When Jillian Loustaunau noticed her golden retriever, Weasel, losing strength in his hind legs, she turned to the equipment she knew best. The fitness instructor began adapting Pilates exercises for the aging dog, and his dog Pilates recovery became so pronounced that it led her to launch an online training business for other pet owners.
Weasel, who will turn 16 next month, had always been unusually spry for his age. Loustaunau recalled that people often mistook the gray-muzzled retriever for a much younger dog because of his energy and youthful appearance. That changed in May, when a short walk home from lunch revealed a troubling symptom: Weasel could not keep a straight line, swaying as if intoxicated.
Getting a formal diagnosis proved difficult, according to Loustaunau. A client at her Pilates studio in Kailua, O’ahu, who works as a surgical veterinarian, examined Weasel and performed a paw-flip test. When the vet turned one of his back paws under, Weasel left it in that position, a response that suggested neurological problems. The vet recommended acupuncture and physiotherapy as the best way to preserve the mobility Weasel still had.
The family initially used a small wagon to support his back legs during outings, but Loustaunau soon realized Weasel needed to move under his own power as much as possible. A physiotherapist introduced exercises including planking, side-turning and backward walking. Loustaunau, who owns a Pilates studio, saw an opportunity to combine those rehabilitation goals with the equipment already at hand.
Weasel was no stranger to the studio. He often planked alongside her human clients and occasionally climbed onto the machines. With some patience, he grew accustomed to working on the reformer, then the Cadillac, the chair, the CoreAlign and the ladder barrel. The results came quickly: his posture and mobility improved markedly, and his old spark returned. Friends and clients remarked that he seemed like a puppy again.
From Studio Sessions to an Online Following
Loustaunau began filming Weasel’s progress to share with the physiotherapist and posted the clips on Instagram. Her initial aim was promotional as much as personal. If she could teach a dog to do Pilates, she reasoned, she could certainly teach a human. The videos struck a chord, drawing 29,100 followers, many of whom asked how they could try similar techniques with their own dogs, especially seniors.
That response prompted Loustaunau to create Pawlates 101, a business offering live online classes for pet owners. Her first Zoom session in August drew 40 participants from places as far apart as Greece, England and India. During the hourlong class, which costs $30, she demonstrates movements using Weasel as her model. She also shows owners how to adapt exercises without specialized Pilates equipment, using something as ordinary as a bottom step for planking.
Monthly classes have continued at roughly the same attendance. Each session includes access to a pre-recorded video showing modifications and alternatives tailored to a dog’s stage of rehabilitation. Loustaunau describes Weasel as her business partner and credits him with the venture’s success.
A Business Built on a Simple Message
Loustaunau said the venture has been a welcome surprise. She wants to counter the widespread assumption that aging dogs should stop exercising. Many owners feel helpless as their pets slow down, she noted, but she believes the opposite approach is often more beneficial. Her experience with Weasel suggests that gentle, consistent movement can help older dogs retain function and vitality.
She has no formal business plan yet, but her long-term goal is to develop an app that would help owners choose suitable equipment and exercises for their dogs. The app could also track details such as water intake, bathroom habits and pet food supplements. For now, she is focused on the monthly classes and on enjoying the partnership that started it all. Weasel, she said, understands her as much as she understands him, making him the best business partner she could have hoped for.