[caption id="attachment_4265" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Yappy Hour Photo Op"]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010178.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4265" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010178-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>[/caption]

A recent episode of <strong><em><a href="http://animal.discovery.com/tv/its-me-or-dog/" target="_blank">It's Me or the Dog</a></em></strong> featured Victoria recommending doga for a couple and their pooches.

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<strong><span style="font-size: medium; color: #008000;">In case you haven't figured it out yet, dog + yoga = doga.</span></strong>

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Victoria's show wasn't the first place I saw/heard of doga.  A colleague at work sent me an article on this curious phenomenon/fad about a year ago.

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I promptly responded with something like, "Utterly ridiculous".

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That was before I took on a 365 day challenge.

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That was before I adopted <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/01/12/day-106-canine-modeling-its-a-ruff-life/" target="_blank">Little Miss B</a></strong>.

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That was before Little Miss B wrapped me around all four of her adorable little paws.

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I asked <strong><a href="http://sharon.witherspoon.positively.com/" target="_blank">Bella's trainer</a></strong><a href="http://sharon.witherspoon.positively.com/" target="_blank"> </a>if doga existed in my fair city.  She replied, "No".  I assumed that doga is an option only in New York or California.

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Drats.

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And then I had a novel idea.  Google it!

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Guess what?  Scottsdale is a suburb of my fair city, and Scottsdale wants to be California when it grows up, which means we have doga!  <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/02/day-154-huzzah-the-renaissance-festival/" target="_blank">Huzzah!</a></strong>

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At the posh and trendy <strong><a href="http://www.wscottsdalehotel.com/?PS=PS_aa_WSW_WestSouthwest_Google_BD_w_hotel_scottsdale_Exact_020911_NAD_FM" target="_blank">W Hotel</a></strong><a href="http://www.wscottsdalehotel.com/?PS=PS_aa_WSW_WestSouthwest_Google_BD_w_hotel_scottsdale_Exact_020911_NAD_FM" target="_blank">,</a> no less!

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Sarah and her daughter brought two of their three dogs to join me and Little Miss B.

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At first, all the dogs sniffed and played with each other for a good 50 minutes during Yappy Hour.

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The doga instructor then asked all yogis and dogis to mosey on over to their mats.  Treats were passed out (compliments of <strong><a href="http://www.ohmydogboutique.com/" target="_blank">Oh My Dog Boutique</a></strong>) to motivate the dogis to stay on their mats.  Bella, chowhound that she is, found this very exciting.

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<span style="color: #008000;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The doga instructor reminded everyone that this wasn't obedience class:  dogis could participate as much or as little as they preferred.  Upon hearing this, Bella chose to focus on stuffing her belly with as many treats as possible.</span></strong></span>

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During the 10 minute doga class, Sarah's dogis actually moved into the various poses:  downward dog, upward dog, etc.

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[caption id="attachment_4266" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Brief Treat Respite:  Boat Pose"]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010181.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4266 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010181-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_4267" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Thankfully, this was before Bella&#39;s &quot;10 minutes of treats wasn&#39;t enough.  Let me try to eat a dead bird in the parking lot&quot; stunt."]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010180.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4267     " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010180-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

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The instructor and her beagle pooch, Charlie, were absolutely precious.  There were many pleased giggles throughout the crowd of around 25 dogis and their yogi parents.

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I didn't think I'd be back anytime soon, as my curious mini-adventures are keeping me pretty booked these days.

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This was until the instructor mentioned that another doga class takes place in central Phoenix in two weeks.  It's a tad bit different, and this is why Sarah and I must return for Doga Mini-Adventure Part 2: <strong><span style="font-size: medium; color: #008000;"> FREE BOOZE DURING YAPPY HOUR!!!</span></strong>

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For the humans.

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Organic dog treats for the pooches.

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Just when you thought you had heard and seen it all, my friends.  :-)

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Namaste, peeps and pooches.

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[caption id="attachment_4268" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Sarah &amp; Pebbles in Savasana "]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010183.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4268" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/P3010183-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

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