The adorable 7-week-old puppy was found running through traffic on her own and swiftly taken to Beaumont Animal Care in Texas.
Initially frail and nervous, the puppy, initially called Smiley Miley by shelter staff, quickly stole hearts at the shelter. When approached by the shelter’s veterinarian tech, Rachel Barron, she surprised everyone with her dazzling grin. The video of the pup's infectious smile went viral, melting hearts worldwide.
Dazzling smile
Rachel said: “When I began to speak in a baby talk kind of voice, she absolutely loved it. [She] began wagging her tail and then boom, the famous smile.”
It was as if the little brown dog realised she was finally in safe hands.
The video, shared by Rachel, attracted attention from animal lovers worldwide, leading to a flood of adoption inquiries. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the adorable puppy to find her perfect match in Nicole Toney and her husband, who already had three rescue dogs and two cats. The couple gave the puppy a new home and a new name, Layla.
Happy ending for Layla
The Toney family sensed Layla’s sweetness and excitement during their first meeting, and Layla quickly warmed up to them. Nicole has delighted in watching Layla settle into family life. The new addition to the Toney family has seamlessly integrated with her five siblings, two dogs, and three cats. Layla developed an adorable connection with the family’s rescue dog, Lady, who had just given birth before being rescued and was eager to take Layla under her paw.
Layla is so happy in her new home that she even smiles in her sleep while cuddling up to Nicole’s husband’s face.
Two years later and Layla is still smiling:
What a wonderful happy ending after such a rough start to life.
