Boundless Billy is our pride and joy

THIS is Billy and he is the most loving pet in the world. He was born in kennels in Dublin and was one of a very large litter of puppies, having 13 brothers and sisters. He had his first home in Kildare but he wasn’t happy there, so he was given back to the kennels. Then he came to live with us.

My mum, my grandparents and I love that Billy is a Red Setter. First my grandparents had a Red Setter, then my mum had one — and now I have one.

Billy is chestnut and chestnut is my favourite colour. He looks like a furry conker! Billy is 10 years old and his face is going a bit grey. His coat shines in the sunshine and looks beautiful.

Billy is very sweet and kind. We had another Red Setter but she passed away. Her name was Suin but now we have Billy. Suin is in Paradise and she is Holy God’s dog now.

Billy often chews on my toys but he’s still the best dog ever. Sometimes he steals food from the table and my granny gets mad! But we don’t care. His favourite food to steal is cheese and he often tries to eat flies and bees. We try to stop him eating bees, because bees make honey — and they might sting him.

We go for walks in the front field together, where Billy likes to run and roll in the grass.

Billy got a collar from Kenya. The collar has lots of different coloured beads. My mum and I ordered it over the internet in 2017. We call him “Maasai Billy” after the Maasai Tribe from Kenya that wear these colourful beads.

We have lots of other names for Billy, like Mr B or Bean Hound or Billysocks.

Iam learning to cycle a bike and soon I want to be faster than Billy. But he can run really fast.

Billy has a crazy half an hour in the evenings where he jumps high in the air on four paws, then turns in circles. I find it very funny.

He is sometimes hard for me to manage but not for my mum — he listens to my mummy. I can get him to sit, lie down and give me the paw to shake hands through.

Billy is sometimes a bit naughty but we still love him a lot. It is very special to have Billy as our pet.

When I am sad Billy makes me feel better. Billy makes me feel at home — a house without Billy is not a home. Alisha Corrigan (age six), Woodstown Upper, Co Waterford

If you would like your pet featured in this column please send a story of 440 words and a photograph to snews@independent.ie clearly labelled MY PET