FARGO Allison Grippe knows how to take command of a yoga class. Normally, all ears and eyes are on her as she gently guides her students through their poses.

But during a recent class, she had a little competition distractors nibbling on toes, chewing on water bottles, and pulling ponytails.

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Dont feel too sorry for Grippe. She did this to herself. As the owner of Yuj Yoga in north Fargo, she invited the disruptive little guests to join her for the studio's first ever puppy yoga on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

The eight puppies attending the class were young but ready to wreak adorable havoc on some otherwise dedicated and experienced yogis.

Grippe welcomed the chaos into her class.

This is a time for people to come together and play with one another, Grippe said. I feel like as adults, sometimes we lose that sense of play.

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Animals, in general, have therapeutic qualities, Grippe said. When people spend time with animals, they tend to be much happier and their stress levels are reduced.

Because they lack the human consciousness, they have a way of reminding us that it's OK to play and struggle and feel lost and stumble, Grippe said. It's good for people to be around animals, especially puppies because they have so many natural things to teach us.

And obviously, people seem ready to learn. Grippe said her first two puppy yoga classes sold out in 48 hours, so they added a third.

Thats good news for Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue, which brought the puppies here not just as a fundraiser, but to raise awareness about the organization and the need for people to foster and adopt the animals.

Volunteer Wendy Bernier, who was the session's puppy wrangler, said the breed of the eight puppies posing and playing in the 10 a.m. class are Turtle Mountain Mixes. When they became tired, Bernier switched them out for Husky puppies waiting in the wings.

While theyre all between six and eight weeks old, Bernier said all of the activity wasn't too much for them.

They love it! Bernier said. They feel the good vibes as everybody is relaxing. All the puppies want to do is play and snuggle.

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As the class began, the puppies roamed from mat to mat (often coaxed by a few treats Bernier placed in strategic spots). Sometimes theyd help the students with their poses climbing on their backs during child pose or falling asleep in their arms mid-warrior pose.

There were a few little accidents in class.

Pee happens. But were prepared, said Bernier with a laugh.

The puppies seemed to instantly like the youngest human yogi in the room 6-year-old Eden Durick of Moorhead, who was there with her dad, Travis Durick. Travis said theyve done goat yoga before, but came for the puppies.

But will Dad bring one home for Eden?

I dont think hell let me, Eden said.

We have a dog named Millie. Shes kind of grumpy and territorial, Travis said.

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Yeah, shes kind of like a cat, Eden added.

So the Duricks had to get their puppy fix during the hour-long class.

Tyrell Fauske found the class to be just what the doctor ordered. Hes originally from the Turtle Mountain area but moved to Fargo, where he graduated with a criminal justice degree from North Dakota State University and eventually became a sergeant with the Fargo Police Department.

A year ago, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer . After having a successful surgery to remove the tumor, he underwent radiation and chemotherapy. He started doing yoga to regain some strength on the left side of his body. But during this yoga class, he and his wife Amanda also found a little spiritual healing.

I think the puppy yoga kind of connects the body and the spirit. The animals are here just to be. To see that innocence and that love that all those little puppies have, and to feel just that unconditional love and acceptance they give you, its just been a great experience, he said.

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If anyone was looking for an intense workout, this probably wasnt the right class. But if joy, contentment, and living in the moment were on the checklist, the puppies delivered.

And $866 dollars were raised for the rescue.

Bernier said that in addition to puppy yoga, Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue will bring the dogs to businesses or other events for meet-and-greets. For more information about the organization, puppy visits or ways to help, go to their website . She said to learn more about the organization's incredible origin story pick up the book "Rescue Matters," on Amazon.

So by the end of class, was Grippe offended that her students didnt pay quite as much attention to her as they usually do?

Hardly. Of course, it probably helped that a certain cream-colored puppy seemed to literally become the teachers pet, snuggling and sleeping in Grippes arms off and on during class.

Turtle Mountain might just have one less puppy that needs to be adopted.

1/16:Kishore Chittimalli, of Fargo, hods a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

2/16:Allison Grippe, yoga teacher and owner of Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo, hosted her first puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue were brought in to interact with class participants. Anna Paige / The Forum

3/16:A puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue takes a break on a yoga mat during a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

4/16:A puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue makes off with a yoga participant's water bottle during a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

5/16:Travis Durick takes part in puppy yoga with his daughter, Eden, left, during a class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue were brought in to interact with class participants. Anna Paige / The Forum

6/16:Tracy Briggs participates in a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

7/16:Sammi Peterson (right) and Emily Post, of Fargo, hold a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue, during a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

8/16:Allison Grippe, yoga teacher and owner of Yuj Yoga Studio, snuggles with a puppy from Turtle Mountain Rescue during a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

9/16:Eden Durick, age 6, participates in a puppy yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

10/16:Megan Han, of Fargo (left), and Hillary Geraghty, of Moorhead, take part in a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

11/16:Sammi Peterson, of Fargo, holds a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

12/16:Megan Han, of Fargo, takes part in a yoga class with puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

13/16:Eden Durick, age 6, of Moorhead, holds a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

14/16:Laura Kuhn holds a puppy from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue during a yoga class at Yuj Yoga Studio in north Fargo on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Anna Paige / The Forum

15/16:Megan Han, of Fargo, takes part in a puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024, at Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo. Anna Paige / The Forum

16/16:Allison Grippe, yoga teacher and owner of Yuj Yoga Studio, 1445 1st Ave N Suite 3, in Fargo, hosted her first puppy yoga class on Sunday, April 15, 2024. Puppies from Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue were brought in to interact with class participants. Anna Paige / The Forum

Original post:
'Puppy yoga' brings attention to animals looking for their forever home - INFORUM