When it comes to adorable workout trends, goat yoga has some serious competition. The new fitness craze to watch is called "Puppy Pilates", and canine cuteness aside, it is a wonderful de-stressing workout for tired or sad humans.

And, no, pups aren’t made to lay on their mats and do "The Hundred" alongside with participants (even though that would take the cake for cute animal workouts).

Just like goats in goat yoga, and all animal-friendly workout classes, they play freely among exercisers, while they get on with the class. The adorable four-legged participants play chase, cuddle, and tease exercisers who at the end of the session feel more energized and buoyant not just because of the awesome pilates workout benefits, but mainly because they have spent one hour basically being unable to stop smiling.

It can, of course, happen that your pup might get jealous and try to copy your pilates moves. In this case, you can always use your puppy instead of weights and get the best of both worlds.

The class has been described as 50-50 exercise and a mental health break, which speaks volumes about the benefits of animals on humans.

Naturally, you may choose to ignore the puppies for a while and focus on keeping your abs in place. Or you can just go with the flow and reach out to play with the puppies, or even allow them to cuddle on your mat and just enjoy their company. Studies have suggested that being in the company of an animal has enormous mental, physiological and social benefits for humans. Known to lower mental stress and to boost emotional health, the bond between humans and their canine (or feline - we don't judge!) pals is mutually beneficial.

First offered by Asheville Humane Society and Cisco Pilates, Puppy Pilates started off as an effort to help raise awareness about pet adoption, while simultaneously benefiting both humans and animals. It has now been adopted by exercise studios and universities that are eager to de-stress students before exams.

What makes Puppy Pilates different than other animal workouts, such as goat yoga, for example, is that puppies are universally adorable. No offense to goats, but not everyone likes to be in the company of a bleating fellow when they are about to do a downward-facing dog.

NEXT: GOAT YOGA IS AN ADORABLE FITNESS CRAZE

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