Email This Post HomeHumorPet Yoga Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Humor 32 Comments Introduction to Pet Yoga Pet Yoga: The Myth Many people believe yoga was invented thousands of years ago in India, but in fact, pet yoga (as it was originally called) was invented in the 1800s by a dog named Scout. Undeniable proof of Scout’s pet yoga genius is seen in this rare photo, which, due to its old-timey nature, is clearly authentic. If you look carefully, you can see Jesse James standing behind the tree as Scout perfects “downward facing dog.” Credit: Whitney @itisprettyblog The Shame of Pet Yoga Because humans have taken credit for the invention of pet yoga, some animals don’t understand their natural inclination to practice the art. For these poor furry souls, their deep devotion to pet yoga is actually a source of great shame. You’ve probably walked in on a pet scrambling out of Warrior I pose and not even realized it. Doing what!? Heh… I don’t know what you’re talking about. Credit: Winston Smith @gobuymeadrink Pet Yoga Equipment Before starting a pet yoga routine, it is important to possess the right equipment. Edible equipment is a recent fad popular among dogs. Wait, who took this bite? Credit: Jennifer Berthiaume @iheartmaps Pet Yoga Safety But remember, whatever equipment you choose, SAFETY FIRST. Credit: Eric @EricDynamic83 Pet yoga doesn’t have to be a solitary activity. Grab a friend or work with a trainer. German Shepherds in particular make excellent trainers, though they can be quite strict. Butt-to-Butt stretching. Credit: Courtney Bressack Get on your mats, maggots! Credit: Karen Horn (Skye) If you’re considering learning yoga from a true pet yoga master, there are any number of pets willing to share their secrets. Here we see several widely renown cat trainers demonstrating stretching techniques. Credit: Adam @AdamMiguel Credit: C.L. Boretos Credit: Eric @EricDynamic83 Advanced Pet Yoga Postions “The X-Factor” Credit: Amy Cornell “The Infinity” Credit: Eric @EricDynamic83 “The Halt Who Goes There Crane Pose” This cat actually held this pose for over one week. Done with two paws, it is known as the “Trick or Treat Smell my Feet” pose. Credit: Jesse Grant @JGrant3974 “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Kitty” Advanced pet yoga masters are often recruited as ninjas. Credit: Lizzy Grubbs @lizzyneverlies “The Face Plant” I happen to know this dog’s owner, and the caption should read “I learned it from YOU, Dad!” Credit: Dave Martinko “The Inverted Chinese Dragon” Note the deep concentration in the eyes. Credit: Jennifer Berthiaume @iheartmaps “The HolyShitWhattheFuckWasThat” Credit: Karen Horn “The I Got Your Yoga Right Here” A popular pose in the Northeast United States. This true master practices the art balancing on a sofa. Do not try this at home. Credit: Tammy @itsprkles “Downward Facing Hustler Model” My Gordon Labradoodle “The Throw Your Hands in the Air Like You Just Don’t Care” Credit: Eric @EricDynamic83 If practiced long enough, Pet Yoga can provide you with strength, tranquility and even lengthen your body. Credit: D. Brit @SnarkyTwitg … as well as help you reach TOTAL NIRVANA. Yogi Ferret Oreo. Credit: Karen Horn Thank you to all the Twitter and FB fans who submitted their photos for this post. If I mismarked anyone or you see a caption that is off or missing, please just let me know and I’ll fix it faster than you can drop to Child’s Pose. Here are some spares… Credit: Karen Horn Credit: Martinko Credit: Courtney Bressack @baige58 Sarah @travelswithberg Author Recent Posts Amy VansantAmy Vansant is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling author specializing in fun, funny fiction --- even the murder mysteries. Latest posts by Amy Vansant (see all) Book Release – You want The Girl Who Wants (I promise) - September 9, 2020 My Zoo: Critter videos: Bobcats, Armadillos, Tortoises oh my, giveaway and book deals - August 27, 2020 Pineapple Hurricane Finally 99c, My New Exercise, Win Kindles - August 19, 2020 32 Responses Abby September 19, 2012 Ha! I love this and saw your call for pictures. While my hairball cat appears to be quite flexible herself, she isn’t that photogenic (in that I get out the camera and she hauls ass away.) Love these 🙂 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Yeah, the cats win paws-down for flexibility! 0 likes Reply SarcasticNinja September 19, 2012 I love the nirvana ferret! It looks like it is beginning to glow gold as its spiritual ascension begins. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 That ferret was golden. As soon as I got that photo I was like YES. I am so writing this post… 0 likes Reply bill major September 19, 2012 lmao amy ……….. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 I appreciate the short comment – you don’t have to spend a bunch of time thinking about it, but I get the sweet sweet knowledge that someone actually read this and enjoyed it. Perfect. 0 likes Reply bill major September 19, 2012 i know what it takes to do what you do for us and i want you to know i do appreciate it and the laugh that starts my day . thank you amy bill 0 likes Irene September 19, 2012 Sure, we can call it yoga. The reality is he’s licking his balls. Would that be the “Go Down On Dog” pose? 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Well you know the old joke… why does a dog lick his balls? Because he can… 0 likes Reply Carrie - Cannibalistic Nerd September 19, 2012 I never tire of the look of indignation cats give you when you interrupt their butthole licking. I didn’t realize it was for the betterment of their soul. I’ll be more respectful. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Dogs get embarrassed, cats don’t CARE. If the dog trips and we laugh at him he get visibly shaken. A cat would flip us off. 0 likes Reply Casi September 19, 2012 I can always count on you to make me laugh out loud. I saw most of the pics on Twitter, but your commentary was priceless. I, myself, do the “Holyshitwhatthefuckwasthat” pose and “Halt Who Goes There Crane Pose” on the reg. As for human poses, I can hold the “If I Balance on This Toe and Clench My Buttcheeks, I Won’t Slip and Fall Whilst Shaving in the Shower” Pose. Love. Every. Minute. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Thank you! Hm.. Yoga would be good for showering shaving. I never thought of that… and I might for ONCE get that spot on the inside of my right leg just above my ankle… 0 likes Reply WildeOscarshuman September 19, 2012 This was great!!!!! 0 likes Reply Jen September 19, 2012 My Great Dane would do the “face plant” on a regular basis. My pointer and Bernese both do downward dog on command. I like them to do their stretches with me in the morning. Works great until one of them decides to try and sit on top of me. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Martinko says faceplant dog is a “plotter hound” but he is vaguely great danish… maybe the faceplant is in their blood. 0 likes Reply Christian at Point Counter-Point Point Point September 19, 2012 Oh man I’m sorry I missed this. I have some crazy pictures of my cats flying through the air in awkward positions. Actually, I should clarify. They are jumping through the air, not necessarily flying. I would also like to add that they were jumping on their on accord. I just want to make sure people don’t think I was throwing them. I should probably just end this comment now. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 You hung the catnip on the fan again, didn’t you? 0 likes Reply Eric Callahan September 19, 2012 This reminds me of when I worked in the Music/DVD department at Barnes & Noble and we had a copy of “Naked Yoga” and “Naked Palates”. Thank Jobu that I never had to sell it to someone. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 I just tweeted: There should be some sort of warning alarm that goes off before a naked man with his back to you bends over. So I can’t even imagine the horror of that book… 0 likes Reply Marie Nicole September 19, 2012 “German Shepherds in particular make excellent trainers, though they can be quite strict.” Funny. Very funny. I bet they have quite the frightening accent too. Now I want to drive out to the Humane Society and sign up for yoga classes. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 That was how I pictured it: Ze pose you have azumed is UNACCEPTABLE! 0 likes Reply Tammy September 20, 2012 Awesome – the ferret is my favorite. How exciting! This is my cat’s internet debut – I hope to sponge off her wealth when she eventually becomes famous and makes millions… I will make sure she gives due credit to KFL! =] 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 That’s how I roll… making cat celebrities, one kitty at a time… 0 likes Reply Beadmaster September 20, 2012 Love these! I wish I had a pic of our cat’s yoga pose…we call it the “Super Pretzel.” The bottom half of her body is facing in one direction, and the top faces the opposite direction. (Already sounds pretzel-y uncomfortable, doesn’t it?) The “Super” part of that is she extends her paws out in front of her, like a flying caped crusader! She can sleep like that for hours. But she’s camera shy…she hates the camera and goes running the second we turn it on. 🙁 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 We need the vacuum to scare the dog. I think we took so many photos of him as a puppy now he actually poses for us whenever we whip out the camera. 0 likes Reply Natalie the Singingfool September 21, 2012 This is brilliant. My cat practices yoga only when I’m trying to use the computer or do yoga myself – she plants herself in “affection” pose riiiiigggghhhht in the center of whatever I’m doing. 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 26, 2012 That’s definitely in the pet handbook. Every time Mike gets on the floor so I can crack his back Gordon Labradoodle has to be right in the middle of the whole thing… 0 likes Reply Vesta Vayne September 25, 2012 Love it! My elderly chihuahua is a total yoga master, but she’s camera shy:) 0 likes Reply Poetjanstie September 26, 2012 In a world so full of serious cynicism (and I always find that word hard to type :-/), to find this site and this zany humour made me giggle till my sides ached. Thank you for putting humour back into blogging. If it were within my power (aside: O, excuse me, it is?), so it seems it is within my power, I would therefore be pleased to offer you citizenship as an honorary Brit, to take your place alongside all my Goon Show and Monty Pythonesque heroes! Very well done and, by the way, I just put my back out, trying to clean my… Oh, yes you did issue the health and safety warning! My bad 😐 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant September 26, 2012 Whoo whoo! As an anglophile I am especially honored. And now I get to break for tea at 4 every day – scones and clotted cream for everyone! 0 likes Reply Scarlett September 27, 2012 LMAO I absolutely love this!!! xxx 0 likes Reply Leave a Reply to Marie Nicole Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Add me to Amy Vansant's Humor Newsletter!
Abby September 19, 2012 Ha! I love this and saw your call for pictures. While my hairball cat appears to be quite flexible herself, she isn’t that photogenic (in that I get out the camera and she hauls ass away.) Love these 🙂 0 likes Reply
SarcasticNinja September 19, 2012 I love the nirvana ferret! It looks like it is beginning to glow gold as its spiritual ascension begins. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 That ferret was golden. As soon as I got that photo I was like YES. I am so writing this post… 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 I appreciate the short comment – you don’t have to spend a bunch of time thinking about it, but I get the sweet sweet knowledge that someone actually read this and enjoyed it. Perfect. 0 likes Reply
bill major September 19, 2012 i know what it takes to do what you do for us and i want you to know i do appreciate it and the laugh that starts my day . thank you amy bill 0 likes
Irene September 19, 2012 Sure, we can call it yoga. The reality is he’s licking his balls. Would that be the “Go Down On Dog” pose? 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Well you know the old joke… why does a dog lick his balls? Because he can… 0 likes Reply
Carrie - Cannibalistic Nerd September 19, 2012 I never tire of the look of indignation cats give you when you interrupt their butthole licking. I didn’t realize it was for the betterment of their soul. I’ll be more respectful. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Dogs get embarrassed, cats don’t CARE. If the dog trips and we laugh at him he get visibly shaken. A cat would flip us off. 0 likes Reply
Casi September 19, 2012 I can always count on you to make me laugh out loud. I saw most of the pics on Twitter, but your commentary was priceless. I, myself, do the “Holyshitwhatthefuckwasthat” pose and “Halt Who Goes There Crane Pose” on the reg. As for human poses, I can hold the “If I Balance on This Toe and Clench My Buttcheeks, I Won’t Slip and Fall Whilst Shaving in the Shower” Pose. Love. Every. Minute. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Thank you! Hm.. Yoga would be good for showering shaving. I never thought of that… and I might for ONCE get that spot on the inside of my right leg just above my ankle… 0 likes Reply
Jen September 19, 2012 My Great Dane would do the “face plant” on a regular basis. My pointer and Bernese both do downward dog on command. I like them to do their stretches with me in the morning. Works great until one of them decides to try and sit on top of me. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 19, 2012 Martinko says faceplant dog is a “plotter hound” but he is vaguely great danish… maybe the faceplant is in their blood. 0 likes Reply
Christian at Point Counter-Point Point Point September 19, 2012 Oh man I’m sorry I missed this. I have some crazy pictures of my cats flying through the air in awkward positions. Actually, I should clarify. They are jumping through the air, not necessarily flying. I would also like to add that they were jumping on their on accord. I just want to make sure people don’t think I was throwing them. I should probably just end this comment now. 0 likes Reply
Eric Callahan September 19, 2012 This reminds me of when I worked in the Music/DVD department at Barnes & Noble and we had a copy of “Naked Yoga” and “Naked Palates”. Thank Jobu that I never had to sell it to someone. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 I just tweeted: There should be some sort of warning alarm that goes off before a naked man with his back to you bends over. So I can’t even imagine the horror of that book… 0 likes Reply
Marie Nicole September 19, 2012 “German Shepherds in particular make excellent trainers, though they can be quite strict.” Funny. Very funny. I bet they have quite the frightening accent too. Now I want to drive out to the Humane Society and sign up for yoga classes. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 That was how I pictured it: Ze pose you have azumed is UNACCEPTABLE! 0 likes Reply
Tammy September 20, 2012 Awesome – the ferret is my favorite. How exciting! This is my cat’s internet debut – I hope to sponge off her wealth when she eventually becomes famous and makes millions… I will make sure she gives due credit to KFL! =] 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 That’s how I roll… making cat celebrities, one kitty at a time… 0 likes Reply
Beadmaster September 20, 2012 Love these! I wish I had a pic of our cat’s yoga pose…we call it the “Super Pretzel.” The bottom half of her body is facing in one direction, and the top faces the opposite direction. (Already sounds pretzel-y uncomfortable, doesn’t it?) The “Super” part of that is she extends her paws out in front of her, like a flying caped crusader! She can sleep like that for hours. But she’s camera shy…she hates the camera and goes running the second we turn it on. 🙁 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 20, 2012 We need the vacuum to scare the dog. I think we took so many photos of him as a puppy now he actually poses for us whenever we whip out the camera. 0 likes Reply
Natalie the Singingfool September 21, 2012 This is brilliant. My cat practices yoga only when I’m trying to use the computer or do yoga myself – she plants herself in “affection” pose riiiiigggghhhht in the center of whatever I’m doing. 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 26, 2012 That’s definitely in the pet handbook. Every time Mike gets on the floor so I can crack his back Gordon Labradoodle has to be right in the middle of the whole thing… 0 likes Reply
Vesta Vayne September 25, 2012 Love it! My elderly chihuahua is a total yoga master, but she’s camera shy:) 0 likes Reply
Poetjanstie September 26, 2012 In a world so full of serious cynicism (and I always find that word hard to type :-/), to find this site and this zany humour made me giggle till my sides ached. Thank you for putting humour back into blogging. If it were within my power (aside: O, excuse me, it is?), so it seems it is within my power, I would therefore be pleased to offer you citizenship as an honorary Brit, to take your place alongside all my Goon Show and Monty Pythonesque heroes! Very well done and, by the way, I just put my back out, trying to clean my… Oh, yes you did issue the health and safety warning! My bad 😐 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant September 26, 2012 Whoo whoo! As an anglophile I am especially honored. And now I get to break for tea at 4 every day – scones and clotted cream for everyone! 0 likes Reply
