About SUNSTAR

I have loved dogs all my life (please see "Jan's Bio")- I grew up with "Sparkles", a sweet yellow Lab mix who was a wonderful part of our family. I would frequently bring stray dogs home too- they just seemed to "follow me" (maybe with a little coaxing...)  My parents were very patient!  As a teenager, I worked at a show breeding and boarding kennel, where I learned to groom, train and show dogs. In 1976, I got a dog of my very own, a wonderful rescue Weimaraner named "Buck" from the animal shelter; that began my love for purebred dogs. 

I rapidly began learning more about the Weimaraner breed and met many other Weimaraners and their breeders, owners and handlers.  I love the Weimaraner happy attitude, athleticism and trainibility, plus they are such gorgeous dogs, they look like poetry in motion when they gait in the conformation ring, run an agility course, or hunt and point birds in the field.  Weimars have very funny, quirky personalities, and make me laugh on a daily basis!  They get along with everyone, and are especially wonderful with children.     
 
"Buck" lived until he was around 14 years of age, and I then bought "Chia" from a breeder in CA- she was a fabulous show dog and family member until she was 14 years of age also.      
I bred "Chia" twice and produced two litters of gorgeous versatile Weimaraner puppies which did well in the conformation and obedience rings, hunting in the field, and as sweet pets in the home.  I kept "Chase" from her first breeding, and he won Winners Dog at the Weimaraner Club of America National Specialty weekend, my first homebred Champion! 
"Buck" had his AKC Companion Dog title, and also attained the "Dog World Award of Canine Distinction". "Chia" and her son "Chase" were AKC Champions, and had their Canine Good Citizen titles and AKC Companion Dog titles.
I bought "Aspen" from a breeder in OR in 2004- I chose her in the litter, not only because of her beautiful conformation, but mostly because of her wonderful temperament and personality!  She started her show career off with a bang by attaining her UKC Championship and her Herding Instinct Certification at only 9 months of age.  She later attained her CGC title, her Temperament Certification, her Therapy Dog International title, and her UKC Agility I title, and she has also taken multiple Gun Dog Groups wins and placings. 
"Aspen" is an amazing dog- I do lots of Therapy Dog visits, presentations and classes with her on duty, and everyone loves her.  She is very well trained and extremely tolerant, she loves children and has had kids pull on her ears and tail and she just licks them in the face and wants tummy rubs!

---Check out Photo Galleries for lots of great pictures of my Weimaraners!
  
*********************************************************************************************************************
 
In 1996, my friends Mark and Antoinette were investigating the American Bulldog breed, and I joined them in learning as much as I could. I had had Rottweilers for years, and enjoyed their strength, athleticism, devotedness to their family, and guarding ability; however, I was dismayed at the direction in which the breed seemed to be headed. I was searching for a similar breed, but wanted something that was not so over-bred.  So, I proceeded to meet many different American Bulldogs, and corresponded and met various Bulldog breeders. My friends then purchased a puppy from Lem Miller at Joshua Kennels; "Rosie" was such a wonderful dog, that I was sold on the breed. 

In 2001, I brought "Sunstar Charolais" home from a breeder in Oregon; she was pure white and a wonderful bundle of puppy energy. Unfortunately, she quickly started having structural problems; as I had gotten a full written warranty from the breeder (only upon my insistance), I notified them what was going on and my vets' concerns. To make a long, sad story short, I had to euthanize "Charolais" at 5-1/2 months of age due to severe hip dysplasia and spinal problems. When all was said and done, the "breeder" refused to correspond with me or honor their warranty, and I was left with a broken heart and huge vet bills. However, I was also left with even more conviction to be an ultimate-responsible breeder myself!  
I then brought home Sunstar Simmental "Simmen", Sunstar Devonshire "Devon", and Sunstar Santa Cruz "Cruz" over the next few years.  
Mark and Antoinette and I flew to Florida to visit Lem Miller and see his Joshua Kennels- what a treat to meet his fabulous dogs Shunammite and Joab and Josh, among others!  Lem and his family were so gracious, and we had such a wonderful visit and made some great memories.  Lem is truly the "grandaddy" of our breed, his family having had Old Southern White Bulldogs in the South for around a century.
  
My Bulldogs are out of Performance/Old Southern White lines, and have wonderful, stable, family pet temperaments and strong, sound structures. (Please notice that all my BULLdogs are named after cattle breeds!!!)  I work, show and play with my Bulldogs in obedience, conformation, Therapy Dog work, sheep herding, and agility. "Devon", "Simmen" and "Cruz" have their UKC Championships, have attained multiple Best-In-Show and Reserve Best-In-Show awards, have received their Herding Instinct and Capability Certifications, their Temperament Certifications, their Canine Good Citizen titles and their Therapy Dog Int'l titles.  Devon's daughter "Jersey Girl" was awarded Reserve Best-In-Show awards at only 6-1/2 months of age and again at 8 months of age, where she finished her Championship and then attained her Herding Instinct Certification.  "Reina" is from Joshua Kennels- she has attained her Canine Good Citizen title, her Herding Instinct Certification, her UKC Championship, and has multiple Guardian Group wins and placements; she has been hip certified through PennHIP and OFA (Preliminary EXCELLENT!) and eye certified through CERF. 

---Check out Photo Galleries for lots of great pictures of my Bulldogs!
 
In March 2003, UKC statistics showed "Devon" as the # 3 American Bulldog in the USA!
"Devon" is also featured as representing the American Bulldog breed in The Howell Book of Dogs by Liz Palika!
 
**********************************************************************************************************************
 
I live on over two acres in the rural area of Kent, Washington state, not far from beautiful Puget Sound, breathtaking Mt. Rainier, and the Cascade mountains.  I have "Devon" and "Reina" the American Bulldogs, "Aspen" the Weimaraner, "Boomer" the Foundation Morgan horse, "Senna" the barn cat, and four laying hens. 
 
My dogs are my house pets and family members; I take them on trail rides with the horses, for walks to the park, hiking and camping, and even just to run errands. They go with me to my all-breed obedience classes, and I do demonstrations with them and they visit the students and play with their dogs. I also take them to work at the police department, and they assist me in doing responsible pet ownership presentations and Therapy Dog visits at schools, community events, hospital/nursing care facilities and retirement homes, and police and fire activities. It is important to me to be an "Ambassador for the Breeds", and to show everyone what wonderful pets American Bulldogs and Weimaraners really are!
As I write this, all my dogs are lying around me, snoozing away, as it is rainy outside (after all, this is the Pacific Northwest!) I spend my life extremely involved in all aspects of my dogs; I enjoy seeing other breeders' dogs and puppies, attending educational dog classes and seminars, and going to dog shows and performance events.
 
 
A few of my favorite quotes: 

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that,
you'll do things differently" 

"We can complain that the rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice that the thorn bushes have roses"

"Something that is worth doing, is worth doing well"

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness, forgot about puppies!" 

And as an active member of Rotary International, I also promote Service Above Self and pledge "to be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and to the moral standards of my community". 
I also conduct my life and business using the Rotary International Four-Way Test:

• Is it the TRUTH?
   
• Is it FAIR to all concerned?
   
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
   
• Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

    
  ************************************************************************************************************************

SUNSTAR American Bulldogs and Weimaraners-

"Aspen" Weimaraner- Multiple Group Winning UKC Champion Bravehart Sunstar Aspen Glow, Canine Good Citizen, Herding Instinct Certified, Temperament Certified, Therapy Dog International, UKC Agility level 1; PennHIP .35/.35, CERF #WE-472/2008--46
  

"Devon" American Bulldog- Multiple Best-In-Show UKC Champion Sunstar Devonshire, Canine Good Citizen, Herding Instinct Certified, Herding Capability Tested, Temperament Certified, Therapy Dog International; PennHIP .54/.43, CERF #BU-236/2005--49 (rated #3 American Bulldog in the nation as of March 2003 UKC Bloodlines.)
 
"Reina" American Bulldog- Group Winning UKC Champion Sunstar La Reina, Canine Good Citizen, Herding Instinct Certified; PennHIP .44/.58, OFA Preliminary EXCELLENT, CERF #AB-120/2010--13.
 
.........................................................................................................................................................................
 
Multiple Reserve Best-In-Show UKC Champion Sunstar Jersey Girl, Herding Instinct Certified
 
Best-In-Show UKC Champion Sunstar Simmental, Canine Good Citizen, Herding Instinct Certified, Temperament Certified, Therapy Dog International; PennHIP .36/.22, CERF #BU-234/2003--25
 
Best-In-Show UKC Champion Sunstar Santa Cruz, Canine Good Citizen, Herding Instinct Certified, Therapy Dog International; PennHIP .38/.41, CERF #BU-247/2003--8
 
Beloved dogs I have owned/co-owned who have passed over the Rainbow Bridge: Shannons Baby Bonsai, CGC, CH. Sunstar Chimera of Green Acres, CD, CGC, CH. Sunstar Cut to the Chase, CD, CGC, Sunstar Charolais, Kodiak Token Odin, CDX, Kinshasa Dionysis Draco of Kodiak, Kinshasa Phoenix of Kodiak, CD, Narnia Mauser of Kodiak, Golden Suns Aurora Borealis, CD, CH. Troys the Cumberland Cruzer, CD, Sound of Buckshot, CD, and "Sparkles" our family dog born in 1962.