The growing popularity of puppy yoga is raising red flags among behaviour professionals—and for good reason.
I get it. A room full of adorable puppies is hard to resist. It’s easy to see how such an experience could lift spirits and melt stress. But while the humans may walk away feeling lighter, the reality for the puppies involved is far more complicated.
Event organizers often claim that these sessions are beneficial for the puppies too—that they’re helping the pups “socialize” and build confidence. But that’s a serious misunderstanding – and misrepresentation – of what socialization actually means—and what young dogs really need during this critical stage of development.
Real socialization isn’t just exposure—it’s intentional, positive learning. During a pup’s critical socialization period they are forming lifelong associations with the world and the people in it. For that learning to translate into emotionally stable, well-adjusted adult dogs, the experiences must be positive, calm, and —most importantly—consensual. Puppies should be free to approach or retreat, engage or observe. In short, they need agency.
In contrast, puppy yoga often places them in overstimulating environments full of unfamiliar people, noise, movement, and scents. often without the ability to retreat or rest when they need to. That’s not socialization. That’s sensory overload. And it can lay the groundwork for issues like reactivity, anxiety, and poor impulse control later in life. The very problems socialization is meant to prevent.
I know that most participants are real dog-lovers and would never intentionally cause harm but here’s a HARD TRUTH:
puppies this young won’t always look distressed in ways the average person would recognize. A wagging tail doesn’t always indicate happiness and a puppy who looks “calm” on the surface may be completely shut down internally. Early signs of stress can be very subtle and easily missed or misinterpreted if you don’t know what to look for. And by the time it’s obvious, the emotional damage has been done, often irrevocably.
And there’s another ugly layer: No responsible, ethical breeder would voluntarily subject their litters to this kind of environment. And that leads to an uncomfortable question:
Where are these puppies coming from? Are these sessions being used to market litters from backyard breeders or puppy mills? In some countries that’s been found to be the case. If so, animal-loving attendees may unknowingly be supporting an industry that prioritizes profit over welfare.
If that weren’t enough, beyond the emotional and behavioural risks, there are also serious concerns about physical welfare. Young puppies require:
- At least 18–20 hours of sleep per day for healthy development
- Constant access to clean water.
- Safe, sanitary and supervised environments tailored to their stage of development
Are these needs being met during an hour-long yoga class surrounded by strangers? Many operators freely admit to limiting food and water in order to reduce “accidents”. Are there hygiene rules to ensure people aren’t bringing in deadly bacteria on their street shoes, bags or mats? Is there a limit to how many classes each pup participates in? Where are the pups kept when not in class?
Who’s monitoring their health and well-being—not just during the session, but in the days, weeks, and months after?
You may have paid your class fee and gotten your feel-good fix, but for those pups, the cost could be much higher—and much longer lasting.
If we truly care about dogs—not just how they make us feel in the moment, but how they thrive in the long run—we need to rethink trends like puppy yoga. Because when we prioritize human entertainment over animal welfare, everyone loses.
If you want to do something truly meaningful for dogs, donate those class fees to a reputable rescue or spend that time volunteering with a local shelter. And let your friends know the truth about Puppy Yoga.
