Dogs Are Natural Yogis

People have been ending their sentences to me a lot lately with, "and you do yoga?"


As in, "Was that your body cracking that made that noise? And you do yoga?"

And, "Why are you getting so worked up over nothing? And you do yoga?"

My personal favorite is, "You like that dumb crap on TV? And you do yoga?"

Yes I "do" yoga.

Guess what else I do?

I curse. I fight. I imagine eviscerating people who irritate me with my words. I call people such awful things in my head I sometimes shock myself.

I do lots of fun stuff - and I do yoga!

Ending sentences with "and you do yoga?" pushes my buttons, even though I know it's an ignoramus thing to say. It implies you've been gifted by the gods with immunity from having human failings, and you choose to have them anyway. It's like saying, "Your rich aunt left you a billion dollars? "And you're bankrupt?"

Anyhoo, on to happier topics, like puppies, who never judge us, whether we do yoga or not.

I went over to my parents' house last night to drop off a new gift for Nina. I got her her own pink shoulder bag to be carried around in.

It's really for when we're driving to the park in the car, because we used to put her in her carrier with her sister Fifi, but sometimes they get mad at each other while trapped in a confined space and have a Mexican standoff. Then we need to risk opening the carrier and letting Fifi out in the car. Fifi, aka, the one who cannot sit still, is not someone I want roaming around free in a car I'm driving.

So, I brought over Nina's new bag, which she wasn't thrilled about getting into, but seemed OK with. The other puppies were more interested in her bag than she was. George mostly wanted to tear it apart, thinking it was his newest toy. It does have a similar texture to luggage, and Georgie loves luggage, so it makes sense he'd like the bag.

After everyone thoroughly checked out the new bag I let them out in the backyard.

Fifi ran around like crazy people. George went off to the side of the house to check on dad doing yard work. Luca was looking down at something. I realized it was Nina, and he was basically letting her know who was backyard boss. Nina got very low and had her tail between her legs.

I told Luca to chillax and made Nina stand upright and lifted her tail up. This physical manipulation of her body helped change her perception of the event, because she stopped cowering.

We went inside and I thought she'd be sulky and mad at Luca, as I would be in this scenario. But she wasn't. She ran under a couch and played peek-a-boo with me, her tail up and wagging.

I said, aren't you upset with Luca and his rude behavior? She said, why waste my time being mad when you're here and I can play peek-a-boo?

That is "doing" yoga.