Is Puppy Yoga Ethical? Exploring the Details of This Trend

There are many different approaches to practicing yoga, each with its own unique mental and physical health benefits. There are also some trends that involve animals that are more harmful than they appear on the surface — think whipped cream-filled "pup cups" — but are nevertheless practiced widely out of ignorance.

When things that people love merge, such as yoga and interacting with puppies, is such a trend as innocuous and adorable as it appears, or is there an underlying immorality?

If you plan on taking a puppy yoga session in the near future, or you are starting to see an increase in advertisements from studios offering such classes, is it ethical to pursue these opportunities?

Let's explore the details of puppy yoga, if all such classes involve the same approach to interacting with puppies, and where exactly those puppies come from.

Dog welfare specialist Esme Wheeler made no bones about it in The Guardian: the monetization and commodification of dogs for the sole purpose of having them accompany yoga practitioners in classes is horrifying.

As Wheeler explains, puppies are often taken from their mothers during critically important periods of their development so that puppy yoga practitioners can pursue their wellness goals with adorable puppies running freely about the room.

Furthermore, she said, puppies "are being put to work for hours each day in some places, allegedly deprived of water (to prevent urination), woken from sleep (critically important for puppies) and being passed around the people in attendance. The rooms are often overly warm to suit the needs of humans, which is a health risk to puppies."

An ITV News undercover investigation in 2023 found that puppy yoga classes put these young dogs at "serious risk" for health concerns due to inhumane treatmen, prompting the British Veterinary Association's Senior Vice President Dr. Justine Shotton to say: "we have serious concerns about the welfare of those puppies."

Not only that, but puppy yoga may also be a front for nefarious intentions, such as backyard breeding and illegal sales when more humane options exist to help dogs in need. Per Dr. Shotton, "it's a sort of marketing tool for puppy sales and irresponsible puppy sales."

In summary: puppy yoga is an inhumane practice and undercover investigations have prompted major animal welfare concerns.

The descriptions of puppy yoga classes alone should raise giant, bright red flags immediately. "This endorphin boosting and Insta-worthy class includes a flow yoga session with adorable puppies and refreshing bubbly," according to Puppy Sphere, who are the self described "leaders in puppy-centric wellness events across North America."

If that isn't enough, the brand partners with "local breeders," another red flag with undisclosed credentials and safety conditions from these breeders.

Combining the consumption of alcohol with yoga doesn't sound so healthy, nor does adding in helpless, dehydrated, starving, overworked puppies ripped from their mothers.

So, while the American Kennel Club (AKC) extolls the mutual benefits of puppy yoga — socialization for puppies, adorable environment for humans — it wouldn't be the first time the ugly truth about the AKC and their lack of values came to light.