TWO friends have embarked on a ‘passion project’ to bring puppy yoga classes to Cheshire.
Already a big hit in larger areas, puppy yoga is more-or-less exactly what it sounds like – a yoga class with the added benefit of cute puppies roaming around to cuddle and play with, boosting people’s moods and giving the dogs lessons in socialisation.
Puppy Love Yoga is the brainchild of Louisa Higginbottom and Rhian Russell, who both craved an extra challenge.
They will be hosting a puppy yoga session this Friday, December 9, at Higher Farm in Byley, with seven-week-old retriever puppies.
Louisa explained: “We’ve always had the mind set that we wanted to do what makes us happy.
“We absolutely love our other work - me being a property investor and Rhian has a wedding events company - but we wanted to do something else too which was a complete passion project and Puppy Love Yoga was born!”
Louisa and Rhian explained how yoga, meditation and stretching can help ease stress levels, boosting mood and restoring wellbeing, balance and harmony within the mind and body.
There are also widely recognised benefits of being around animals, releasing feel-good hormones.
Louisa added: “Here at Puppy Love Yoga, we combine these two practices to provide an unrivalled feel-good journey.
“Also, we support two animal charities. A proportion of our profits go to help animals in need.
“One of our chosen charities is Kyrenia Animal Rescue (KAR), a charity close to our hearts in northern Cyprus.”
The puppy yoga sessions last one hour, with three quarters involving basic yoga and stretches taught by teacher Carol Lawless and suitable even for complete beginners.
All the while, puppies are free to roam around the room and interact.
The last 15 minutes is dedicated to cuddles, play and photographs with the puppies.
The puppies are fully vaccinated and are at the stage in their development where socialisation is important.
Most of the puppies will already be sold to their new forever homes.
Higher Farm is a family run business open to the public, located in Byley
It has a café, riding school and river walks, plus other facilities.
To enquire about this Friday evening’s puppy yoga class at the venue, contact Louisa and Rhian on info@puppyloveyoga.co.uk or find them on Facebook and Instagram by searching for Puppy Love Yoga and puppyloveyogacheshire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here