I’m a proud dog lover. I played Nintendogs until I was probably about 15, and I follow several dog accounts on social media. For years, I wished my parents would purchase me a puppy. I’ve missed my dog the most since starting university, so when I learned that Manchester offered puppy yoga lessons, I knew I had to go.
I finally got a space in a yoga session with golden retriever pups in mid-October after following @pawyoga mcr for a few weeks and waited for their new classes to begin. You can imagine how happy I am.
Yoga Soul, where I had my lesson, was located in the heart of the city, just five minutes from Piccadilly Gardens. We were introduced to the puppies after waiting outdoors and taking off our shoes. Of course, playing with them during the yoga session was impossible because they were so adorable and cuddly. A half-hour of yoga and a half-hour of pure puppy cuddling are scheduled into each class.
The staff was friendly and offered to take pictures at all times. Despite the puppies running all over the place—I’m not much of a yoga enthusiast—the class was enjoyable and had a very peaceful vibe. No one put any pressure on you to perform tasks that were beyond your capacity, and you were more much welcome to pet the pups if they came over.
Since every technique had to be performed at floor level for the pups’ safety, it wasn’t a particularly advanced class, so if you’re a serious yogi looking to enhance your practice, this probably isn’t the class for you. However, if you’re like me and simply need a little stretch, some positive energy, and a serotonin boost, this is ideal.
It was wonderful to meet new people while relaxing to soothing music with pups on your lap because everyone was so welcoming. It goes without saying that it was an incredible pleasure to spend time with the puppies because they were so extremely adorable.
For me, there isn’t a finer way to spend a Saturday afternoon than around dogs while challenging both the body and the mind. I’ll most certainly return to a Paw Yoga class in the future.
