Puppy Yoga Toronto
Toronto has become a hotbed for puppy yoga enthusiasts, which means you’ve got options—some better curated than others. It’s less about finding the first class listed on Google and more about picking one that fits your personal ethics (you can read more about Ethical Puppy Sourcing here). From boutique studios to pop-up events in parks, Toronto offers puppy yoga all over. However the one things that remains the same is that very few are using puppies from rescue organizations.
Studio-Based Classes: Many yoga studios in Toronto now host weekly puppy yoga classes with sign ups according to specific breeds ie: French Bulldogs, Samoyed and other trending puppy breeds. The puppies coming to those classes are up for sale which is much much different than being adopted although the same language is used. The puppies are dropped off in the morning by the breeder and the puppies run classes through the day then get picked up in the evening. Some studios run 4 classes a day with 30 mins in between for the babies to rest. 30 mins of rest is not enough time for a good rest as most of these puppies are 7 to 8 weeks olds making rest so important to their development.
Pop-Up Events: Usually Pop Up Events are community based, hosted in a park in the summer. It sounds like a place a puppy would LOVE and they would. However it is not best for the baby, there are way too many people around leading to over stimulation from the environment around them and people handing them. Further the park is a dangerous place for puppies, diseases like Parvo Virus are rampant in parks and puppies are still building immunity. Pudgy will attend a Pop Up Community Event for one hour, keeping the puppies in a pen with a bottom to answer questions but we do not allow attendees to handle the puppies.
Private and Corporate Bookings: Personalized puppy yoga experiences are increasingly popular for stress relief in office environments or private events. These tailored sessions adapt to group sizes and client experience however not at the expense of the puppies well being. We will not travel outside of a certain radius as it’s too long for the puppies to be in a car. We prefer that private puppy parties are held at Pudgy’s Place where they have their own suite with all the things in it to keep them comfortable. We also will not run classes on the same day as private parties, it’s too much for the puppies.
With so many choices, a little digging can save you from contributing to the mistreatment of puppies. If you are looking to attend a Puppy Yoga class you are going because you love dogs and you want the best for them. Do your research to ensure the classes are being held in alignment with your personal ethics.
