What Is Doga?

Doga is a type of yogic practice that has been developed especially for dogs and practitioners who lead the classes are called a dogi.  In a typical doga class, dogs and their owners move through a series of yoga poses together.  Sessions can also include meditation, sustained eye gazing, and massage.  Classes can last from 20 minutes to 3 hours and are held in various places in both North America and Europe.

And American yogini named Suzi Teitelman developed the concept when she noticed her dog, Coali, was very interested in her sessions.  When she tried doing several yoga poses with Coali she found the dog a very willing participant.  Deducing that Coali was enjoying sharing her yoga sessions with her, Suzi started to offer classes in doga and these took off quickly and became trendy among the pampered pet owning set.

Regular interaction with animals is known to increase affection and strengthen bonds, so at this basic level, doga makes perfect sense.  Most cats and dogs do their own form of yoga throughout the day especially after waking from a nap.  Those who participate in doga with their dogs often claim that their pets become more calm and focused as a result of the practice.  The time spent stretching together seems to help dogs that suffer from joint aches and pains as well as creating a better understanding between dog and owner.  Most fans of yoga claim that the stretching, strength, and balance exercises help them to feel more limber while also helping to release toxins that cause muscle aches and pains which all leads to feeling more relaxed and refreshed.  For those who are dog lovers, exercise is an essential part of daily activity and doga offers an alternative to a walk in the park.

Classes are sometimes referred to as ‘ruff yoga’ and are usually small in size to keep the atmosphere soothing.  Reasonably well-behaved dogs are welcome along with leashes and yoga mats.  Owner and dog will be taken through a series of poses including stretching poses, balances, and relaxation poses.  Some classes also include bonding and trust-building activities that are meant to strengthen the relationship between dog and owner but are also helpful with general obedience.

Doga is praised for helping dogs and owners to be more in tune with each other which in turn leads to a more harmonious household.

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I searched it on the web and I found lots of sights referring to it as yoga for dogs... www.dogadog.com  www.expertvillage.com just type in doga in google search and you will find lots of sites on it.

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I'm not sure, but I think Doga is a comic book superhero from India.

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