Ben has a Girlfriend!!!

[gg4rebels]

This is Benjamin Benelli. We call him Ben. He is a yellow lab that is almost 1 1/2. He currently weighs 90 lbs. He has his own bedroom at our house, loves to get in the lake to swim and play with the calves every evening. Oh, and he loves to harass the cats.....except the one that attacks him. He got a girlfriend last weekend.


This is Bella, Ben's girlfriend. She is a 10 month old, silver-factored, chocolate lab. She only weighs 50 lbs. We are working on this though. She now shares a bedroom with Ben - different beds though. She has been in a pen outside for most of her life. She thinks she has died and gone to doggie heaven! When we got her she did not know what a dog treat was, what a toy or "chew chew" was, or really how to socialize with people. That lasted about - oh - one day! She has figured out that air conditioning is a good thing and a nice "blankie" to sleep on is awesome. She has had no accidents in the house - a GREAT thing for us! Of course, she did come into her first heat this week. We have only had her a week and a half. We have a shock collar for Ben so I have had no problem keeping him off her. We got the collar to teach him his boundaries when he is out of the house.
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[gg4rebels]

I have never been much of a lab person either....I like golden retrievers or small yappers, as my husband would say! He wanted a lab. The jury is still out on Bela, the new dog. She is 10 mos old but it is like she is 6 wks old, except for the house breaking. She just has not been around people much. This is going to be a challenge. The plan is to raise quality puppies to sell.

Bottom line......the calves and chickens are mine....the dogs are his.

 

[bigbull338]

those are some goodlooking dogs.

 

[skyline]

I like Ben, he looks a lot like my yellow lab Rex. And that is quite an aggresive water entry in your first photo. I'm sure he'll enjoy having a girlfriend.

 

[Beefy]

well if you plan on breeding Ben in the future i highly suggest you refrain from shocking him when he shows interest in a female.

 

[iowafarmer]

yep labs dont grow out of the puppy stage till about 1 1/2 8. if she is ten months old look out she will chew anything. got my lab at 6 months old and he chewed on anythign and everything for a year till he started to stop. Hot sauce on the porch railings and any wood or plastic that he can get at and will be around daily. Mine loved plastic gatoraid bottles with out the wrapper off it, he would chew them till they would be flattend out, they are pretty cheap chew toy though.

 

[gg4rebels]

Beefy - good suggestion - thanks!

Iowafarmer - We were lucky with Ben and the chewing...only got one good shoe of mine. Nothing else but we did get him at 7 weeks and really worked with him since he is a house dog. I hope we are that lucky with Bela but the jury is still out. We are getting a late start with her. I will be in Iowa this weekend - West Des Moines actually. Flying up for my sister's birthday and spending a few days. I love Iowa. Would love to talk my husband into selling our place and getting one up there. He is tempted with the size of the bucks in Iowa but still says no.....Mississippi is home. :cry2:

 

[3waycross]

Like your dog a lot, I have always been impressed with his pic on your avatar. As far as shocking him I agree probably not the best idea.
I would almost question whether or not the bytch is purebred. With that head she looks like the "Silver" factor might just be the "Weimeraner" factor.
I also just got a Lab bytch and as luck would have it named her Bella, won't be picking her up for another month. The breeder is starting her, and hopefully socializing her. The lab I have now was not socialized til almost one yr old and unfortunately not that sucessfully.

Does your male hunt. Looks like he sure hits the water hard. Contrary to what some people on here say Labs are great dogs, and definately give you back what you give them. My old girl is 11 years old now and a real sweet old girl.

 

[Beefy]

i thought she was a weimer too, never heard of that coloration in labs. labs are great dogs.

 

[chrisy]

No Beefy ears are not long enough and nose to short for a Wierama.
I love Labs the only dog if I had to have a dog I would have. I had two a good few years ago, one would eat and tear anything she could get hold of. My Black one could open the fridge and freezer and learned very quickly how to help herself to what was inside. She was the naughty one the Golden one was good she only went along for the feast. I know it wasn't her as we had her for four years before and she never ruined anything. I so upset when they died my Husband said no more dogs, and I am more of a cat person.

 

[fourstates]

well if you plan on breeding Ben in the future i highly suggest you refrain from shocking him when he shows interest in a female.

:lol: :lol:

 

[3waycross]

well if you plan on breeding Ben in the future i highly suggest you refrain from shocking him when he shows interest in a female.

:lol: :lol:

Actually it might be good practice for him if he ever contemplates a long term relationship.

Oh, What was I thinking he is only a dog :nod:

 

[grannysoo]

Now you just need a big ole' yellow pimp hat with a feather to wear when he is allowed access to the female.... :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

[gg4rebels]

Yes, Bella is a purebred lab. She is registered as a chocolate lab. The AKC recognizes three colors of labs - black, yellow and chocolate. Yellows can range from almost white to yellow to red. Chocolates can be light, dark or silver factored. We don't plan on breeding them until they are about two and we have had their hips certified.

Ben does not hunt but he retrieves. We are working with him on being a blood dog. We put him on a trail last January when he was just 8 months old and he did great! Hopefully we will have a deer on the ground soon and will start working with him again.

Ben can open the back door. We hung a rope from the door and then leave it slightly ajar. He will pull on the rope to go outside. We are not going to teach them to open the frig! Bella did help herself to 2 lbs. of hamburger that I had patted out into burgers the other night. After I finished something I was working on I went to the kitchen and saw they plate had only one burger on it. I went to ask my husband why he did not put that one on the grill.....looked at the grill and it was still heating up.....oops. Her stomach was messed up for DAYS!!! We did not have hamburgers that night.

 

[1982vett]

:lol: I've lost a sandwich more than once. Mine tends to think my glass of water in the truck cup holder is for her on occasion too.