While people were slow to take meditation seriously here in the United States, it took hold, and now many people swear by it. Now, there is dog meditation, which isn’t the downward dog but is a meditation style you can try with your dog or any pet in your household. You’ll have more success with your dog, for example, than with your cat, which isn’t going to sit still if it doesn’t want to.
So, if you’ve considered meditating with your dog, you might wonder how to do it. Also, what are the benefits of meditating for you and your dog? We’ll answer these questions and more below.
What Is Dog Meditation?
Meditation has proven to have a wide variety of benefits when it comes to humans, so why not when it comes to dogs? It’s said to reduce stress, help with anxiety levels, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and even help to prevent chronic disease. These are benefits to humans, and it’s said that dogs can benefit the same way.
How to Meditate with Your Dog
While there are more than a few ways to meditate with your dog, we’ll give you one of the simplest ways we know in the section below.
- One: Find a quiet, comfortable spot to meditate, and bring your dog.
- Two: Invite your dog into that space, and lie down beside him.
- Three: Place one hand on your dog’s chest and the other on his hindquarters.
- Four: Pay attention to your dog’s breathing, and then match your breathing with his.
- Five: Breathe together for a few minutes until you’re both tired.
- Six: Repeat daily until you get into a routine together.
What Are the Benefits of Dog Meditation?
As with human meditation, there are quite a few benefits to dog meditation.
Strengthens Trust and Safety
Dog meditation can build trust between you and your pet and make your dog feel safe. It can help your dog feel grounded like he can trust you, and make him feel safe in his environment.
Reduces Stress
Meditating with you will help relieve some of the stress your dog is under, whether from being in a new environment, having someone or something new in your home, or another stressor. These are just a couple of the benefits of dog meditation. However, one of the most important reasons to meditate with your dog is bonding time for you and your furry friend.
Types of Dog Meditation to Try
There are a couple of dog meditations you can try with your dog. These include the following.
- Breathing exercises
- Walking meditation
- Savasana Yoga
It’s important to remember that every dog is different, and not all dogs will take to meditation or the poses above. Don’t try to force your dog to try meditation with you. Be patient, take your time, and it will come.
Final Thoughts
While dog meditation hasn’t become trendy yet, it probably won’t be long until you see people everywhere meditating with their dogs or even their other pets. Meditation is good for stress relief and much more when it comes to humans, so why wouldn’t it be suitable for your pet? Try one of the types of dog meditation above to see how well it works for you and your furry friend. You can use treats to reward your dog after a brief session, but eventually, your dog will grow to enjoy the process and look forward to meditating with you.
Featured Image Credit: cottonbro, Pexels
