TAO DOG® YOGA & Service Dogs

Being a Certified Service Dog Trainer(Guide Dog Mobility Instructor), Certified Canine Fitness Trainer & Certified RYT200 Yoga Teacher, Stef Corbeil, has combined her experience with both service dogs and yoga to bring TAO DOG® yoga practice to many communities.

Stef’s dog, Tao, is a trained service dog and her job is to connect with the community to introduce, facilitate and enhance wellness through yoga. Team Tao has collaborated with different law enforcement officers and their facility/comfort service dogs throughout the state of Connecticut and Rhode Island, to offer unique experiences where people practice yoga and interact with the dogs. The dogs are selected for their temperament to engage with people, trained to provide services to increase support in the areas of mental, emotional health and overall wellness, as well as provide comfort during crisis. Our collaborative classes are a way to share the practice of yoga and spread mindfulness, self care, connection and love. We wholeheartedly believe we are stronger together

Some of our special events and classes have included: Dog Yoga Class for Law Enforcement Officers, Emergency Personnel & Veterans at the non-profit High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, 911 Remembrance Event at Southern CT State University(SCSU), meditation with dogs at SCSU, Community Dog Yoga at Groton Public Library and joining Team Heidi at Yale University for dog assisted yoga/pilates class. In addition to these offerings, Stef and Tao have created dog yoga programs for other non-profit organizations, including a summer camp program at a guide dog school.

Stef is currently the Co-Director of the Yoga Program at the non-profit organization, Hartford’s Camp Courant. For many years, Hartford’s Camp Courant has shared yoga with campers through a yoga practice, breathing techniques and group mindful activities. Joining the team at camp, Stef and Tao introduced the element of service dogs to the yoga curriculum. Stef has developed a program involving her dog, Tao, in addition to other comfort dogs, to enhance the curriculum and create more opportunities to invite campers into this practice. The impact of Tao and her canine friends has been profound. Over the course of 6 weeks, the children form a bond with Tao and her friends. The dogs participate in the yoga while they practice, the campers take the dogs for nature walks and get to play with the dogs as they cool off in the pool on a hot summer day. The campers participate in dog treat decorating and intention setting activities where they learn to be creative and share kindness with their new canine friends. The dogs presence create a sense of connection and calm immediately when the campers arrive, the campers learn to sit quietly before interacting with a dog, they learn safe and appropriate ways to engage with dogs, they learn how dog’s behavior and emotions match ours and how being calm helps dogs to be calm.

There is no doubt that dogs have a positive impact on one’s well being. The same is true for yoga. If you are looking to bring dog yoga and wellness to your community or to develop a program at your service dog school or non-profit, we would love to help.