For New Ulm’s latest TikTok star that’s an accurate description.

Paisley Bark, an 8-year-old beagle owned by Dan Backer of New Ulm. Over the last five years, Paisley has been featured in over 400 TikTok clips and amassed nearly 100,000 followers on TikTok, some of whom are international followers.

“In the TikTok world, she is famous,” Backer said.

Paisley comes from humble origins. She was born in Missouri and adopted by the Backer family at eight weeks old. Before adopting her, Backer learned her birthday was April 21, 2016. This is the date legendary singer Prince died.

Sporting a pair of stylish sunglasses, Paisley Bark is the latest New Ulm resident to achieve celebrity status. Her owner, Dan Backer, has featured her in over 400 TikTok videos over the last four and half years. Paisley has amassed a large following, which includes some international fans.

Backer is a huge Prince fan and decided to name her in honor of the legendary singer. Paisley Bark is a reference to Prince’s home and studio, Paisley Park.

During her first four years, Paisley lived a quiet life anonymity with the Backers in New Ulm. Then the COVID pandemic hit and Dan Backer decided to start experimenting with TikTok.

Backer said at that time, TikTok seemed like an app for kids, but thought he would play around with it. Backer found out he had a knack for directing social media videos. He has even taken over working social media for Gag Sheet Metal (GSM) and is locally known for his posts exploring other businesses in the New Ulm’s community. However, Paisley was the first star he worked with.

Backer said at first, he was making four or five TikTok videos a week with Paisley. Many of the videos are comedic in nature, depicting Paisley in funny scenarios set to popular songs.

The most viewed Paisley video features her problem solving how to get her food out of plastic bottle set to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.”

Other videos are heartwarming videos showing the joys of owning a dog. The video with the second-highest views was taken at Pups Playland by owner Deb Christensen. The video shows Paisley’s excited reaction when she smells Backer arriving to pick her up from Pups Playland.

“It’s all about making people smile,” Backer said. “Most of the posts I use humor. Beagles are very motivated by food and can be stubborn and sleep a lot which I use as a theme for many of the posts.”

Backer said many of the posts are spontaneous. Paisley is simply doing something cute or funny and makes a video around it.

During the recent cold snap, he made a video of Paisley refusing to go outside in the -16 degree temperatures.

Backer said he has no interest in monetizing the account. He has been contacted by pet product companies wanting Paisley to be an ambassador, but Backer he said wanted to do this for fun and as a creative outlet.

“I have sold a couple clips to a viral content company, but making money is not why I am doing it,” he said.

Backer said he thinks Paisley enjoys making the different TikTok videos. Though beagles tend to be fairly stubborn, Paisley is incredible patient and obedient.

“I have a lot of followers who are beagle owners, and many comment, ‘There’s no way my beagle would do that,'” Backer said. “I guess that does make her a little special.”

Paisley’s videos can be found on TikTok under the handle @paisleypark28. Backer also posts many of her videos to his Instagram and Facebook account.