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A smiling white-haired woman kneels by a green yoga mat while a black and white dog lies down in the middle of it. 20 / 33

Grandma Rolled Out Her Yoga Mat for Evening Stretches. Somebody Got There First.

AI imagerescue muttstretchingliving room

The green yoga mat is rolled out in the warm, lamp-lit living room, and Grandma Nell is all set for her gentle evening stretches. There is just one problem. Pepper has claimed the mat first. He lies right in the center of it, front legs stretched long in front of him, chest proud, gazing up at her with a calm, self-assured look. Nell kneels at the edge in her green quilted vest and plaid shirt, smiling down at him with obvious affection and a hint of amusement. A basket of yarn, a pair of slippers, a sofa heaped with blankets, and framed family photos fill the cozy room behind them.

Gentle stretching and movement can help older adults stay flexible and steady, and a dog in the room often adds a bit of extra motivation and good cheer. Dogs, in turn, tend to be drawn to whatever their people are doing on the floor, which is why so many end up sprawled across exercise mats. It can be fun to include a dog in a routine with simple activities like a slow walk around the room or a few practice commands between stretches. As always, anyone starting new exercises should go at their own pace and check with a doctor if they have health concerns.

Pepper's version of exercise appears to be holding a very convincing down position. Honestly, he looks quite good at it.

Maybe the stretches will happen around him, or maybe tonight is a rest day. Either way, Nell has company.

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