Why Puppy Yoga Without Phones Felt Kind of Like Therapy
By Marcella Giuffrida - Founder of MGPR Public Relations Agency in Los Angeles
Unplugging as a PR agency founder can definitely feel counterintuitive, but when I learned that Global Day of Unplugging was coming up, I thought it might be fun to test out the waters with a popular event I’ve been hosting with a client of mine.
We’ve been hosting monthly Puppy Yoga sessions at Fluffology, and back in March, we partnered with Global Day of Unplugging for a special event. Normally, when we host puppy yoga, it’s all about content, people snapping pics, posting stories, tagging, all the things. Phones everywhere. But, this time, we decided to do things a little differently. We banned phones. And let me tell you, it was an experience that I’m still thinking about.
It’s actually really fascinating what happens to the vibes during Puppy Yoga when you make people put their phones down. Phones are so tempting—especially in a setting like this, where puppies are running around, and everyone’s probably thinking, “I have got to capture this!” But without phones to fall back on, people had to find other ways to engage. So what would they do? Would this be the first-ever puppy yoga event that didn’t sell out? Spoiler: It sold out faster than ever. People wanted the experience, not just the content.
The energy shifted. Without their phones, people actually played with the puppies instead of worrying about getting the perfect shot for their feed. They did more yoga. Like, a lot more yoga. I think the absence of constant selfie-taking helped everyone stay present in the class, and they ended up giving the puppies more focused attention. It was a win-win for everyone.
And speaking of puppies, I swear they had more fun than ever before. They were more playful, more energetic, and generally seemed way happier. Which made sense when you think about it—people were giving them real attention instead of just treating them like props for a post.
I’m not saying the phone ban was the magic ingredient, but I do think the genuine, uninterrupted connections people made with the puppies helped. It felt like bonding was happening, and that meant more than just a fun afternoon.
So, what did I learn from all this? Events don’t always need to be content-first to be successful. We’ve all been conditioned to think that every moment needs to be captured for social media. But this event proved that joy and special moments don’t have to be documented to be real. Sometimes, the experience itself is enough.
If you’re thinking about hosting your own unplugged event—do it. If you’re not sure where to start, think about your next gathering. Maybe it’s a picnic, a dinner party, or even a workout session. How can you create moments where people truly connect, without their phones? Challenge your guests to leave their devices behind and see what happens. You might be surprised by the results.
And speaking of puppies, I swear they had more fun than ever before. They were more playful, more energetic, and generally seemed way happier. Which made sense when you think about it—people were giving them real attention instead of just treating them like props for a post.
I’m not saying the phone ban was the magic ingredient, but I do think the genuine, uninterrupted connections people made with the puppies helped. It felt like bonding was happening, and that meant more than just a fun afternoon.
So, what did I learn from all this? Events don’t always need to be content-first to be successful. We’ve all been conditioned to think that every moment needs to be captured for social media. But this event proved that joy and special moments don’t have to be documented to be real. Sometimes, the experience itself is enough.
If you’re thinking about hosting your own unplugged event—do it. If you’re not sure where to start, think about your next gathering. Maybe it’s a picnic, a dinner party, or even a workout session. How can you create moments where people truly connect, without their phones? Challenge your guests to leave their devices behind and see what happens. You might be surprised by the results.
