What is puppy yoga? A complete beginner's guide

What is puppy yoga? Puppy yoga is a gentle, beginner-friendly yoga class where young puppies wander freely around the room while you practise. The yoga itself is light: stretches, breathing and a few easy poses. The real draw is the puppies, who climb on mats, fall asleep in laps and steal the show. In this guide we explain how a puppy yoga class works, where the idea came from, what the benefits really are, and how to get the same calm, joyful feeling at home with your own dog.

Puppy yoga in one sentence

Puppy yoga is a relaxed yoga session shared with puppies, usually organised by a studio together with a breeder or a rescue, where cuddles and play matter more than perfect poses.

People also search for it as puppies yoga, dog yoga or doga. Those words overlap, but they don't mean exactly the same thing, as you'll see below.

How a puppy yoga class works

Most classes follow a similar pattern:

1. Arrival and hand washing. You take off your shoes, wash or sanitise your hands and find a mat. Many studios also ask you to leave bags at the door so puppies can't chew straps.
2. A short briefing. The organiser explains the rules: no picking puppies up without asking, let sleeping puppies sleep, and tell a staff member if a puppy has an accident.
3. The yoga. A teacher leads an easy flow of seated stretches, cat-cow, child's pose and gentle balances. Nobody minds if you stop halfway through a pose to cuddle a puppy.
4. Puppy time. The last part of the class is usually free time with the puppies, and plenty of photos.

A typical class lasts around an hour, with the puppies present for most of it and resting in a quiet pen when they need a break. We cover timings in detail in How long does puppy yoga last?.

Where did puppy yoga come from?

Puppy yoga grew out of two trends. The first is doga, yoga practised with your own dog, which became popular in the United States in the early 2000s. The second is the wave of "animal yoga" classes that spread on social media in the late 2010s, starting with goat yoga. Studios soon realised that puppies were even more appealing, and puppy yoga classes appeared in cities across the UK, the US, Australia and Europe.

Puppy yoga vs doga vs dog yoga

• Puppy yoga usually means a class with visiting puppies that aren't yours.
• Doga means yoga with your own dog, of any age, at home or in a class.
• Dog yoga is a loose umbrella term people use for both.

If you'd like a detailed comparison, read Doga vs puppy yoga classes.

The benefits of puppy yoga

What people report most often:

• Stress relief. Gentle movement, slow breathing and stroking a warm, sleepy puppy is a powerful combination for switching off.
• Laughter and joy. It's hard to stay serious when a puppy is chewing your ponytail during warrior pose.
• An easy way into yoga. The atmosphere is playful, so beginners feel far less self-conscious.
• Socialisation for the puppies, when it's done well: meeting calm, gentle people in a controlled setting can help young dogs grow into confident adults.

That last point comes with a big "if". Whether puppy yoga is good for the puppies depends entirely on how the class is run.

Is puppy yoga good for the puppies?

Young puppies need a lot of sleep, gentle handling and protection from disease. A responsible organiser keeps sessions short, limits how many people handle each puppy, gives the puppies a quiet space to rest and only works with puppies whose vaccinations are appropriate for the setting. A poorly run class does the opposite.

We've written a full checklist of questions to ask in Is puppy yoga ethical?

What does puppy yoga cost?

Puppy yoga is usually priced as a special experience rather than a regular class, so expect to pay more than for a standard drop-in yoga class. Prices depend on the city, the studio and the length of the session. See our puppy yoga cost guide for typical ranges and what's included.

Can you adopt the puppies?

Sometimes. When a class is run with a rescue or shelter, the puppies are often looking for homes, and the class can be a first meeting. When a class is run with a breeder, the puppies may already be reserved or for sale. Read Can you adopt puppies from puppy yoga? before you fall in love on the mat.

How to try puppy yoga at home

If you already have a puppy or a dog, you don't need a class to enjoy the best part of puppy yoga. At home, you practise with your own dog, as often as you like, for free. That's doga.

1. Pick a quiet corner and roll out a non-slip mat.
2. Keep it short. Around 5 minutes for a young puppy, 10 to 20 minutes for most adult dogs.
3. Start by breathing next to your dog, with a hand resting on their side.
4. Add a few gentle poses for you, like child's pose and puppy pose, while your dog joins in freely.
5. End with savasana for two: lie down side by side and simply rest.

Our beginner's guide to puppy yoga at home walks you through the first week, and At what age can a puppy do yoga? explains how to protect growing joints.

Frequently asked questions

What is puppy yoga, exactly?

Puppy yoga is a beginner-level yoga class with puppies roaming freely around the room. The yoga is gentle; the main experience is spending calm, playful time with the puppies.

Do you actually do yoga in puppy yoga?

Yes, but lightly. Expect easy stretches, breathing and simple poses, with plenty of pauses for cuddles. It's not a workout.

Is puppy yoga suitable for beginners?

Absolutely. Most participants have little or no yoga experience. You don't need to be flexible.

Can I do puppy yoga with my own dog?

Yes. Yoga with your own dog is called doga, and it works at home with dogs of any age. Keep sessions short and let your dog choose how to join in.

Is puppy yoga safe?

It can be, for people and puppies, when the organiser follows good welfare and hygiene practices. Always ask how the puppies are cared for before you book.

The bottom line

Puppy yoga is a gentle yoga class made special by puppies. It's joyful, beginner-friendly and a lovely treat, as long as the puppies' welfare comes first. If you share your home with a dog, you can enjoy the same calm every day with doga. The Dogyoga app builds a guided session for you and your own dog, shaped around their age, size and energy.

Further reading

For trusted, independent advice on puppy care, socialisation and vaccination, see the American Kennel Club, the ASPCA, the RSPCA and the vaccination guidelines of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Sources

• Pendry, P. and Vandagriff, J. L. (2019). Animal Visitation Program (AVP) Reduces Cortisol Levels of University Students. AERA Open. A randomized trial: ten minutes of petting dogs and cats lowered students' cortisol, the stress hormone.
• Zaccaro, A. et al. (2018). How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Slow breathing was linked with more relaxation and less anxiety and arousal.