Doggy Yoga In Marlboro Will Benefit Local Animal Rescue

MARLBORO, NJ — Dogs and puppies - plus yoga - should all add up to more support for a local, all-volunteer dog rescue at a fundraiser next week at the Recreation Center.

3 Hearts 4 Paws of Morganville will supply the cute canines. Marlboro residents can enjoy an hour of mixed-level yoga — and help the cause of the rescue, says the event organizer, Doggy Noses & Yoga Poses.

Doggy Noses & Yoga Poses itself is a concept developed by a Marlboro woman who now operates a multi-state program to connect yoga and pups and dog rescues.

"This is a fundraiser that doesn't feel like a fundraiser," said Doggy Noses & Yoga Poses founder Debra Furstenberg of Marlboro.

Her organization's motto is "Saving dogs, one unique yoga class at a time."

The beauty of the event is that the dogs being fostered by volunteers at 3 Hearts 4 Paws get a chance to socialize with people - and interact with other dogs.

It all goes into helping them become even more adoptable - and it's a chance for humans and dogs alike to enjoy each other's company.

The Marlboro Township Recreation Department is the sponsor of the event that is being coordinated by DNYP (Doggy Noses & Yoga Poses).

It's on Thursday, Feb. 15. The cost is $48 per person and you can register through the Marlboro Recreation Department Community Pass. It's considered an event just for Marlboro residents, Furstenberg said.

She added that a local Aberdeen studio will provide the yoga guidance with Tula Yoga instructor Alexandra Reyes.

In other words, it's a truly local event for a local cause.

The rescue, 3 Hearts 4 Paws, itself is run by volunteers from the area. There is no actual building, but it is based in Morganville and arranges fostering for dogs in need of a home.

Furstenberg said she was inspired to start DNYP six years ago when her then-teen daughter needed a service project as she obtained her black belt.

Then she heard a story on the car radio about a woman in Oregon who offered yoga with goats and had a huge waiting list.

"I thought dogs would be even cuter," she said - and an idea was born.

It survived the COVID lockdown and is flourishing. It has a presence in 10 states and Washington, DC, Furstenberg said.

It offers both public and private events. Private events can include a session of doggy yoga at a birthday party or bridal shower, for example. Universities and companies also reach out to DNYP, Furstenberg said, to provide team building exercises and an offbeat activity.

Furstenberg says she's been having lots of repeat business. She said when she started she didn't think of DNYP as a business, but it has become one - a necessity to keep the concept going.

"We are a for-profit entity, but we serve non-profit animal rescues," she said.

And she organizes this all remotely, in a process, she said, that involves a lot of online research to match the right rescue with the right event host and the right yoga instructor.

She said she has various criteria for choosing the elements of each event. For example, the rescue must be nonprofit and be a no-kill rescue.

Furstenberg said this is her second doggy yoga Marlboro Recreation event. The town pays her a flat fee and her company donates a portion of all proceeds to the rescue, she said.

Some things to know about the event:

• The program is for ages 12+ (with an adult).
• The yoga is from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Doggy playtime is 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Attendees should bring their own mat.
• The only dogs allowed on the class floor will be those of 3 Hearts 4 Paws.
• Due to potential canine dietary restrictions, no food or treats will be allowed on the class floor.
• For the privacy, safety, and comfort of the participants, spectators are not encouraged.

Furstenberg is a dog person herself, and she and her daughter first got into the idea of a service project for Husky dogs - the type of dog that Furstenberg has.

But she was willing to try a "kitten noses, yoga poses" event early on in her efforts for a friend.

But even the kittens had minds of their own and went in all directions to satisfy their curiosity about the event space.

She recalls herding the cats at the end of the event: "It's easier with dogs!" Furstenberg said.