Words Samantha Harman
May 2024
POV – I’m lying on a yoga mat inside a bright and airy dance studio floor and there are two 12-week-old French Bulldog puppies attached to my face. One of them is nibbling my nose and the other is licking my eyeball. Moments later, a third pup climbs onto my chest to join the love in. This is one of the happiest moments of my life. Nothing is nicer than the smell of puppies.
Let’s rewind and talk about how this amazing moment came to pass. Yogi Paws is a relatively new puppy yoga experience that takes place on Saturdays and Sundays at The Knoll Business Centre, a stone’s throw away from Portslade Station. The classes are hosted by Kayla Becher (Soulstice Yoga) and I was invited to come along and experience my first ever session.
Upon arrival all attendees are expected to read and sign a puppy handling form which gives a list of dos and don’ts to ensure the dogs safety and also to respect their boundaries. All the pups are sourced from reputable dog breeders who want to socialise their litters before they find their new homes, (the breeders are present at all times in a room adjacent). So it’s a win, win situation all round.
A typical class consists of a 20 minute yoga session before the hounds are unleashed and you can either carry on with the yoga once they arrive, or as I did sit, with a beaming smile on your face holding your arms out, speaking in your best dog voice, (which in my case is high pitched and slightly annoying to humans).
To say the session was pure joy is an understatement. The Frenchies ran riot in the best way, stealing a pair of balled up socks, slurping the cold tea out of the instructor’s cup and also running away with a hair scrunchie.
Once the yoga finished it was time to play. Everyone sat in a big circle with comfy puppy beds, toys and treats to spend the final 20 minutes playing and making a fuss of these delightful little dogs. Some started to get sleepy while others were still in full zoomie mode.
I left feeling like I’d had a therapy session and will definitely be returning as soon as possible. I highly recommend Yogi Paws, the team are friendly and professional and all the animals are treated well. FYI – all the French Bulldog puppies have been sold to loving homes and the latest litters you can play with are Boxer and Labrador puppies. Book now!
