The little chocolate blur disappears in an ocean of yellow Labradors, in an instant little brown legs are seen stroking so fast that they seem to meld as one. It is evident that the little brown bundle is a puppy Labrador trying as best as she can to stay up with her bigger kennel mates. She maneuvers to and fro, out of sight for a moment only to reappear underneath 14-month old Chambrays Summer Arrogance. Once again the little brown dog darts back and forth trying her best not to be trampled by the seemingly gigantic dogs running around the “front yard” of Chambray farms. The frolicking continues for as long as I clean out each of the seven runs that house an equal number of dogs in the front yard of my 5 acre farm.

A voice command or correction immediately gets the pack of dogs over to me without hesitation. Rough play is not tolerated and anyone being unruly is sent into their runs and banished for the day. Each and every one of the dogs in this group is trusted totally not to play rough with each other or roughhouse with the little puppy. All seem to sense that this is a new member to the Chambray clan of dogs and within minutes of my introduction into the pack, the little chocolate puppy is being escorted by the sub leaders and other second in command dogs.

What a oddity it is to see this almost one of kind sight at our Labrador kennel, a chocolate Labrador puppy, only the second such sight since 1987 when Sally Kelley of Kelleygreen Labradors sent us Kelleygreen’s Chambray Brown. An amazing 18 years have since lapsed that a chocolate Labrador puppy graced our midst and yet here was a 9-week-old chocolate puppy, the only chocolate Labrador in a group of 7 yellow adult females, an adult black male and 2 adult black females romping at freely through our ¼ acre front yard.

At Chambray Labradors the front yard is considered sacred ground, for this section of our farm  is reserved for the best, the cream of the crop at Chambray dwell in the front yard where they are the closest to me. So what is this chocolate puppy doing running with the top dogs at Chambray? Is she destined to share the front yard with the likes of our sweetheart, AM/Int Ch Chambrays Chance N Counter or my darling Int Ch Hyspire's Gateway Major Chord, or the handsome black boy Int Ch Carmays River of Dreams and the other champions and top Labs in the show ring in Florida?

Well, let me introduce Chambrays Greenhead Caramela, sired by multiple BISS Ch Grandquest Family Ties, the top chocolate Labrador in the land. Her mother is Chucklebrook Brown Molly, from one of the top chocolate producing kennels in the USA. Caramela’s pedigree needs no deciphering, one glance at the 5-generation hierarchy and the senses are full of expectations. I hold my breath and wish upon a star that she makes it all the way.

One look at Caramela and the prophecy of the expectations seemed fulfilled! Of course time will tell whether she grows into the expected mold, there is much from now until “show time” in March of 2006 that needs to fall into place. However there are so many positives when starting right at the top of the charts, that the road from now till then seems paved in bright colors.

Hopefully, the 2006 show season that begins in March will have Chambray Labradors and the Partners Program for the Betterment of the Breed holding court with all three colors of Labrador Retrievers in the Labrador ring. That will be a true sight to see, for that will be the first time since 1992 that we had all 3 colors showing at one time.

Well, we have 4 months ahead of us and the only major problem I see right now is the squabbling Herzon's arguing over this little bundle of chocolate joy. Who's dog is she? Who gets to play with her? On who's lap does she sit on in the car when going for a ride?

WHO WILL GET TO HANDLE HER IN THE RING? That's the real big debate!

Stay tuned for further developments.