Claire and Layla

We sure hope this #DogMomMonday doesn't get, ahem, overshadowed by today's #solareclipse  (see what we did there?!), because we're spotlighting the adorable Claire (@sheenacalavera) and her sweet senior gal Layla! Keep reading to learn more! 

Claire, dog mom to Layla (named after Claire’s favorite song!), a 9-year-old miniature piebald dachshund welcomed in 2008 from a breeder in Austin, TX.

Claire's favorite thing about Layla: Layla adores people and is just so confident and extroverted. It takes a while for her to warm up to other dogs, but when it comes to humans, she’ll just walk right up to someone, smile, and instantly make a new friend. I love that about her.

Layla's favorite thing about Claire: “I love how cheesy mom can be. She likes to think she’s really cool, but she makes me dance with her to these terrible ‘80s pop songs (and she knows all the words!). Sometimes, she’ll sing, “Muppet Layla / she’ll make your dreams come true” to the tune of the Muppet Babies theme song. I pretend to act annoyed, but I secretly love it. Just don’t tell her it’s 2017. I don’t think she knows.”

A Perfect DC Day: Our perfect day would begin with a long walk outdoors (perhaps at Lincoln Park or any other dog-friendly area like @theodorerooseveltisland, @kenaqgardens, or the National Arboretum). We’re both prone to anxiety, so being in nature helps us relax and wind down. After we'd walked for a bit, we would most likely head back to our Cleveland Park apartment and read a book or watch a movie on the couch (we both love Robert De Niro films). Most recently, we’ve been meeting some great new people and their furry friends at #dcdogmoms events, which is where we might find ourselves ending the night!