N.J. center offers yoga for dogs

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RANDOLPH, N.J., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A New Jersey dog training center is offering classes in "doga," yoga designed for canines and their human companions to perform together.

Karin Stoetzer, the yoga instructor at Morris K9 Campus in Randolph, said the center first offered doga classes in December and the classes have now resumed, The (Newark) Star-Ledger reported Thursday.

Stoetzer, who teaches the class with her dog, Bacchus, and Robin Lash, head pet trainer at Morris K9 Campus, said she used to notice Bacchus taking an interest when she would do yoga at home.

"Every time I would practice, he would be by me," Stoetzer says. "They feel the calming energy. They wanna be with you."

The teachers said the classes are more than just owners using their dogs for their own exercises. They said the classes are designed to benefit human and canine equally.

"The whole goal for this class is we're not using the dogs as props," Lash said.