog, Dogs!

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Calla is a canine yoga teacher who specializes in Downward Dog. "It's important to carefully supervise humans as they learn this pose," notes Calla. "As you can see, my current client needs further coaching. It would help if she had a tail."
Calla is a canine yoga teacher who specializes in Downward Dog. “It’s important to carefully supervise humans as they learn this pose,” notes Calla. “As you can see, my current client needs further coaching. It would help if she had a tail.”

Nothing feels better than a wake-up stretch with your butt high in the air, paws firmly on the ground, and your front legs lengthened out in front of you. As you breathe and loosen up, your tail might even get in on the action. For us canines, Downward Dog is a pose most commonly used post nap.

While popular among people, Downward Dog is not a natural for them. So, it’s important when teaching Downward Dog to your two-legged family members to supervise carefully.

First, direct your human to come onto all fours, making sure knees are aligned under hips, hands are shoulder-width apart with fingers lightly spread. Next, the pelvis is lifted to the ceiling with hands and heels pressed toward the ground. With attention to stretching the hips to the sky, shift the weight out of the arms and back into the hips.

The dynamic push-pull of the pose from the ground to the sky represents the union of the sun and moon, the contrast of the masculine and feminine. Wow and woof…that’s cosmic.

"Downward Dog is natural for us. Aside from a great stretch, we use it as a play bow...an invitation to other dogs to chase us!"
Harper demonstrates Downward Dog as part of a Yoga, Doga, Boga series, in which a stretch toward the ball is integrated into the pose.

Next, see if your human can breathe into the pose. If she can, let her relax and enjoy it. But if she is groaning, gently help her back down to the floor and give her face a lick of encouragement. Then help her into child pose.

Downward Dog isn’t for the faint of heart!

The Snoopy Dance Rocks

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snoopy.jpgwinnie.snoopydance3Nothing feels better than letting loose once in a while. And what better way for a dog to enjoy life than to do the Snoopy Dance? Winnie demonstrates great form here…Her schnoz is in the air, smile wide, ears pointing east and west, front paws flapping. Yeah, dogs…life is good.

Build Your Human’s Strength

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First, balance on your human's back.
First, balance on your human’s back.

Of course, dogs take their job as exercise motivator very seriously. We all know our people need regular walks to help them stay fit; that’s why we make it a top priority to remind them when it’s time to get out. But humans also need to build their strength to keep their bones and muscles in tip-top shape. For you Fitness Dogs, here are some great ways to help:

Next, have your human move down to her elbows while maintaining balance.
Next, have your human move down to her elbows while maintaining balance. If she starts to wobble, try wagging your tail in the necessary direction to help with rebalancing.

 

Alternatively, you can have your human do a partial handstand with her feet braced against the wall. Then, balance on her posterior. This is only for advanced humans.
Alternatively, you can have your human do a partial handstand with her feet braced against the wall. Then, balance on her posterior. This is only for advanced humans.

There are as many ways to help your people live a long and happy life as there are dogs. In terms of building strength, find what works in your house, and get to it!

Doga, Boga, Yoga!

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We’ve all heard of Doga, but the latest trend for the urban dog is Boga. Boga combines the use of a ball or bone with traditional yoga poses. Try this workout for a great stretch.

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1. Begin in Neutral Puppy Pose with your ball and bone on the mat below your nose.
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2. Move into Downward Dog. Visualize your mouth reaching toward the ball for an extra stretch.
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3. Raise your tail in the air for the Exalted Puppy pose.
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Finish the series in a relaxed puppy pose.

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“The Doga poses help me stay flexible and fit. But since I’ve been doing Boga, I have become much more mindful of my relationship with my ball and bone. I have become a more spiritual puppy. I can’t recommend it more highly.”

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