Puppy Yoga Events: A Readers Checklist for Animal Welfare and Realistic Expectations
Puppy yoga events pair a yoga class with puppies that are usually available for adoption. They are organized by shelters and rescues — not by Green Yoga Inc. Green Yoga Inc does not host puppy yoga events, classes, or retreats in Colorado Springs or anywhere else.
Disclosure. Green Yoga Inc is an independent publisher. We do not host puppy yoga events and we are not affiliated with any shelter or rescue.
The thing puppy yoga is, and the thing it is not
A puppy yoga event is a fundraiser or adoption event. The yoga practice is the setting; the puppies are the point. If you are looking for ongoing yoga, a third-party studio offers it. If you are looking for a one-time puppy yoga experience, the relevant questions are about the animals, not the asana.
Six things to check before you book
1. The puppies age and vaccination status
Puppies under 16 weeks should not be in high-traffic public settings. They have not completed their full vaccination series and are vulnerable to disease. The ASPCA and your local shelter can tell you the risk profile.
2. The organizers relationship with a shelter or rescue
Legitimate puppy yoga events are run by shelters, rescues, or established pet-related businesses.
3. The puppies break and water access
Puppies get tired. A class longer than 30 minutes is too long.
4. The class size relative to the number of puppies
A reasonable ratio is roughly two puppies for every three students.
5. The puppies age and the adoption process
If the puppies are old enough to be adopted, the event should clearly explain the adoption process.
6. The post-event plan
Where do the puppies go after the class?
Sources we used to write this checklist
- ASPCA
- Local shelter websites in any city the reader is considering.
Green Yoga Incs own products — the Yoga Sequence Builder and the meditation library — are digital tools for a home practice. We do not host in-person classes, retreats, or events of any kind.