How to strengthen your bond with sports through pets

Downward-Facing Dog Pose

A few years ago, a new trend emerged in the U.S.—yoga with animals. This direction quickly gained popularity around the world due to its original format, unique approach to yoga and fitness, and the significant improvement it brings to people’s emotional well-being.

The main difference between this unusual sport and traditional yoga is the presence of fluffy friends in the studio—you can pet them, cuddle them, and take photos during breaks between exercises.

Thanks to this approach, participants feel uplifted from the very first minutes of the session, more easily overcome emotional barriers, and become charged with positive energy. Upon request, trainers can even create a personalized plan so that your pet becomes a full-fledged participant in the workout. For example, a large dog can settle on your legs to prevent you from lifting them off the floor, while a medium-sized cat can serve as an excellent weight if it lies on your back or stomach.

Other animals are also invited to join such sessions—raccoons, goats, lambs, and even horses. There are even some exotic enthusiasts who prefer to work out with snakes or large lizards.

Lainey Morse, the owner of No Regrets Farm in Albany, Oregon, combines the unthinkable—she invites anyone who wishes to come to her farm and practice yoga in the company of goats.

“It’s a great way to relax and disconnect from the hustle. Goats are very social and friendly—they’re not afraid of people and may even sit next to you while you perform different poses,” says Lainey.

The idea to start Goat Happy Hour came after goats helped Lainey recover from her divorce. Spending time with the hoofed animals and working out with them helped her heal emotionally and physically, and prevented depression—because, as she says, “it’s hard to be in a bad mood when baby goats are bouncing all around you.”

You can also meditate in the company of furry friends in Illinois, where Jeanette Skaluba opened a yoga studio with regular visitors—cats from local shelters. With this unusual concept, Janet set out to help her four-legged friends find a new home more quickly.

“Our classes help people relax and pay attention to the animals—it’s quite possible that someone might decide to adopt one of these meowing ‘partners’,” Janet shared.

This idea quickly gained popularity, and similar yoga centers began appearing in different parts of the world. According to professional yogis, exercising with animals helps people feel more connected with nature and the world around them, gain deeper self-awareness, and relieve anxiety and stress. Pets naturally shift our focus and prevent distractions—no selfies in lotus pose or checking work emails while holding a difficult asana.

However, despite the positive effects of yoga with pets, many experts believe that if not properly organized, these sessions can cause stress in animals due to fatigue, excessive touching, and a general lack of understanding of animal body language. Unfortunately, many yoga studios don’t provide animals with a break from human interaction, and smooth flooring can sometimes lead to injuries for the furry participants.

So, if you’ve decided to include your pet in your yoga practice—don’t rush. Do your research first to make sure you’re doing more good than harm.

From Walks to Workouts—It’s Just One Step

But what if yoga isn’t your thing—or you don’t want to involve your pet in it? The answer is simple: exercise one-on-one with your furry friend.

If you’re a lucky dog owner, rest assured—your loyal pup will gladly join you for a morning or evening run. For your pet, it’s a walk, a game, and happy time with their favorite human. For you—it’s an effortless way to stay active in good company.

And if you have a cat or another fluffy ball of happiness, try holding a plank while your pet scurries around you, trying to figure out why you’ve frozen in such a strange position. Another option—balance on one leg under the same curious supervision.

If you enjoy watching animals, you can always borrow a few moves from them. You’ve probably heard of the “angry/happy cat” stretch, but the fitness world recently introduced a new safe and effective training trend—Animal Flow.

This workout is based on movements that mimic natural animal motions—like those of a crab or monkey. No gym or coach is required—you can do it at home, even with your pet around.

Animal Flow improves health, corrects imbalances accumulated over the years, increases flexibility and joint mobility, strengthens ligaments, builds endurance, and helps you lose weight safely. There are no strict medical or age restrictions, so stop putting off your fitness goals until “tomorrow.”

With your pet by your side, you can start your fitness journey today!

Dogs Don’t Play Hockey… Or Do They?

Welcome to the world’s first Animalympic Games! Among the participants of this unique Olympic-style event for animals, you’ll find dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and even pigeons. It’s an incredible opportunity to discover unusual and fascinating types of sports and shake a paw—or a hoof—of some famous four-legged athletes.

Let’s start with one of the most exciting dog competitions: agility. The main task for the canine participants is to navigate an obstacle course filled with various barriers, hoops, and ramps—under the watchful eye of their owners. The winner is determined by time: the fastest dog takes the top spot on the podium.

Another fun dog sport is dog frisbee—where specially designed discs are thrown at different distances, and the dog must catch them mid-air with their teeth. Judges evaluate speed, accuracy, and the number of successful catches. But the Animalympic organizers didn’t stop there—they went even further and invented flyball, a dynamic relay race where dogs compete in both speed and skill. Like agility, the dogs run through an obstacle course, reach a special machine called a flybox, press a lever with their paw, and catch a ball that shoots into the air. Then, they must return over the same obstacles, ball in mouth, to the finish line.

Cats have their own competitions too. While they’re generally harder to train than dogs, the Animalympics feature feline freestyle shows and cat agility, where cats navigate a timed obstacle course. These courses include barriers, hoops, tunnels, slaloms, ramps, beams, seesaws, and platforms. The cats must complete the course in under 270 seconds, following a specific order. Owners are allowed to use laser pointers and toys on strings—but treats are strictly forbidden.

Horse lovers can enjoy equestrian sports, represented in three forms at the Animalympics. In dressage, horses showcase obedience and grace through complex routines. Show jumping challenges their speed and agility over fences. And eventing combines dressage, show jumping, and a cross-country course filled with natural obstacles.

Who Sent Roger Rabbit to the Gym?

If you prefer rabbits, you’ll enjoy watching them jump over hurdles in a sport called kaninhop. If birds are more your thing, try pigeon parkour—where pigeons navigate a timed maze—or pigeon racing, where the fastest bird to cover a set distance wins. And if that’s still not enough, head to Harrogate in the UK, where the annual “Rabbit Grand National” features over 3,000 rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, and fancy rats competing in races and jumps.

These athletes sometimes set real records: in 1997, a Danish rabbit named Toussaint set the high jump record by clearing a one-meter bar. Another Danish rabbit, Yabo, leapt into history in 1999 with a three-meter long jump.

There’s no horse soccer, turtle sprinting, ostrich racing, pig swimming, or parrot tug-of-war at the Animalympics… yet. But who knows? Maybe the event’s program will include those exciting competitions in the future.

For now, let’s focus on some global stars: Nimble, a Border Collie–Papillon mix, became the first mixed-breed dog to win the Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility Championship in New York in 2024, finishing the course in a record-breaking 28.76 seconds and beating 350 other contestants. Unsurprisingly, Nimble is a fan-favorite and a popular photo companion. Nearby, you might spot another legend: a horse named Chocolat, who, together with rider Michael Jung, competed in the 2020 Strzegom October Festival in Poland. They broke a world record in eventing with just 22.8 penalty points over three phases.

Conclusion:

Sports are equally beneficial for both people and animals—when done responsibly. Pets can set world records and earn medals right alongside their human companions. And even if your goal isn’t to raise an Animalympic champion, your pet can still be your cheerful workout partner and personal fitness motivator. Just don’t forget to reward your little athlete with a tasty treat!