I was born in September on a bird dog ranch in Gilmer Texas.  With 10 brothers and sisters to play with I did nothing but play, eat and sleep.  My mom Maggie was a tall lady with really long legs. My dad was always off hunting 'cause he was becoming a Champion bird dog. Mom took care of us all day leaving only a few minutes to eat and run with her friends.

My brothers and sister had heard that Bill was coming and we were all so excited. . Our mom told us that Bill's wife Sherrie and son Bryan were giving Bill a Christmas present that day. We all were cleaned up and ready for his visit. We did not know that one of us was the present.

I remember it was cold that day with lots of wind blowing. When I first saw Bill, he was huge, his hands looked so rough and hard but when he picked me up those hands were so soft. His voice was so easy on my ears. Bill sat on the cold ground which I know was really cold because he had no fur on him to keep him warm. He played with each one of my brother and sisters. Slowly he would return each to mom who was watching from our home. Finally there was only me and one of my brothers running and playing with Bill.

With those big hands, Bill picked me up and I licked his face. I heard him say ‘what a bright little star you are’.  With that, I said goodbye to my family. I did cry some, but I felt so warm next to Bill while I was in his lap for the ride to his home. Our new home. That was the beginning of a ‘ride’ that I have enjoyed since.

During the next few weeks I rode in Bill's big truck, getting to see all the places that he went to during what he called "work". When he was not working we would play in the grass or in the truck. Bill began to show me things to do that made him so happy. I could tell he was happy as his voice would get excited and he would give me really good tasting treats.

Over the next few months I learned tons of new things like ‘sit down', 'stay' and 'heel'. I learn some things about Bill's truck too, like I could mash this one button and all the windows would roll down. I really liked that button because I could stick my head out the window and feel the wind. Then there was this one button that I would mash and Bill could not get back in the truck. He would have to call someone to come open the truck for him. I learned pretty quickly that Bill didn't want me to push THAT button.

Bill carried a bottle of water in the truck and I learned that when I wanted a drink to get the bottle and hand it to Bill. Everywhere we went I got to go into the stores to meet the folks that Bill called "customers". Popcorn became one of my favorite treats.

Bill, Sherrie and I went everywhere together for the first year. I had so much energy and I just loved to run. Bill took me to his parent’s home in Coke and I ran and ran and ran.  I even got to swim in the pond... rolled in some cow poop and just had a big time. I think I slept for two days I was so tired.

There were many more days of learning in store for me. I could not have picked a better human companion.

We started Agility training because Bill won a certificate for obedience training. We were not real interested in that so Bill asked what other type of training was available. The group from Tyler Obedience training club told us of this new class called ‘beginning agility’. So two weeks later we were training and having a big time being the only student in the class. Our training began to take off as we would go to the agility trials to watch and learn.

Soon we were running in novice class of USDAA and AKC. Our instructor Cheryl and Kathleen helped us so much along the way. We all entered at “team” event and qualified to go to the USDAA nationals in 2003. I was so excited to be there it was cold, wet, nasty and it was perfect bird dog weather. I really got the looks as there were 798 dogs there and one Brittany. I felt proud of what Bill and I had accomplished.

The next year I began to gain weight. Bill fed me only a cup of food a day supplementing me with pumpkin, green beans and yogurt. But still I gained weight. My performances in the agility ring began to be a struggle for me to make time. Try as  I did I just did not have the energy to do this any more. Bill and I struggled.

Bill was a saint thru this time as he went to motivation seminars, learned new ways to run agility, had new toys for me, but still I was just not into the agility.

Finally in Monroe, Louisiana Bill and I were running in the AKC Excellent B class when I refused to do the teeter. Bill looked at me and said "If you will finish this one run I promise I will never ask you to do this again.”. I told him "Deal!". I did finish that run. Bill left me for a long time as he said he had something in his eyes and needed to wash it out.

The next week I visited my vets Dr Gainer and Dr Dixon. They ran all kinds of test on me, but none showed any problems. They took my blood and sent it to a lady, Mrs. Dobbs I think in California. She found that I had Thyroid problems. This was causing me to gain weight, feel bad, and make me tired. I now take a pill at meals that has made me feel so much better. Bill and I walk daily and we watch my diet. I stay slim by working in the back yard on the agility equipment and running at our farm.

After that Bill and I had to find an outlet for my new energy. We had been working on tricks but never thought we were good at it till we were in the Home Depot one day. Bill and I started showing tricks to some kids and before long there were 40 or so people watching. We got kicked out of the Home Depot that day.

So I began to do tricks for attention at Bill's customer's stores. Wow! Was that fun?! People would laugh, clap, pet me and love on me. I had found my place in the world. We began to do little shows all over East Texas at Libraries, schools, civic groups, and retirement homes. I just love the retirement homes because everyone there wants to love on me. I see so many folks there that did have dogs. They tell us about their dogs they had many years ago.

Bill and I have worked with Barney the purple dinosaur on the show "Letters and Numbers". That was fun to play with a 7 foot purple thing.

Bill and I were selected to go to California for CBS' “Greatest American Dog” TV show. That was the first time I ever flown on an airplane. That was fun as all the people in the airport came over to greet me while I was in my flight crate. I lay on one of Bill's old T-shirts for comfort during the flight.

Bill has been so good to me. We have been boat riding together, saw the Pacific Ocean together, been on TV together-- BUT, most of all, we have had so much fun together helping  people to  smile

Bill and I have been together for many years now... I still sleep beside him... I still sit beside him in the truck... I still am the one that visits the customers and I still mash the buttons on the  truck to hear him holler.

There have been so many people to help us along this journey. Bill is not the best dog trainer but he is learning. His heart is big and soft so don’t let that rough exterior fool you. When you meet him you too will know why I love my Bill.


Star  (Flying Orange Star) aka Orange dog
CGC, AKC titles Na NAJ OA OAJ EXC AJ EXC A EXC B EXC BJ with Mach points

USDAA Titles AGILITY DOG with several Master level Game titles
Tricks:  Sit, down, stay, fetch the paper, get boots, get shoes, get the tv remote, get water bowl, get food bowl, roll over, crawl,  back up, wave hello, speak, dance, hold it, pickup money, open  doors, ring bell, roll window down in truck, LOCK truck doors, Hide from everyone, count, hurt foot, embarrassed, climb an ladder, and many more.