How to Do Uttana Shishosana Pose | Puppy Dog Pose

Puppy Dog pose is one of those delicious shapes that feels like a big, warm hug for your spine and shoulders. It’s a beautiful middle ground between Downward Dog and Child’s Pose, offering a deep opening through the chest while keeping you grounded and supported.

We love how this pose allows the heart to melt toward the earth, helping to release tension we often carry in our upper bodies. Whether you’ve had a long day at the desk or you just need a moment to breathe and reset, Puppy Dog is there to help you find a sense of space and ease.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to feel into this heart-opening shape and share why it’s such a favourite in our own practice.

How To Do Uttana Shishosana (Puppy Dog Pose)

Start on all fours
Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Make sure your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips. Take a moment here to feel grounded.

Walk your hands forward
Slowly walk your hands forward toward the front of your mat. As you do this, let your chest begin to melt down toward the floor. Keep your hips stacked right over your knees—this is what gives the pose its unique stretch!

Lower your forehead down
Gently rest your forehead on the mat or a yoga block. If your shoulders feel a bit tight, you can take your hands wider or place a bolster under your chest for extra support. There’s no right or wrong height here.

Lengthen and breathe
Keep your arms active by pressing your palms into the earth, but let your spine be long and soft. If you’re practising this as Yin Yoga, you might choose to stay here for 3-5 minutes, allowing gravity to do the work.

Ease out and rest
To come out, slowly walk your hands back toward your body until you’re back in tabletop. From here, we love to sink the hips back into Child’s Pose for a few breaths to let the spine neutralise and soak in the benefits.

The Benefits of Uttana Shishosana (and Yoga in General)

Physically, Puppy Dog pose is a dream for anyone who spends a lot of time at a desk or looking at a screen. It provides a deep stretch through the shoulders and chest, helping to counteract that ‘hunched’ feeling we all get sometimes. It also gently lengthens the spine and gives the hip flexors a much-needed release, improving your overall posture and mobility.

Beyond the physical, this pose is a beautiful way to soothe the nervous system. Because your heart is slightly higher than your head, it has a very calming, grounding effect that can help dial down stress and anxiety. It’s a wonderful pose to practise when you need to quiet the mental chatter and find a moment of stillness.

This is what we love about Yoga — it’s not just about becoming more flexible or strong. It’s about creating a little pocket of peace in your day where you can simply be, exactly as you are.

Explore More Yoga Poses

If you enjoyed this pose, you might also love:

• How to Do Bhujangasana Pose | Cobra Pose
• How to Do Ustrasana Pose | Camel Pose
• How to Do Kumbhakasana Pose | Plank Pose

Curious About Yoga Teacher Training?

This pose is one of 108 you’ll explore in our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training — along with yoga philosophy, breathwork, meditation, anatomy, and the confidence to teach.

You don’t need to be the most flexible person in the room. You don’t need to have been practising for years. You just need to be curious and willing to begin. Whether you want to teach professionally, deepen your personal practice, or simply discover more about yourself — this training meets you where you are.

Learn more about Yoga Teacher Training →

Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla