1 Year of Puppy Yoga With Mikenze Pt 2

2023 had been an incredible year, and I was so excited to start 2024 off with a bang! I had two breeders lined up for January and February and they were with two of my favourite breed of dogs! I also lined up a new space that was absolutely perfect for my classes.

Corby Hall in Corbyville has such an incredible vibe. From the very old school cash register, to the beautiful wooden bar, to the string lights that stay on year round, this place is incredibly welcoming and chill. The history is rich in this building, from Brewery to Weddings and Events Venue, this place had just changed hands and the new owner was getting it ready for another Wedding season. In the meantime, however, he was excited to have me run my Puppy Yoga classes in the warm, cozy space.

My first class at Corby Hall was with the cutest-ever Newfoundland puppies of Keluna Shepherds. This class sold out in 4 days at 30 participants, and since that time I have had many people tell me that they had gone to sign up but it was sold out. Unfortunately the breeder was only available for one class, but it was a great class. I had so many people drive through a snow storm for this class from Trenton, Kingston and Napanee. It is important to note that the storm was not raging in Belleville or North of Belleville like it was in the surrounding areas. 26 people weathered the storm for this class. This was another learning for me with regards to weather as I had not run many classes like this in the winter time, previously. Thankfully everyone understood and we all left feeling relaxed before driving into the winter wonderland.

Keluna Shepherds had this to say about their experience with me: "We brought our 11 Newfie puppies out for Puppy Yoga with Mikenze. The experience was amazing. Very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend Puppy Yoga or any Yoga With Mikenze! 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"

My next Puppy Yoga was an absolute manifestation of a dream for me! I had been saying to everyone that I was going to find French Bulldogs for a Puppy Yoga class since I started the year prior. The time had finally come. I advertised the classes in January, and I had one of them sell out in 2 days, so I added 2 more classes. We had 3 classes of 23 participants for a total of 69 participants. CK Frenchies' waiting list grew by at least 6 that weekend, and they would have had a few adoptions if they hadn't all already been claimed. These puppies were so adorable, sweet and playful. These classes were a dream for me, and I am excited to work with them again next year with their next litter.

March was a busy month for Puppy Yoga With Mikenze. We started off with 2 classes with Standard Poodles of Ivy Stone Poodles at Corby Hall. The puppies were playful and energetic and a very welcomed distraction for me. I lost my father 2 days before our first class, and these classes were incredibly therapeutic for me. It took my mind off of my emotions and allowed me to be in the moment, and that is what it also does for my students. It allows us to forget about our stresses and troubles and just enjoy the moment. We had a Private class a few days later and then at the end of the month I was back to Marr Golden Retrievers in Quinte West. Because the room in her home is smaller, I cap the classes at 8, and all 5 of them sold out. We also had a private class for March break with a group from Peterborough! I had the opportunity to try another circle (of sorts) for Spring Solstice, and that went well, but it is very hard to focus with puppies nibbling our toes. Another lesson learned, I will stick with just the Puppy Yoga class and then move the circle into another room (on New Year's Eve).

One of my students left a sweet review after this class: "Absolutely AMAZING experience! Very low-key environment with tons of stretching and puppy cuddles. The best way to destress. 10/10"

After the first 3 months of 2024, I had taught the same number of classes as I had in the last 6 months of 2023. This was partly due to the space limitations, but I had 196 students in this time, almost twice the amount I had last year. The growth was steady and consistent and I was excited to see the second quarter of 2024.