Is Puppy Yoga Ethical? The PawPals Approach to Puppy Yoga in Toronto

Puppy yoga is pretty simple on the surface.

You bring together yoga, puppies and a room full of people who are very happy to be there.

But creating a genuinely good puppy yoga experience takes more than putting puppies in a studio and handing everyone a yoga mat. We also need to ask the question, is puppy yoga good for the dogs?

At PawPals, we believe ethical puppy yoga should be good for everyone involved, especially the puppies and their mamas.

PawPals was founded in Toronto in 2022 and is rooted in a love of yoga, community and, of course, dogs. Since our first class, we’ve welcomed thousands of guests into a space where movement feels good, the energy is light and the experience is meant to be enjoyed.

And underneath all of it is a love story.

It Started With Teddy

PawPals started with the greatest love of my own life: Theodore Edward Bear.

Ted. E. Bear. ❤️

Teddy is my dog, my constant companion, my professional cuddle consultant and the quiet standard behind PawPals.

He is at the heart of everything we do.

The way we care for every dog who comes into our space comes back to Teddy. He reminds me that dogs are not props, accessories or entertainment. They are individuals. They have personalities, preferences, energy levels and boundaries.

And every puppy deserves the same level of love, attention and respect that Teddy gets.

That is the philosophy behind PawPals.

The yoga is fun. The puppy cuddles are even more fun. But the puppies always come first.

What Does Ethical Puppy Yoga Actually Mean?

The phrase ethical puppy yoga can sound like a big statement, but for us, it comes down to how we treat the puppies in our care and the care and wellbeing of the mother dogs who raised them.

It means creating an environment where puppies can experience new people, sounds, smells and surroundings in a positive and age appropriate way, while having trained people watching out for them throughout the experience.

It means paying attention to the puppies instead of simply expecting the puppies to perform for the humans.

It means knowing when a puppy is having a great time and when a puppy needs a break.

And it means recognizing that what makes a wonderful puppy yoga class is not just how much fun the humans have.

The puppies need to have a good experience too.

The Puppies Come First

Puppies are naturally curious and social, but they are also babies.

One of the beautiful things about puppy yoga is that it can introduce puppies to new people and environments in a controlled setting.

But socialization isn't about overwhelming a puppy with as much stimulation as possible.

Good socialization is about positive experiences.

New people.

New sounds.

New smells.

New surroundings.

Gentle handling.

And plenty of opportunities to rest.

Our goal is to make those experiences enjoyable for the puppies while giving our guests the chance to interact with them in a thoughtful way.

Where the Puppies Come From Matters

Ethical puppy yoga starts before the puppies ever arrive at the studio.

PawPals works with responsible breeders partners who care about the health and wellbeing of their dogs and puppies. 

We believe it matters to know where the puppies come from and to have relationships with the people who care for them. We believe it's just as important to make sure the mother dogs are being well loved as it is to make sure that the puppies are.

There isn't a mystery supply of puppies behind the scenes at PawPals.

There are real people, real dogs and real relationships.

And that matters.

Puppy Yoga Is Not Really About the Yoga

We call it puppy yoga, obviously, but you don't need to be a serious yogi to enjoy it.

Our classes are approachable and beginner friendly.

You can come in with years of yoga experience, or you can come in having never touched a yoga mat in your life.

The yoga gives you an opportunity to stretch, breathe and move your body.

Then the puppies arrive and everyone's priorities tend to change.

That's part of the magic.

You might walk into a puppy yoga class thinking you're going to focus on your downward dog and leave having spent twenty minutes sitting on the floor cuddling a puppy while laughing with a room full of strangers.

Honestly, that's a pretty good afternoon.

We're a Small Toronto Business

PawPals is a local Toronto business.

That means there are real people behind the experience.

Our yoga teachers teach the classes. Our puppy handlers care for the puppies. Our team prepares the studio, manages the sessions, cleans up afterwards and makes sure everything runs smoothly.

There is a lot that guests don't see.

There is preparation before the doors open. There is puppy care throughout the class. There is cleaning and resetting the studio. There are conversations about which puppies are ready for an outing and which puppies are better off having a quiet day.

And, yes, there is a whole lot of puppy poop.

That's the less glamorous side of running a puppy yoga studio.

But it's also the side that matters.

Because PawPals isn't just a place where puppies happen to be.

It's a business built around dogs.

A Good Puppy Yoga Experience Should Leave Everyone Happy

We want our guests to leave PawPals feeling lighter than when they arrived.

We want them to have laughed.

We want them to have stretched.

We want them to have taken approximately 400 photographs of the same puppy.

And we want the puppies to leave happy too.

That's our definition of a successful puppy yoga class.

Ethical puppy yoga isn't about putting a nice label on a cute activity.

It's about building the experience around the idea that puppies are living, feeling animals who deserve care, respect and consideration.

The best puppy yoga experience isn't simply one where the humans have a wonderful time.

It's one where the puppies do too.

Come Experience Puppy Yoga in Toronto

Whether you're completely new to yoga, a lifelong dog person or simply looking for something joyful to do in Toronto, PawPals is here for you.

Come for the yoga.

Stay for the puppy cuddles.

Leave with a ridiculous number of photos, a little more relaxed than when you arrived and hopefully a slightly better day.

And if you'd like to learn more about the story behind PawPals, meet the people and dogs who started it all.

Puppies + Yoga = Pure Joy.