The Japanese variant of Dog Yoga is not to be confused with Doga, a practice in which dogs actually perform yoga poses with their human partners that originated in the US.
Japan's version of Dog Yoga is the brain child of Onuma Noriko.
A yoga instructor with 17 years experience, Onuma, is also the founder and director of The Japanese Association for the Promotion of Dog Yoga.
She explains that dog yoga is an exercise where humans perform yoga positions in the company of their dogs.
Lifted, hugged and stroked the dogs are incorporated into yoga postures without actually performing the postures themselves.
A reasonable question might be why?
Onuma's answer is linked to the meaning of the word Yoga which is derived from the Sanskrit "yuji" meaning to unite or integrate.
She explains that the main intention of Dog Yoga is for owners to "connect" with their dogs and feel a "oneness" that strengthens the bonds between dogs and their owners.
The Japanese Association for the Promotion of Dog Yoga advertises the practice as a "Totally new form of communication."
They also state that the purpose of dog yoga is to improve the health of human participants and also has various therapeutic benefits for their dogs such as stress relief.
According to Onuma there are only around 1,000 people (and dogs) currently practicing Dog Yoga in Japan but The Japanese Association for the Promotion of Dog Yoga is striving to bring the discipline to a wider public.
As a means of fulfilling this goal one of the Association's main activities is training new instructors.
Toutou Vivant is a popular dog cafe that provides a range of other services for dog lovers, and is the location of the training course and final examination of the first wave of Dog Yoga instructors in western Japan.
Toutou Vivant is also the work place of Kuriyama Noriko who describes her occupation as an "Order Made Dog Life Therapist."
Her work involves advising dog owners on various psychological or health concerns they have about their pets and a style of massage that she says helps improve dogs' postures.
It was her enthusiasm for Dog Yoga and the dearth of Dog Yoga instructors in the Osaka region that prompted her to invite The Japanese Association for the Promotion of Dog Yoga to set up a training course in Osaka.
As she explains the final examinations that were held on April 19 2009 marked "the birth of western Japan's first Dog Yoga instructors."
The 4 candidates completed a 6 month course comprised of 9 separate sessions and they all passed the final examinations with flying colours.
The diploma they received only qualifies them to instruct classes involving small dogs.
Dog Yoga instructors taking classes involving larger dogs require an advanced diploma.
But even if Osaka's Great Dane or St Bernard owners might not immediately feel the benefit of this wave of Dog Yoga instructors in their area, it is likely that their needs will be met in the near future.
Yumoto Masaya is a Vet at the Otesuji Animal Hospital and a proponent of incorporating traditional eastern medical techniques into treatments for animals.
In general he believes that Dog Yoga does have a therapeutic value for dogs as well as their owners
However, he acknowledges that there is an element of risk when lifting dogs into high positions and warns that it is important not to drop them.
APTN