Puppy Sphere yoga chain rolls out ‘mood-boosting’ first classes in Winnipeg

Winnipeg yogis seeking to do a downward dog while surrounded by dogs are in luck: puppy yoga is here.

Toronto-based company Puppy Sphere began offering weekend yoga classes at Yoga Public (280 Fort St.) earlier this fall.

Each class consists of a 45-minute yoga flow led by a certified instructor, while puppies from local rescues and breeders roam the studio. The class is followed by a 30-minute wind-down that includes refreshments and canine cuddles.

Puppy Sphere founders Francesca Albo and Lea Burbidge Izquierdo said the classes began selling out almost immediately, which led them to add Thursdays to the schedule. The entrepreneurs are actively looking for a Winnipeg studio of their own.

Albo and Burbidge Izquierdo started Puppy Sphere in 2021. Since then, they’ve bootstrapped the company into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with studios in 16 cities across Canada and the United States.

For Albo, establishing a Winnipeg presence has been meaningful. The 29-year-old was born in the city and returns at least twice a year to visit family.

“It just feels so, so incredible,” Albo said of the local response to Puppy Sphere. “I think with those cold, cold winters, having mood-boosting experiences indoors that are still active is good for your mind and good for your soul. I think it’s something Winnipeg needs.”

Albo was working for a biomedical company and Burbidge Izquierdo was in marketing when they struck up a friendship after meeting at a dog park. Albo was there with Hershey, her Husky mix, and Burbidge Izquierdo was out for a walk with Nala, her white Samoyed.

The two bonded over their love for their dogs, their interest in mental and physical health and desire to start a side hustle. While talking one day, they came up with the idea for Puppy Sphere.

“I’m a big yogi and when I got my puppy, I did yoga at home and he would climb all over me,” Albo said. “Not everyone gets the space and time to have a puppy in their life but it’s so mood-boosting. We wanted to create that space for more people.”

The entrepreneurs began organizing pop-up events in Toronto in 2022. Soon they pooled together their savings to lease a space and open their first studio in the Ontario capital. When the Toronto location took off, the founders looked to New York City to establish a second location.

“We thought, ‘If we can make it in New York, we can make it anywhere,’” Albo said.

Now the company has 20 studios and more than 250 employees, including 35 full-time staff. Annual revenue has doubled each year since 2023 and is set to hit US$8 million this year.

Puppy yoga has been “crazy successful” and is “definitely servicing a need,” said Yoga Public owner Ida Albo, who is a proud aunt to Francesca Albo.

“She’s not just doing this in Winnipeg, (but) the fact that she came home to do it I think is wonderful,” Ida Albo said. “She’s a real spirited entrepreneur, so it’s fantastic to see that.”

Burbidge Izquierdo believes Puppy Sphere has resonated with people because it promotes self-care and mindfulness.

“We live in a world that’s constantly asking us to perform,” the 30-year-old said.

“I think dogs dissolve that ego and allow us to just be … Looking back, it’s not really surprising that puppy yoga is an idea that worked and supported our mental health and the mental health of everyone that comes through our doors.”

The entrepreneurs are planning to open Puppy Sphere locations in Asia in 2027, Albo said. The company also does corporate events.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca