When Caleb was bred to the daughter of the 1984 Crufts
Best of Breed Labrador, in lieu of the stud fee, I chose a male puppy from the litter of
9. That puppy was Ben. Taking his first Reserve Win from the puppy class at 10 months of
age and his first points at 15 months of age, Ben was a natural. If Ben had any faults it
was that he was a bit too laid back: one time during judging in a large Open Class while
the judge was going over the dogs individually, Ben actually took the "relax your
dog" cue to the limits by laying down and rolling over to lay on his back. The
spectators laughed, the judge and I both looked around to see what was so funny, and
there's my dog belly up. Though a substantial Lab, he weighed nearly 90 pounds when
pictured here, Ben is one of the gentlest Labs I've ever owned. His sweet nature and
laid-back temperament are still apparent in his children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. He was trained in obedience and hunting by his co-owner with whom he
resides today, serving as a family and hunting companion.
