Hi everyone! I’m Lily, I’m 24, and out of all the harsh realities I’ve encountered in my post-grad life, feeling dog-deprived was one I hadn’t anticipated. As much as I hate to admit it, I know that getting my own puppy right now would be the most irresponsible decision ever — mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. So, I’m always looking for new ways to get my fix of puppy love, from dog-walking through the Rover app to FaceTiming my dogs at home (and as you’d imagine, that last one feels a bit more one-sided than I’d like).
The one thing I hadn’t yet tried was puppy yoga. I live in DC, and I’m constantly seeing signs for Puppies & Yoga — a company that holds puppy yoga classes every Saturday and Sunday, with different breeds each week. I’ve also seen tons of viral videos on my For You page that make it seem like the most serotonin-boosting activity imaginable.
I was poking around the company’s Instagram account one day — as one does — and saw that the upcoming class was with Cavapoos. I grew up with Cockapoos, and while I know they aren’t the same, I have a soft spot for any dog breed ending in -poo that even slightly resembles my own. Needless to say, I was sold.
Everyone should have that one friend who you can count on to be down for anything, so naturally I texted mine to see if she would join me.
With fees, the class came out to $73.14, which is definitely pricey — more than double the price of a regular, puppy-free workout class. The cost includes a mat rental, and the class is 75 minutes long — 45 minutes of what the website calls “all-level flow yoga,” then 30 minutes dedicated solely to puppy play time.
My class started at 10:45 a.m., but I decided to get there early to get a good spot — an attempt that proved futile, since the puppies were sectioned off behind a gate until the class’s start time. But I could already tell how adorable they were, and I couldn’t help but poke my hand through the bars and let them teethe on my finger, like an excited toddler at the zoo for the first time.
The mats were already laid out for us, and everyone started filing in as soon as the clock struck 10:45. For obvious reasons, I bee-lined directly to the mat pictured below. My class had about 18 participants, and there were seven puppies — all 10 weeks old and from the same litter. This felt like the perfect person-to-puppy ratio — there were plenty of puppies for everyone to interact with at all times without it ever feeling overcrowded or chaotic.
From the moment I sat down, I was so overstimulated and enamored by how cute the puppies were that I completely forgot about the yoga element of the experience.
I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of people in the class — there were groups of friends, couples, a mother-daughter duo, and a girl celebrating her 11th birthday with her mom and sister. It proved that this truly is an activity anyone can enjoy, no matter their age.
After the 45-minute yoga portion, they cranked up the music for playtime — and there’s honestly nothing better than being surrounded by adorable puppies while Sabrina Carpenter plays in the background.
The 75 minutes flew by, and everyone was completely exhausted by the end.
I truly think each person left happier than they arrived — maybe besides the 11-year-old birthday girl, who spent most of the class pleading with her mom to take a puppy home. Begging for a pet — and promising you’ll be the one to take care of it — feels like such a universal childhood experience, and I totally felt for her in that moment.
All in all, it was the perfect feel-good activity to spice up my weekend, and I’d say it was well worth the cost. Many puppy yoga companies also offer private parties, which I think would be such a fun and memorable experience for people of literally any age group. So if you’re looking for a sign to try puppy yoga, this is it — and if you think they don’t have it in your city, you may want to check again! The Puppies & Yoga company is already in 25+ cities and counting.
Have you ever tried puppy yoga or something similar? Was your experience similarly amazing and serotonin-boosting? We’d love to hear in the comments!
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