How Weekly Pawlates Fixed My Posture and Dog’s Mood
Sep 5, 2025
Summary
Ryan talks about how 6 months of weekly Pawlates didn’t just correct his slouched posture from sitting at a desk—it also turned his bored, destructive dog Ziggy into a calm, happy pup who looks forward to class days.
Month 1: I Started Pawlates; Ziggy Tagged Along Because He Had Nothing Better to Do
I work from home, and after years of hunching over my laptop, my shoulders ached so bad I could barely lift a grocery bag. My friend suggested Pawlates, and since Ziggy—my 1-year-old Lab mix—was destroying couches out of boredom, I figured I’d bring him along. First class: I struggled to hold a Plank for 10 seconds, and Ziggy chewed on his mat the whole time. I left thinking, “This isn’t working.” But Coach Theo pulled me aside and said, “Give it 4 weeks—your posture will shift, and Ziggy will too.” I decided to trust him.
Month 2: My Shoulders Hurt Less; Ziggy Stopped Chewing the Couch
By week 8, I noticed two big changes. First, my posture: I used to slouch without thinking, but now I catch myself sitting up straight at my desk—my coworkers even commented on it. The Plank? I can hold it for a minute now. Second, Ziggy: He used to chew on pillows or dig holes in the backyard when I worked, but now, on class days, he lies next to my desk, waiting patiently. After class, he’s calmer too—no more zoomies at 8 PM. Coach Theo explained it: “Dogs mirror your energy. When you’re stressed (from hunching, from work), he’s stressed. When you relax in class, he relaxes too.” It made sense—I wasn’t just fixing my body; I was fixing our vibe.
Month 6: We Both Look Forward to “Pawlates Days”
Now, every Wednesday—our Pawlates day—Ziggy wakes me up by dropping his mat at my feet. He knows the routine: we walk to the studio, he gets a treat from the front desk, and we unroll our mats next to the window. My posture is better than it’s ever been—my shoulder pain is gone—and Ziggy hasn’t chewed a couch since month 2. Last week, the studio took a group photo, and Ziggy was in the middle of it, lying on my mat like he owned the place. I posted it on social media, and a friend commented, “You two look so happy.” She was right. Pawlates started as a way to fix my posture, but it turned into something better: a reason for Ziggy and me to slow down, be together, and feel good—inside and out.
