Test Drive: Dog meditation is all bliss, no bark

A dog’s life isn’t all belly rubs (Ahhh), naps (Zzzz) and shoe chewing (Yum!). There are homes to defend, baths to endure and vet visits to avoid. And if you are a shelter dog or a rescue puppy, there are residual fears to conquer and interpersonal issues to work out.

Fortunately for hard-working dogs and the people who love them, there is also “Well Being for Dogs and Their Humans,” a six-session dog wellness program that launched this week at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. In the cozy confines of the JCC’s new Balanced Mind Meditation Center, instructor Amanda Ringnalda will be leading dogs and their owners through lessons on mind-body personalities (yours and your dog’s), nutrition, training, and connection and communication.

On the first night, there were puffy purple cushions for the humans, calming herbal potions for the dogs and meditation for everybody. And as the humans learned about the spiritual side of their four-legged friends, the dogs learned that herb-spiked dog treats are just as tasty as regular dog treats, the Lotus position makes for superior lap access, and meditation isn’t just for people anymore.

“Meditation is a restful state in which you are fully present, so you could say that dogs meditate all the time,” Ringnalda said in a post-class interview. “But we humans mess that up for them. We bring stress into the house, and we try to do things with them that pull them out of that center. Dogs experience a lot of stress in their lives, and they can’t heal when they’re stressed.”

Here is a look at what happens when we let a dog’s inner Zen master off the leash.

Whole Dog 101

Ringnalda’s dog connection began pretty much at birth, when her parents celebrated her arrival by getting a puppy. Ringnalda and Prince the Sheltie grew up together, and Prince made the bond permanent by saving Ringalda from drowning in the backyard pool when she was 3.

The animal-loving girl grew up to be a certified yoga, meditation and Ayurveda educator at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad. In 2014, Ringnalda and her husband, Rene, started a dog-rescue organization called SoulPlayMates, which helps match people with their perfect shelter dog. Before going to their new homes, the dogs spend a month with Ringnalda getting trained and acclimated.

As she searched for ways to help the dogs deal with the stresses of being in shelters and adjusting to their new lives, Ringnalda realized that Ayurveda — an ancient system of holistic healing that involves finding the right diet, exercise and lifestyle mix for your mind-body type — could work for dogs, too. She now teaches Ayurveda for dogs and humans through her Sama Dog workshops, consultations and website.

Which is how a small group of dogs, dog-loving humans and one cat-owning lurker ended up on the floor of the JCC’s meditation center for a 90-minute mix of heartwarming animal stories, nuggets of PowerPoint wisdom and the first steps on the road to a mind-body balance that we hoped would benefit people and pets alike.

The crew included Bonnie Sue, a tiny Yorkie/Maltese mix rescued from a hoarding situation. Bonnie Sue was having major surgery the following day, and foster mom Rina Gassett hoped a meditative evening would help prepare her for the challenge ahead. There was Helena VI, a 9-month-old black lab in training to be a Canine Companions for Independence dog. Puppy-raiser Isobel Shapiro thought Helena would benefit from the socializing with the class’ human and animal attendees.

A 12-year-old spotted dachshund named Noodle sat calmly in owner Kelly Whelan’s lap, already a picture of speckled serenity. Next to her was Pepper, a 12-year-old toy poodle still in mourning after the death of his elderly owner. Foster parent Rebecca Brouillard hoped the class would help with Pepper’s anxiety and separation issues.

Then there was Yours Truly, a dog lover who does not own a dog, and is therefore reduced to hovering creepily over other people’s pups. I was beginning to wonder what I was doing there, when Helena decided to help herself to my lap. Suddenly, I was up to my eyeballs in black fur and unconditional affection. Well-being mission accomplished, and I hadn’t even learned my mantra yet.

My dog, myself

Future classes will get into specifics about training, nutrition and daily routines. Some of the information will be tailored for each dog depending on the dog’s Dosha, or mind-body type, as determined by the take-home “Dog Dosha Quiz” the humans received at the end of the class. (We got a human Dosha quiz, too.)

For the introductory session, it was all about the loyal, therapeutic, hilarious glory of dogs and how humans can keep them in peak mind-body health, the better to bask in their healing vibes. A dog’s purpose is to serve, so figure out what your dog’s job is — resident friend, security officer, four-legged reality check — and let them do it. Determine what your dog’s mind-body type is and how to keep it balanced through diet, activities, training and even massage.

And perhaps most importantly, keep an eye on your own mind-body balance. If you are out of whack, your dog will be, too.

“Dogs are strongly influenced by their environment and by the people with whom they live,” Ringnalda said, remembering a recent aha moment when she realized that the source of her dog Benny’s stress was … her own stress. “If you are noticing something off in your dog, before you start shouting at your dog, look at yourself. Utilize them as an amazing guide and teacher. They can teach you so much about your own body and mind.”

Then it was time to meditate. The humans were instructed to let their dogs do their thing, be it wandering around the room or chewing on the purple journal notebooks that we got at the beginning of class. Then Ringnalda reminded us that meditation is not about trying to stop thoughts, but more about just slowing them down. She taught us the universal So-Ham mantra and how to use it.

We closed our eyes. We focused on our breathing. We said the mantra in our heads. The room was quiet, and as the minutes ticked by, humans and dogs were lulled into a collective state of peace and quiet. Noodle nestled deeper into Whelan’s lap. Pepper stopped yipping. Helena leaned into my back. Something resembling nirvana wandered in and made itself at home.

“Wasn’t that awesome? He calmed right down,” Brouillard said at the end of class, as Pepper perched happily on her knee. “Meditation is so good for you. This was his favorite part of the class.”

(Amanda and Rene Ringnalda are offering a free dog wellness class at 11 a.m. Sunday at Soul of Yoga in Encinitas, and the JCC course is still open for late-joiners. Go to samadog.com for information.)

Twitter: @karla_peterson

karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com