Doing stretches with a pair of yoga hounds

My dog Cupcake (and no, I did not name her) is a yoga natural. Her favorite thing to do is jump gently onto any stranger she takes a liking to, and have herself a good stretch. I call this vertical posture her “upward dog” maneuver. Happily, the passers-by she’s used as human yoga mats didn’t complain.

Most yoga hounds prefer to use the ground as their launch pad to enlightenment. At Manhattan’s East Yoga, owner-founder Kari Harendorf can often be seen with Charlie, her beloved mixed-breed dog and frequent partner in constructive rest. June 25th is TakeYour Dog to Work Day, but lucky Charlie Harendorf gets to go to work year-round.

The great thing about having a canine yoga partner is being able to seize the stretch moment wherever you happen to be. All you need is something approximating a yoga mat to take some of the firm out of terra firma – like a versatile microsuede throw.

Incidentally, Charlie and Cupcake both keep their physiques trim and yoga-ready by eating holistic kibble, as any good yoga hound should.

Posted by Julia Szabo.