THE BEGINNING OF LORIBEN (REG)

My Kennel name, Loriben, is actually a derivation of my name and my first little Yorkie, Ben. Ben was born December 21, 1986. I was looking for a Yorkie, having first gotten to know the breed from neighbours in Kamloops who had three of them. They were moving and I wanted my own Yorkie before they left so I wouldn’t miss theirs so much.

Ben’s breeders lived in a little community called Rosedale outside of Chilliwack. March of 1987, a friend had found the ad for him in the Chilliwack newspaper. I phoned the breeder and he sounded just like what was looking for although I really didn’t know about purebred dogs or that much about Yorkies. I drove to Rosedale on the Saturday and brought him home. Thus began a relationship that continues now while Ben is waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge.

I would like to interject here that I do not recommend buying a dog or puppy based on newspaper ads. Any breeder you contact by whatever means you do find one, should know a lot about the breed and should be able to tell you about the breed and determine if this is the right breed and time for you to adopt a pup. A reputable breeder will also have a non-breeding contract that you would be required to adhere to.

Ben became my best buddy. I was more answerable to him than I ever was to my parents as a child or teenager or bosses as I entered the work world. When I started my mobile grooming business in 1991, he was my partner in business. I suspect he was the biggest reason I quit my Government job with real wages and benefits which was fine for me, but I had to leave him at home. If I had my own business, he could come too. I had the opportunity to leave my employment with payout and I launched into dog grooming. I first worked and trained in a shop then began my own mobile business. Ben rode with me on my rounds except very hot days. My clients didn’t mind when I brought him into their homes in his little crate and he just curled up and went to sleep waiting for me to get done and go to our next call. He was very protective of me, animated, delightful and being a Yorkie, headstrong. He didn’t ever want to be left with anyone else while I was away whether he knew them or not, so I didn’t go anywhere without him.

He hated walking with a leash on and I had no choice but go in the direction he wanted to go. If I didn’t I would feel a drag on the leash when
I got one him. I would turn around and he had thrown himself down on his back will all four feet in the air. I often thought a skateboard would be handy, I could just put him on it, feet in the air and all and just pull the skateboard along! It was real embarrassing when we were out in public and lots of people were around to chuckle at his antics.

He weighed about 4 lbs full grown but got a bit portly when he got older. He was about five months old when I came to Vancouver to visit my folks with him. I took him for a little walk over to the local park and there was a mother and daughter with pet rabbits. We collected quite a crowd as little Ben was romping and playing with these young rabbits. One of the rabbits got a little rough, knocked Ben cups over teakettle, and Ben ran back to me and wouldn’t play with the bunnies anymore. I always laughed about the day Ben got ‘rolled by a bunny.’

One day in February, 1999, he had been out in the yard with the girls I had by then, ate his breakfast, then went to lie in his bed waiting for me to go to work as he would go with me. It was time for me to leave and I called in my usual manner, “Come on Ben, time to go to work.” He didn’t come. I went to him and he never even lifted his head. He was battling cancer for the last five months and I knew this was the end. My wonderful Veterinarian at the time and I helped him to the Rainbow Bridge that day. Two months later my mother died, two months after that it was obvious Dad couldn’t cope on his own. I closed my business and moved to Vancouver. I really didn’t have the heart for my mobile business anymore as I missed Ben so much and none of my other Yorkies could fill that spot he left.

Ben lives in my memories, I am still answerable to him, and I know we will meet again at the Rainbow Bridge. Four years later and I am now returning to my mobile grooming business again. I still miss my partner.

That is the story of my kennel name, Loriben. Ben was never shown, never used for breeding but a little part of him will always be in my Yorkies through their kennel name.

Lorraine Effa
Loriben Yorkies
June 2003