5 Exercises for Your Small Dog : Small & In Charge : Animal Planet

1: Yoga

After running, jumping and fetching you and your dog will be ready for some downtime. Dog yoga or Doga, as it's sometimes called, is a great activity to reconnect and bond while still getting a workout.

Yoga instructor Brenda Bryan, of Barking Buddha Doga, says any breed of dog can benefit from the poses. "Besides promoting relaxation and muscle health, doga can deepen the already strong bond we have with our dogs as well as teach trust and focus."

She notes that some poses can offer the yogi more of a workout with a small dog because she is able to lift him, which could be a problem with a larger animal. For example, in some of the Woofing Warrior poses, the small dog is balanced on the front thigh; in the Canine Crunch on the shins and in Floating Dog poses, the small dog is placed on the belly. These positions help your dog work on balance. Other poses like the Downward-facing Dog give him a great stretch.

CONTENT

Small and In Charge

Health & Fitness

1: Yoga

Guide to Your Small Dog