The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The sweet video of Australian Shepherd doing yoga with owner features Secret, a female Australian Shepherd trained by Mary Peters. Secret appears to mirror Peters through several yoga-like poses, including downward dog. The routine is best understood as trained, synchronized “doga”—not spontaneous human yoga or proof that every dog can perform the same poses.
The clip became widely shared in May 2021 because Secret seemed to move in step with Peters, even using her own mat. The explanation is less magical but more useful: years of positive-reinforcement training turned ordinary behaviors into a carefully practiced routine.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Doga: Yoga For Dogs | $14.21 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Doga: Yoga for you and your Dog | $9.29 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Doga: Yoga for You and Your Dog | $4.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Leheybia Meditation Statue Dog Yoga Pose Figurine Home Decor for Decoration (Golden) | $16.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Key takeaways
- The Australian Shepherd in the viral yoga video is Secret, and her owner and trainer is Mary Peters.
- Secret’s routine was trained through cues, repetition, positive reinforcement, and close cooperation rather than being spontaneous human-style yoga.
- The dog-and-owner activity is commonly called “doga,” a yoga-inspired set of behaviors performed together.
- Daily Paws reported more than 3 million views for the featured video in 2021, while The Indian Express reported more than 1 million Twitter views for a circulating version that same year; neither figure is a current total.
- Australian Shepherds are intelligent, energetic working dogs, but Secret’s unusual training should not be treated as a performance standard for every Aussie.
Who is the Australian Shepherd doing yoga with her owner?
The dog is Secret, a female Australian Shepherd, and her owner and trainer is Mary Peters. Peters began sharing Secret on Instagram in 2015, when Peters was a homeschooled teenager in Bellingham, Washington. The account associated with the pair is @my_aussie_gal, according to Daily Paws’ report on Secret and Peters.
The sweet video of Australian Shepherd doing yoga with owner that went viral shows Secret and Mary moving through a synchronized, yoga-like routine on their mats. Secret appears to follow Mary’s movements and performs recognizable positions, including downward dog, which is why viewers described the clip as a dog doing yoga.
#1 Best Overall
Is the Australian Shepherd yoga video real?
Yes—the video shows a real trained performance, but “mimicking” can make the behavior sound more mysterious than it is. The available reporting describes a dog who learned cues and body positions over years of interaction with Peters, not a dog spontaneously understanding or practicing human yoga.
Secret reportedly rolls out her own yoga mat and knows several named positions, including cobra lift, side twist, child’s pose, and single-leg downward dog. The routine developed from Peters’ broader training relationship with Secret, which also included distraction work, painting, agility, dancing, jump roping, and scooter riding. Wide Open Spaces’ account of Secret’s training also describes the pair’s unusually close practice partnership.
What is doga?
Doga is an informal term for dog-and-owner yoga or yoga-inspired activities performed together. In Secret’s case, doga is best understood as a synchronized collection of trained behaviors—not evidence that Secret is engaging in human yoga in a medical, spiritual, or therapeutic sense.
A library catalog describes Doga: Yoga for Dogs by Jennifer Brilliant and William Berloni as covering warm-ups, breathing, standing poses, lying poses, loosening poses, and cooling down. Readers looking for a Doga: Yoga for Dogs book should check the current edition, condition, price, and availability carefully: the title was published in 2003, and some listings describe it as out of print. The book is not documented as the source of Secret’s routine.
How did Mary Peters train Secret to do yoga?
Mary Peters appears to have built Secret’s yoga-like routine from ordinary training principles: teach a behavior, attach or recognize a cue, reward the desired response, and repeat it until the dog can perform the behavior in sequence. Daily Paws reports that Peters used positive reinforcement and taught Secret many different activities, with yoga developing as one part of that long-term training relationship.
Peters has also written about teaching Secret to trust her during backward trust-fall exercises:
Rank #2
“Falling backwards is a scary thing for most people, but even more for a dog: you can’t simply explain that you are going to be there to catch them.”
The statement illustrates the trust involved in their training, but it is not a recommendation for readers to attempt trust falls, backward catches, balancing stunts, or other risky exercises with a pet.
Recommended Free Tools
Daily Paws also reported that Peters told Newsweek she had been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and had spent a year training Secret as a service dog for her. That is Peters’ personal account as reported by a secondary source; it should not be interpreted as proof that Secret is suitable as a service dog for other people or that yoga training produces a medical outcome.
Why does Secret seem able to copy Mary?
Secret’s apparent imitation likely combines visual attention, learned cues, body-position training, reinforcement, repetition, and a highly practiced dog-handler relationship. A dog may learn to respond to a person’s movement, a verbal signal, a hand gesture, a target, or the position it has been rewarded for assuming. The video does not establish that Secret understands the human meaning of each yoga pose.
The word “copy” is therefore useful as a description of what viewers see, but not as a claim about human-like comprehension. Secret may be following cues that are subtle or invisible in a short clip, while Peters performs the human version of the movement beside her.
Why is an Australian Shepherd suited to this kind of training?
Australian Shepherds are energetic, athletic, intelligent working dogs that generally benefit from constructive activity and having a job. The American Kennel Club’s Australian Shepherd breed guidance describes the breed’s need for substantial exercise and purposeful engagement, while also emphasizing that individual dogs differ.
Rank #3
Those traits can help explain why an Australian Shepherd might enjoy extensive trick training, but breed alone does not explain Secret’s performance. The American Kennel Club recommends early socialization and obedience training and notes that rewards may include treats, toys, games, or praise depending on what motivates the individual dog. AKC’s reward-motivation guidance supports the broader lesson: training should be adapted to the individual dog rather than forced into a breed-based expectation.
| What the video documents | What it does not prove |
|---|---|
| Secret performs a synchronized, yoga-like routine with Mary Peters. | That Secret is practicing human yoga in a medical, spiritual, or therapeutic sense. |
| Secret learned recognizable positions and reportedly uses her own mat. | That every Australian Shepherd can learn the same positions. |
| Peters used extensive positive-reinforcement training across many activities. | That a particular treat, mat, book, or training product was used by Peters. |
| The routine reflects repeated practice and cooperation. | That dogs should be stretched, balanced, dropped, or placed into poses against their wishes. |
How many views did the viral dog yoga video receive?
The published view counts are historical snapshots, not current totals. Daily Paws reported more than 3 million views in 2021 for the featured video at publication. On May 19, 2021, The Indian Express reported more than 1 million Twitter views for a version shared by former professional basketball player Rex Chapman.
| Report | Publication date | Historical figure | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Paws | May 19, 2021 | More than 3 million views | Publication-time count for the featured video |
| The Indian Express | May 19, 2021 | More than 1 million Twitter views | Count for a circulating version shared by Rex Chapman |
Can you teach your dog to copy yoga poses?
You can teach some dogs simple, voluntary behaviors that resemble yoga poses, but you should not expect a dog to reproduce Secret’s routine. A safe goal is cooperation and body awareness, not forcing a posture or creating a stunt for video.
- Start with a behavior your dog already performs comfortably. A sit, down, stand, nose target, or simple stretch is a better starting point than an advanced balance.
- Use a clear reward. The reward may be a small treat, toy, game, or praise; the best choice depends on the individual dog.
- Keep sessions brief and low-pressure. End while the dog is still willing to participate, and give the dog a way to walk away.
- Reward tiny steps. Mark and reward a calm head turn, paw placement, or partial position before asking for a longer sequence.
- Stop at signs of discomfort. Resistance, repeated avoidance, stress signals, limping, stiffness, or difficulty getting up are reasons to stop and seek veterinary advice where appropriate.
Do not force stretching, place a dog into a position, require uncomfortable weight-bearing, encourage unstable balancing, or attempt backward falls. The available reporting does not establish a universal veterinary-approved doga protocol, and a viral video cannot show whether a particular exercise is suitable for another dog’s age, health, conformation, or mobility.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWhat should viewers take away from Secret’s routine?
Secret is an exceptional, extensively trained individual—not proof that Australian Shepherds naturally perform human yoga. The most defensible explanation for the video is years of positive-reinforcement training, cue recognition, repetition, and trust between Secret and Mary Peters.
That makes the clip charming without requiring an exaggerated claim. Dogs can learn impressive sequences and enjoy shared activities, but the best imitation of Secret’s success is not copying every pose. It is building a safe activity around the individual dog’s motivation, physical ability, and willingness to participate.
Rank #4
- Unique design: this yoga dog statue is made of resin material, with the shape of a little dog performing yoga movements. This design is unique and interesting, bringing a relaxed and joyful feeling, which can add fun and vitality to your desktop decoration
- Exquisite craftsmanship: the yoga dog statue has been meticulously crafted, with every detail meticulously carved. Its smooth lines and lively expressions add a delicate and artistic atmosphere to your home
- Moderate size: the size of the yoga dog statue is 3.93 * 3.93 inches/10 * 10 cm, which is very suitable for placing on tabletops, desks, bedside tables, and other places. It won't take up too much space and can also become the focus of interior decoration, giving people a feeling of relaxation and peace
- Yoga inspiration: this yoga dog statue portrays the posture of yoga in the form of a dog, conveying a message of balance and inner peace. They are a symbol for yoga enthusiasts, reminding people to maintain physical and mental balance, allowing you to better enjoy the benefits of yoga
- Versatile decoration: in addition to having yoga inspiration and unique design, it adds a unique charm to your workspace, study, or bedroom. Whether for personal collection or as a gift for yoga enthusiasts, this statue serves as a meaningful decorative piece
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the name of the Australian Shepherd that does yoga?
The dog is Secret, a female Australian Shepherd whose owner and trainer is Mary Peters. Peters shared Secret’s training and activities through the account @my_aussie_gal.
Is the Australian Shepherd yoga video real?
Yes, the video is real, but Secret is performing a trained, synchronized routine rather than spontaneously practicing human yoga. The routine reflects cues, repetition, positive reinforcement, and close cooperation with Mary Peters.
What is doga?
Doga is an informal term for dog-and-owner yoga or yoga-inspired activities. In Secret’s case, the term describes a sequence of trained behaviors performed alongside Peters.
Can I teach my dog to copy yoga poses?
You can teach some dogs simple, voluntary behaviors that resemble yoga poses, but you should not force stretching, balancing, trust falls, or uncomfortable weight-bearing positions. A dog’s age, health, mobility, motivation, and willingness should determine the activity.
The Bottom Line
Secret, the Australian Shepherd in the viral yoga video, learned a synchronized doga-style routine with Mary Peters through extensive positive-reinforcement training. The performance is real, but it should not be treated as spontaneous human yoga or as a safe template for forcing poses on another dog.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →
