Every year at Pampered Paws, our dog spa morning for clients, friends, and their four-legged companions, there is a moment when I stop what I’m doing and take it all in. Dogs weaving in and out of conversations. Coffee in hand. People lingering longer than they meant to. Someone kneeling down to rub a belly. Someone laughing because their dog has already decided who at the event will be their new best friend.
And then there is Remy, making sure no one forgets he has arrived.
This year, his contribution to the morning included repeatedly humping me in front of guests, which was not exactly the elegant hosting moment I had envisioned, but probably the most honest. Life with dogs has a way of keeping things real, and I think that is part of why this event matters so much to me.
Pampered Paws began in a very natural way. Remy loves daycare, I am completely obsessed with him, and I have always felt that any event I create for clients, colleagues, or friends has to feel true to who I am. Bringing together people and their beloved dogs felt like an obvious expression of that. Wellness is also deeply important to me, so combining the two made perfect sense.
My friend Marizza Contreras, who owns Leaf Spa at Hotel AKA Brickell, helped shape the spirit of the event. She is a very spiritual person, and what we created together came from that place. I wanted it to feel restorative, open-hearted, and a little different from the way people usually come together.
What I love most is what happens once everyone settles in.
People are with one another outside of work, without the usual structure that defines so much of adult life. The dogs play, the humans have coffee and treats, and for ninety minutes everyone gets to step outside the pressures waiting for them elsewhere. There is something very special about being surrounded by the love people have for their animals. It changes the entire feeling of the room.
Dogs have a way of bringing us back to simpler truths. They are excellent judges of people. I see it with Remy all the time, who he gravitates toward, where he feels comfortable, where he does not. He reminds me constantly that connection does not need to be complicated. Throw a ball for a dog for an hour and they are perfectly content. They do not need much, and yet they give so much. I learn from that every day.
This year, the moment that stayed with me most involved a young boy named Harry Lundy.
Harry started Poems 4 Paws outside his home, where he offered to write custom poems on any topic for a small donation. That is how he began raising money for the Humane Society of Broward County, one poem at a time. What moved me was not just that he was creative, but that he had chosen to use that creativity in service of animals.
At Pampered Paws, Harry shared his talent as part of the morning, and The MJR Groupe presented him with a donation in recognition of what he was doing. That was the moment that made me cry. There was something so pure about it. An act of giving, rooted in heart, generosity, and love for animals. It was one of those moments that reminds you goodness does not need to be grand to be powerful.
When people come to this event, I hope they leave with a sense of community, love, inspiration, wellness, and hope. More than anything, I want them to feel they were part of something warm and genuine, something that stays with you after you leave.
And if someone attends Pampered Paws and has never met me before, I hope they come away understanding that giving matters deeply to me. Giving to people. Giving to animals. Creating moments where others can step away from the noise of life and simply be for a little while.
At The MJR Groupe, we listen carefully to what matters most to our clients, because that looks different for every person. We pay attention to the details, and we do our best to create a white-glove experience that feels genuinely tailored to them. For some, that means knowing the right building, the right street, or the right view. For others, it means understanding where their dog will feel most at home.
Pampered Paws is one small expression of that same philosophy.
Sometimes all it takes is a group of good people, a room full of dogs, and a little time away from the usual routine to remember what matters most.
Remy, naturally, believes the morning was organized entirely in his honor. On that point, I have decided not to argue.
Warmly,
Melissa & Remy
What Remy and I Noticed This Month
Research on the human-animal bond continues to confirm what dog owners already know firsthand: spending time with dogs can help reduce stress and support social connection. Studies have found that interacting with dogs may lower cortisol levels while increasing oxytocin, a hormone associated with bonding and emotional closeness. That may help explain why people tend to relax, open up, and connect more easily when dogs are part of the picture.
Worth a look: The Power of Pets, National Institutes of Health
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