Doga

Like everything 70's, yoga has made a big comeback the last few years. Of course, there are new extras this time around to keep it interesting. Pilates is a new version here in the States the last few years that wasn't popular in the 70's. And to continue my efforts to keep readers informed of the hot, new, different, and sometimes unusual trends in our world, I present you with Doga.

Dog + yoga = Doga. Very creative. For those pet owners who think even one hour is too long to be away from their dog, you can now enjoy your relaxing "me time" with your canine companion. I first learned of this new trend several months ago, and I am sure several of you have heard it mentioned in the media recently. It is not sweeping the nation as some would have you believe, but there are places outside of California that offer Doga. I have located a few classes in the Chicago area, but you might need to drive a good distance to participate until this really catches on.

Do the dogs do Downward Facing Human? I was ready to come up with humorous human/dog combo poses, but it turns out the real ones are hard to beat for entertainment value. Apparently, you place your dog on your knee, neck, back, or stomach while you go through a yoga pose. This is, of course, dependent on the size and tolerance of your dog. According to an ABC News report "owners help their pups facilitate different poses, and do their own poses using the animals as props. Owners also perform doggy massage and acupressure to help soothe and relax their pets." I am not making this stuff up. It is supposed to help you bond with your dog, although I find having the dog lay in your lap while you watch a movie works just fine. And there are a few drawbacks that have come up in some classes. It is difficult to wash away the stress of the day with someone else's dog yipping away nearby. And no one can maintain your balance and de-stress when someone (human or dog) is peeing on the floor next to you while you are breathing through your nostrils in the Tree pose.

Here are a few real Doga poses, plus a few dog/yoga poses I made up.









The first one is called the Wheel pose, and the second the Cavalier Warrior pose.


This one has to be downward facing human (and no, that is not Dakota).

Now we have Dakota modeling the Donut pose (for dogs only!) and the Pushup pose.

Next we have the Stair Stretch and the I'm Having a Really Bad Day pose.

These last two come from the face yoga sub-category (face doga in this case). Special thanks to guest model Tiki Barber from Minnesota. The first I call The Muppet pose. The last is the Christmas Decorations Come Out Earlier Every Year face.