Meet Orion, a super-fast Dalmation that's running away with all of our hearts. He's only 15 months old and already making a name for himself in the world of Dog Sports. The AKC keeps a list of the fastest competition dogs in the country, and Orion is currently sitting at #45 in the Dalmation category. Not too shabby for a young dog who suffered a broken foot at 5 months old and who had to spend the next 3 months on crate rest.

"I originally wanted to train him on agility, and when he got hurt, I thought that my dream of having him compete was over," explains Orion's owner Emily Ferguson, "But when he got off crate rest, he showed us that he wanted to run." 

Orion turns into something of a different dog when he's competing. Gone is the mild mannered, calm pup who I met recently. He's focused and ready to run. "He just loves to compete!" Orion competes in several categories including Fast CAT and Trick Dog.

 When Orion's not competing, he's learning to be the best mannered dog in Zachary. He has a great trainer. Emily runs Constellation K9  . 

"With a focus on positive reinforcement training, we help your dog gain the confidence they need to live a happy life. We are here to provide your dog the skills to succeed in the home and on the leash! Constellation K9 stands by the fact that everything should be positively reinforced, and done in the least intrusive way. "

With years of experience working with dogs and a lifelong passion for pups, Emily's journey with Orion feels like destiny. "I had a Dalmatian growing up, and I knew that I wanted to have another," she explains. "I even knew that I wanted to name him Orion because my dad worked for NASA. When we saw Orion on the breeder's (Zydeco Dalmatians)  website, I noticed right away that some of his spots formed part of the Orion belt. I knew it was meant to be."

Orion's registered w ith the AKC as "Hunter Among The Stars." You can find him on Instagram @spottedhunter

If you'd like to see Orion run, he's competing next at an AKC rally event on Rally competition on May 25-26. If you're interested in learning about how you can get your own dog into competitions, Emily is happy to help. She's offering Dog Sports 101 classes that give dog owners and pups all the information they need to compete in events like Fit Dog titles (5k walk with your dog) Fetch (get one particular item) or even Dog Diving through North American Diving Dogs.