Stefanie Le

Patrice Flesch, a consummate and innovative yoga teacher at Boston's South End Yoga, recently created a workout that combined two of her passions-dogs and yoga. Flesch came up with the concept of dog yoga after noticing that her two cocker spaniels, Celia and Playa, always wanted to play when she practiced yoga in her living room. "The poses aren't really what yoga is about. Yoga is about a certain lifestyle-the way of living your life-and they happen to be things that are very dog-like," she said. In conjunction with teaching a class for dog-loving yogis and their pets, Flesch is also raising money for charity with proceeds from each 'doga' class going to the Animal Rescue League.

Original article:

Yogathon for dogs and their owners raises money for Animal Rescue League

By Stefanie Le
Posted February 12, 2012, The Boston Globe

For a charity event benefiting the Animal Rescue League, Patrice Flesch put on a "Yogathon" of classes at her South End studio that ran from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the last of which allowed dogs to participate with their owners.

"I researched on the Internet and saw some ridiculous things with people with their legs up in the air and dogs balancing [on them] and the dogs would fall off and get hurt," said Flesch, owner of South End Yoga, who had previously taught one experimental dog yoga (or "doga") class before and adapted specific poses to be canine-friendly. "I thought about it and knew that it had to be safe."

The Yogathon was put together in collaboration with three South End businesses: South End Yoga, the Animal Rescue League, and Katz and Dogz, a holistic animal massage practice run by Arnie Katz, who opened the class with a lesson on canine massage and relaxation.

Flesch, an owner of two Cocker Spaniels, Celia and Playa, came up with the concept of dog yoga after noticing that her dogs continuously wanted to play when she practiced yoga in her own living room.

"Yoga for dogs is really the same as yoga for people," she said, "The poses aren't really what yoga is about. Yoga is about a certain lifestyle-the way of living your life-and they happen to be the things that are very dog-life."

"Dogs, without knowing it, are leading yogic lives," Flesch said, pointing out that canines are the embodiment of the two foremost tenants of yoga: to live in the moment and to be nonjudgmental. "Dogs don't think about what happened yesterday or what's happening next week. They live in the moment and they love you no matter what," she said.

The event, which raised $500 for the Animal Rescue League, attracted both yoga lovers and dog lovers to whom the Animal Rescue League is an important cause.

"I think it'll be a fun way to bond with my dog," said Alexandria Hubbard of Brighton, who s entered the class with Toby, an energetic miniature Pinscher, Dotson, and Chihuahua mix, incidentally, a very healthy set of lungs.

Many participants of the "doga" class brought their canine companions who themselves were either rescues from the Animal Rescue League or from unfortunate scenarios. Both Bianca Strzelczyk of Jamaica Plain and Judy Lions of the South End brought their rescues, a mixed Labrador named Little Greg and a Doberman named Rex, to participate. And Linda Setzer, a resident of the Back Bay, brought along Meg, a puppy mill survivor who was used as a breeding mother before she was rescued.

Yoga enthusiast Christine Anastos of Arlington, who in her spare time raises puppies that eventually work for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as accelerant and explosives detection canines, also supported the Animal Rescue League with her black Labrador, Windy, a retired guide dog, by her side in the class.

Hillary Hall, an instructor at South End Yoga and resident of Beacon Hill who taught one of the Yogathan classes, was without a pup but supported the idea of a new and unique way of getting more people to do yoga. "To me, yoga is as important as brushing your teeth," she said.

Flesch said the "doga" class proved so popular that after having to turn many yogis and their canines away from the Yogathon due to space restrictions, South End Yoga studio will start a monthly "doga" class for all those who want to participate with their furry friends.

Heartened by the amount of interest already being shown in "doga," Flesh is excited that these classes can show people how they can do yoga with their dogs. "Everybody can do some yoga. I teach in rehab where I have amputees that don't have legs and they can still do some stuff," said Flesh of the universality of yoga.

"I think everybody and animals can benefit from it, even thought it's the most simple yoga because yoga isn't just about movement, it's about breath, about meditation, it's very introspective. It's about relaxing and being quiet and getting rid of stress. It's not an exercise class. Exercise I see as more of a byproduct, but that isn't the reason I do it," Flesch said.

Captions

Photo 1: For a charity event benefitting the Animal Rescue League, Patrice Flesch put on a series of classes at her studio on February 11th that ran from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the last of which allowed dogs to participate with their owners. Flesch, who previously taught one experimental dog yoga (or 'doga') class before, adapted specific poses to be canine-friendly.
Flesch demonstrates different yoga poses that incorporate canines in a safe way with Celia, her cocker spaniel.

Photo 2: Hubbard relaxes in a basic sitting pose with Toby.
"I think itll be a fun way to bond with my dog," said Alexandria Hubbard of Brighton, who gamely entered the class with Toby, an energetic miniature pinscher, dachshund, and Chihuahua mix.

Photo 3: Hubbard got a kiss from Toby during the class.

Photo 4: Celia assists South End Yoga owner Flesch in instructing her class.

Photo 5: The event, which raised $500, attracted both yoga lovers and dog lovers to whom the Animal Rescue League is an important cause.
Sophie Besl and Jack Crowley, both of the North End, balance Moose and Wilbur in the bridge pose.

Photo 6: Flesch discussed the virtues of doga in this experimental class.
"Dogs, without knowing it, are leading yogic lives," Flesch said, pointing out that canines are the embodiment of two tenets of yoga: to live in the moment and to be nonjudgmental.

Photo 7: Flesch demonstrates downward dog with her canine during class.