Keeping Fit in Amsterdam: Pilates with Puppies

pilates with puppies

Keeping fit can be fun. It sure was fun yesterday, when I celebrated the World Animal Day by doing pilates with puppies.

Yes, you read that right: I attended a pilates class with dogs, sharing the yoga mat with a handful of furry friends.

The event was held in De Pijp, one of Amsterdam’s hippest neighbourhoods, in a pop-up called Halo Top Happiness Gym. Happiness gym is a good name – most of the people started giggling as soon as the dogs arrived in the room. I filmed some clips during the events (check them out on my Instagram page here) and was amused to notice how funny my voice became when a puppy jumped on my lap.

pilates with puppies

I have to be honest with you: I didn’t get a lot of pilates done. When I was holding a puppy, I was too afraid of disturbing them if I moved too much. When I didn’t, most of my attention was on the animals anyway. It was simply too hard to focus much on the exercise with this much cuteness around! It didn’t matter, though: if sport releases the so-called happiness hormones, I’m sure that playing with puppies does just as well.

Sadly, this was just a one-off event, part of a pop-up celebrating the launch of a new ice cream brand. It’s a great marketing strategy: I’m pretty sure I’ll think of puppies whenever I spot the brand somewhere from now on, and that sure makes for a positive connotation :D.

Pilates with puppies in a nutshell

What I like: The puppies. I mean, who wouldn’t? The free ice cream on offer was lovely too.

What I don’t like quite as much: It’s a pop-up – meaning we can’t do this every week.

Note to self: I need to have more time with puppies.

Would I go back: Absolutely, if they organise another one!


Have you ever tried working out with pets? Would you like to give it a go?

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