During the COVID-19 pandemic, animal shelters saw record-high adoption rates. But in the years following, as families face economic woes, the number of surrendered pets is climbing once again. That’s where Rescue Puppy Yoga steps in with a new strategy, putting potential adopters in a room with puppies looking for their forever homes.
Upon arriving, Rescue Puppy Yoga Founder Ravyn Robbins leads what otherwise might be just a normal yoga class. But these are kicked up a notch as the downward dog position incorporates sloppy puppy kisses. And the best part is right in the name: all pooches are up for adoption or fostering. Robbins’ friend and volunteer Johnna Adkins helps socialize the puppies, rushing around the room leaving piles of treats on participants’ yoga mats, and transferring the furry balls of energy to waiting hands. This socialization isn’t just beneficial for hopeful adopters though. Adkins said these moments help bring the puppies out of their shells, allowing them to gain confidence around people of all different backgrounds.
“We had these three little shepherd Huskies that came to us and did Rescue Puppy Yoga, and they were terrified. They were so scared. They didn’t want to be touched. They were in their own little corner, they didn’t want to be around anyone,” Adkins said. “And then the second class that they had they started to open up and by the third class they were really outgoing. It just goes to show so much about them being comfortable. They all opened up and came out of their shell.”
Robbins founded Rescue Puppy Yoga in 2021 in the wake of the pandemic with the hopes the “world would happily accept an opportunity to down dog with some down dogs!” according to the website. The group now operates events throughout Colorado, Nashville, Tennessee, and Texas, which has the highest euthanasia rate in the country. Rescue Puppy Yoga has successfully adopted over 500 puppies through its events. But despite the power of puppy smiles, Robbins said she initially faced some challenges—like persuading people to donate to participate in the classes. Eventually, she found the solution: charging a rate of $35 per class.
“That was our biggest challenge whether or not people would show up at first. And when you say donation-based lessons, people don’t value the animals the way we would think they would. So being able to set a price and say like, if you’re going to spend $30 on a drop-in class at Core Power, you should be able to spend $30 on our dogs, really helps people in our community understand that our dogs have value and that they’re not just something that you can just go play with and then leave. Even though it benefits them to be socialized, they deserve more,” she said.
For Robbins—the former head instructor at Rocky Mountain Goat Yoga for four years—and Adkins, Rescue Puppy Yoga is more than an opportunity to spend time frolicking with four-legged friends. Both are passionate about the business of saving dogs and own multiple themselves. Robbins has fostered over 100 hounds in her lifetime—19 of those so far this year. That’s why they focus on raising funds for their partner rescues including Sloppy Kisses Animal Rescue, iResQ, Soul Dog Rescue, and El Paso County Canine Rescue. Their partnerships have created a symbiotic relationship and a unique marketing opportunity. Rescues receive donations for fosters, facility upgrades, and training and medical programs. The partner organizations also socialize their puppies through yoga events.
And while the program does have older dogs and not just puppies, “It’s just that puppies are what gets people in the door,” Robbins said. “And they’re also the ones that need socialization. The first 20 weeks is the most essential time to get your animals socialized.”
Rescue Puppy Yoga also offers free fostering, which allows someone to see if a dog—or multiple dogs—would fit well into their home. Robbins has already found a new friend having recently adopted a puppy, named Peanut, from the first litter of rescues.
“When we first started doing [Rescure Puppy Yoga], it was a lot harder. We were doing it out of the kindness of our hearts, and own time. It was a lot of financial investment at first,” Robbins said. “But just seeing her litter and how happy they were and how amazing it was to socialize them and experience the puppy yoga with them—and then to adopt her and have her in my home every single day reminded me of why we do it. It has just catapulted us into wanting to expand our program.”
Rescue Puppy Yoga is the perfect pick me up for a ruff day, but it’s also a great solution to socializing animals and making them more comfortable around people who would potentially want to adopt them. Rather than just going to a shelter and looking in cages and deciding who to take home, Rescue Puppy Yoga creates a unique interactive experience full of love, joy, and puppy kisses. Whether or not you take a dog home, it is an experience that will benefit both the puppies and one’s mood.