Time with your dog - Doga

Doga - Yoga with your dog for the holidays

Have you ever heard of yoga with dogs for joint relaxation of two and four-legged friends?As always, the same applies here: Joy and relaxation are in the foreground. One four-legged friend prefers to keep his or her mistress or master company by sleeping while the other is probably unstoppable and highly motivated to join in.

With a little practice, you can start the Christmas holidays together in a completely relaxed manner. We will show you how it's done!

You'll need that:

• comfortable clothes
• non-slip socks
• yoga mat if required

Dog yoga for beginners

Roll out your yoga mat or sit comfortably on a rug or blanket, then you can start:

An important note in advance: Always pay attention to the reaction of your dog. If he does not feel comfortable, you should test how he likes it better or let him go if he does not want to continue.

1. Spread your legs out and let your dog sit in front of you. You start with a light, loose massage of your dog and crawl from the ears down the back.
2. Now you continue with the crawl, starting at the paws and continuing down the legs to the heart. Then you kneel in front of your dog and continue the massage with the palms of your hands, from the hips to the tail, circling loosely.
   
3. Next, you go into the four-footed position on all fours. Your knees are about hip-wide apart, hands rest flat on the mat, fingers spread apart. Make sure that your hands are in a line under your shoulders. Take a deep breath, lifting your head forward and making a hollow back. As you exhale, lower your head between your shoulders and at the same time make your back completely round like a cat's hump. Repeat this exercise 2-3 times at your own pace with calm breathing.
   Your dog can also do this exercise. It corresponds to the posture your dog adopts after getting up to stretch: The front legs are stretched forward, the buttocks are pushed backwards into the air.
4. Next, you move into the "down dog" position. Starting from the four-footed position, first place both feet backwards one after the other and then push your buttocks backwards (and a little higher). Your body should be straight and form an inverted "V". The head is between the shoulders. Hold for a moment and return to the four-footed position at the pace of your breathing. Do this exercise 2-3 times.
5. Then move from the position of the dog looking down into the so-called "inclined plane", the yoga push-up. The navel points down, the back is straight.
6. The push-up leads over into the position of the "cobra", with which you can stretch your back muscles wonderfully. Place your pelvis on the mat, place your elbows close to your body and press your upper body gently upwards, looking forward.
7. Then the position of the "child" follows: Simply push your buttocks backwards until they rest on your feet and keep your arms stretched out forward, both palms on the floor.
8. Then straighten up and motivate your dog to put his paws on your shoulders. Give your dog a cuddle. This will stretch his hind legs and back.
9. Now stand upright, spread your legs a little more than shoulder width, take a high arch up over your head as you inhale and let your arms sink down again in an arch as you exhale. Now slowly lower your upper body and touch the floor with your fingertips (or palms if possible).
10. Straighten up again and stand with open legs. Bend your knees a little, lower your buttocks and keep the tension. In this position you can now carefully lift and scratch the front legs of your sitting dog. If he stands up, do the same with the hind legs.
11. Now lie on your back and relax your muscles and body. If your dog joins you lying down, you can cuddle him on the side and then cuddle him extensively.