DOGFLUENCERS: Meet Lyra, Florida's Instagram Famous Black Husky

Welcome to the ultimate destination for dog enthusiasts and social media mavens alike. At Dogfluencers, we're passionate about showcasing the best and brightest in the world of four-legged fame.

Whether you're looking for adorable photos, heartwarming stories, or expert tips on how to turn your own pup into a social media star, we've got you covered.

Today we got the honor of interviewing Jocelyn (Lyra's Human). You can find a direct link to their Instagram here.

Here is their story:

Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a dog influencer? What inspired you to start sharing your dog's adventures on social media?

Jonnatti: I adopted Lyra in August of 2023. I've always been a dog person and had been wanting one of my own ever since my childhood dog passed in 2020.

What first made me want to share her life on social media was how goofy I thought she was. The rescue assured me this tiny black dog born on April Fools would turn into a full-grown, hard-working Siberian Husky. In reality, she's barely 35 lbs., devotes most of her time to snoozing or digging holes in the backyard, and is usually mistaken for numerous other dog breeds in public. I admired her quirkiness so much, posting on Instagram was the natural next step.

What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?

Jonnatti: Defining a "niche" is definitely a hard task, especially when talking about dog influencers. Sometimes you can just get away with being CUTE! I like to think we can bring a few other things to the table as well though.

Lyra and I are constantly training obedience (positive reinforcement only!), she has her AKC Canine Good Citizen title, as well as two AKC Trick Dog titles and one more we're working towards. We also love doing dog sports; AKC Fit Dog, FastCAT, and Barn Hunt are a few we've dabbled in. Having these tangible goals to work towards and be proud of serves as awesome inspiration for our followers and a communication opportunity between other dog parents who are interested in getting into such activities.

We love being social as well, going out to markets and events in our city, Orlando, FL, whenever we can. She's the best farmer's market buddy since regardless of what we buy from vendors, she will always be excited to sniff and claim it as her own. We also frequently go on pack walks with local groups, which helps us make new friends, human and dog alike. Not to mention, being out and active in public is a great networking and marketing opportunity for the business side of things!

How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?

Jonnatti: I try not to put too much pressure on creating the perfect, curated post for our followers. I've had a few times where the commercialization of it burns me out and takes the fun out of it, and that's the last thing you want to happen.

What I prefer to do the most is focus on Lyra's day to day experiences, whether that's traveling to a new city or napping on the couch. I rarely take pictures and think, "Oh, this is perfect for Instagram!", (although that can happen). Usually my phone is just already out, snapping pics of my girl because I'm obsessed with her.

I also get a lot of inspiration from finding the perfect angle to put her in the goofiest pose possible. For example, taking a pic at 0.5 zoom right in front of her nose so her snout looks SUPER long. Even if the Instagram post only makes me laugh, that's still a win in my book.

Of course I love scrolling on Instagram and Tiktok too, seeing what our friends are posting or what's viral at the moment, and getting inspiration from that. Doing silly trends is really fun, but I live for the ones that give followers a vulnerable and sincere look into our lives.

Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?

Jonnatti: The majority of negativity I've faced has been from myself, I think. I'm definitely my worst critic. Even for something as seemingly frivolous as creating dog content, I'll get caught up on engagement rates, like counts, the works. I've also definitely had my fair share of dog mom drama, it comes naturally with the territory. But at the end of the day I really just want to focus on my pup and creating the best life for her I can. In doing things for and with her that I'm proud of, it helps me create content that I'm proud to share.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?

Jonnatti: Keep it fun! Everyone loves taking pictures of their dogs. It's easy to add a few filters, captions, and tags to the shots you're already taking. Follow other creators that inspire you and brands that you love. If you can, join or create a community! Everything is better with friends you can talk to or ask advice from. Breed or location-specific groups are the best because you have so much to bond over.

How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?

Jonnatti: I knew when I was getting a Husky that I was signing up for a dog who needed tons of daily exercise. For some people that's intimidating, but I loved having a new workout partner that would explore local trails with me and motivate me to get out more. Even on days when I feel tired and gross, I'll still make an effort to do what I need to do to make her happy. Having that consistency in my life made a huge difference in my physical and mental wellbeing.

Can you tell us about a particularly memorable or funny moment you've had with your dog during one of your photo shoots or adventures?

Jonnatti: When Lyra was learning tricks for her first AKC Trick Dog title, I was having a rough time teaching her how to howl. You think of a Husky and your mind immediately goes to how vocal they are, constantly "awooing". Lyra wasn't like that though! She was a pretty quiet puppy. Surprisingly, her first howl was when I accidentally burnt some bread in the toaster and the smoke alarm went off. She went crazy, so upset that the house was making such a loud noise. I decided in order to train her how to "sing" I would use YouTube videos of smoke alarm sounds- and they worked perfectly! Lyra is really good at singing on cue now, but you might need to cover your ears if you happen to be in our house when the smoke alarm goes off.

What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?

Jonnatti: My favorite thing is definitely connecting with other dog parents. I think sharing and interacting with them can be so insightful since everyone raises their dogs differently. This is especially true for rescues, who often experience behavioral issues because of past trauma. Sometimes you can learn a lot more from a dog parent who's been through it than you would through Google.

Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?

Jonnatti: We are very much looking forward to going to our first national park and earning a B.A.R.K. Ranger title at some point in the near future. I've been scoping out a few different parks to do it at, so if you're interested in the process stay tuned!