Posted on January 15, 2010 by: WayCoolDogs

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To live in harmony with our elderly dogs, a new but old practice called “Doga” combines gentle massage and meditation with gentle stretching for both the dog owner and their pets — perfect winter exercises for elderly dogs and even elderly dog owners.

The nationwide classes of Doga, or yoga with dogs, are becoming extremely popular in the United States. Perfect for bonding in a gentle and caring manner for dogs of all ages, it is more than adequate for the elderly dogs in the winter who are arthritic and unable to be outside too much on cold winter days.

Regular exercise routines of any type are important for elderly dogs to maintain their body weight and avoid stress on the dog’s joints.

Like myself, the pain of osteoarthritis is emphasized when too much weight is gained and not enough exercise. At this point, other areas in the elderly begin to suffer.

Videos of Doga Exercises

Leta Koontz has put together a series of Doga exercises on her Ehow page to get an idea what it consists of. Some people are more visual and need a hands-on idea what it consists of instead of simply words.

“In this free video series, learn about a new health and fitness activity called doga, that is, yoga performed by dogs and their masters. This practice involves traditional poses, like the sun salutation, and—you guessed it—the downward dog, modified for the purposes of allowing the dog to perform them comfortably. The idea is not necessarily to stretch your pet to the limits, but rather to let them be involved in as much of your life as possible.

Our yoga instructor will lead you through several different poses for both you and your dog, with special techniques for helping your dog get into position. Enjoy these free yoga—I mean doga videos.”

But for sure, Doga works wonderful for the elderly dogs while allowing them some wonderful time with their owners!

SOURCES:

Dog Meditation

The Importance of Exercise in an Elderly Dog

Bonding With Their Downward-Facing Humans

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