Dangerous for the animal and the practitioner: kinologist explained what is harmful “puppy yoga”

Yoga is a great way to please the body and soul, relax and find balance. But nowadays, no one can be surprised by the usual practice, so new directions are invented, different equipment is used and more.

More and more often studios have opened, where they offer to spend a lesson together with animals. The most popular is Puppy Yoga, i.e. practice with puppies. They really bring a lot of positive emotions, but let’s see if everything is so rosy.

Where do puppies come from?

cynologist

“A lot of people want to try this line of work because puppies are very cute creatures that can turn any activity into a really exciting one. But what about the animals themselves? What if it’s a challenge for them?”

The little quadrupeds are adopted from shelters and kennels, or work directly with breeders who hope to socialize the dogs before they reach their owners. And some puppies are lucky, they easily get into the atmosphere of the classes and even find owners for them. But, alas, this is not always the case.

Puppy socialization is a controlled and smooth process, with tasty treats and the support of a guardian (owner). These conditions cannot be created in a class. The puppy is taken away from its familiar environment and brought to an unknown place with lots of strangers. If the dog becomes frightened and confused, it can lead to behavioral problems up to neurological diseases and phobias.

An additional stress factor is the transportation of ponytails. They are put in a cage, sometimes to get to the studio, you have to overcome a great distance. Then the practice itself, and sometimes more than one in a row, and the puppies are put back in the cages. And the forced isolation leads to the very stress.

How do the puppies feel?

When you come to a practice, you relax, disconnect from the world and think only of your own comfort. But what about the dogs? You can see in practice videos that puppies freeze, pin their ears back, try to run away – this shows that the animal is uncomfortable, scared, and stressed.

But instead of allowing the puppy to leave the uncomfortable space, they grab it and start stroking it. Humanism is one of the principles of yoga, so you should also treat four-legged animals appropriately, rather than using them as a marketing ploy.

It’s not just puppies that are dangerous

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is allergies. Many people are aware of their intolerance, but hardly anyone would want to find out about it while in a crow’s pose. However, this is not the only risk to humans. Dogs, especially small dogs not yet accustomed to this world, can react differently to stress. There is a pretty good chance of getting bitten. Even if puppies are vaccinated, their mouths can contain harmful bacteria.

Yoga practice can improve your mood, tone your body, and find spiritual balance, and you don’t have to use puppies at all to do it. If you really want to spend time with animals but can’t get your own dog, there are other ways. We are sure that if a Puppy Yoga studio has opened in your city, there is definitely more than one kennel or shelter for our four-legged friends.