Past Puppies
&
Endorsements
My wife and I found Bethany Stiles through Cashman Kennels, who provide a great referral service. They put you in contact with any litters sired by their stud dogs. We presently have a 10 year old yellow lab, O'Lee, sired by Cashman's SupeTrooper, 4 X GMPR, SH, MH. He has proven to be an excellent hunter, pet, etc. It was time for his replacement. I like Cashman's philosophy of the blending English Hunting Stock with American Pointing Labs. Bethany was awesome about sending photos of Luna's litter, all creamy light colored pups that looked like they were put out with a 'cookie cutter', absolute beautiful dogs. We left our home in CT and drove to Minnesota to pick up our new member, Sven just before Christmas 2019. He has proven to be much more than we could have hoped for. Two veterinarians, one in SD another here in CT both said the exact same thing about our pup without prompting, that is, "Perfect Labrador Specimen, exactly what a Labrador should be!"! Beth has come across the perfect combination of Luna and Vader aka 4 X GMPR Cashman's Risky Raider in Vaider, SH MH. At six months this pup doesn't miss marks will do 100 yard retrieves land or water with great haste and style. We let him tag along at 8 weeks in the copious pheasant fields and marshes of South Dakota; he really likes birds. His development is right about where James B Spencer says a dog should be. We aren't in a hurry with his training and have just been enjoying our exquisite pup. We heartily recommend a pup from Bethany. ~Tom from Hartford, CT owner of Sven (pictured below) (Luna X Vaider 1st Litter (2019))
A more peaceful Sven inside. He definitely has his father's head. I don't know if any of the other pups have these peculiar "freckles" on his lower right leg (they are just a tad darker than his cream color. He also has what we call "racing stripes" on the back of his lower rear legs that can be observed when he's running away, again just a bit darker than his basic cream color. He is an absolute beauty. (Luna X Vaider 1st Litter (2019))
Sven has really won our hearts. He could pass a Junior Hunt test now! I am certain he will gain his JH title this summer when hunt tests start again. Fearless pup! His prettiness gives one a false sense because he is a brave, hard charging retriever, total water dog too. The picture of him at 8 weeks (left) with the pile of pheasants didn't quite portray just how "birdy" he is. I can't wait to introduce real birds into his training. but I've been going nice and easy with him, very little force is required.
Our family decided to get a Lab puppy for Christmas last year. When I contacted Beth about their puppies, she only had one male left. We were looking for a good sized male with a mild temperament and a great hunting pedigree. And all I can say is we definitely found what we were looking for! Gus has been the perfect addition to the family. He is so gentle and kind with everyone and is exceptionally great with children. He is very intelligent which has made obedience training a breeze. The hunting bloodlines in him really shine through whenever there are birds around, his drive and perseverance to retrieve is relentless. Yet, his calm demeanor and mild temperament make for easy handling, training and is a delight to be around. We couldn’t be more happy with Gus, who has become such a huge part of our family.
If you are looking for any of these same qualities in your next dog, I highly recommend a puppy from Stiles.
~Cody from Belle Plaine, MN (Luna X Vaider 1st Litter (2019))
Update on Leo @ 7 Months Old, May 2020: Because of the current situation that we are in with the Covid pandemic, I decided to cancel the professional trainer I had scheduled and do it myself. It has been a combination of humble pie, amazement, and pride!! Just yesterday I introduce Leo for the first time to live birds and gun fire. Well, needless to say, my jaw almost hit the ground when I saw our mellow, cuddly house dog turn into a intense bird chasing machine! I truly believe he is the perfect combination of his pedigree. Because I have hunted with both pointing labs and field trial labs in the past, I can see both instincts coming out in him. I think it’s a great idea that you are doing a second breeding of this line and I would recommend to anybody!
Jed from Eden Prairie, MN (Luna X Vaider 1st Litter (2019))
I have known Beth and Paul since high school and saw a post on Facebook that Luna was having puppies. I was interested immediately! We’d recently gotten a silver lab and he has some environmental/color dilution allergy issues so my husband and I think it’s best to keep him out of the fields for hunting. I reached out to Beth and we met the puppies in October! What impressed us most was...Luna! Her color got us right away, she’s beautiful! I’ve always wanted a lab that was almost more white than yellow. She was so laid back with us there and we loved getting to meet the puppies! Beth was great about sending pics as the puppies grew and kept us posted throughout the time before it was time to pick our little one out! We’d decided on a female right away. Beth and Paul encouraged us to come, play, love, and get to know our puppy for awhile before making a choice. We love our Remi! She’s a perfect fit for our family. Very loyal, obedient, and gorgeous coloring like her mama! She’s amazing with our kids and also loves our other dog! We would highly recommend that if you’re looking for a lab puppy, look no further! You will NOT be disappointed if you get lucky enough to get a puppy of from Beth and Paul AND Luna!
~Matt and Desiree from Princeton, MN (Luna X Vaider 1st Litter (2019))
Junior is the lovable and spunky pup we kept as our own from Luna's 2019 litter. His playful, inquisitive nature is a delight on our outdoor adventures. He loves going on daily runs (while we bike to keep up), stalking anything that moves, exploring hiking trails, wing training, wrestling with other pups, joining our boys in their shenanigans in the yard, and exploring new places. He is smart as a whip and very in tune to our family dynamic. Most people comment on his interesting curiosity and his ability to calm right down while in the house, at 8 months old. He also loves to snuggle and is usually someone's "snuggle bug" at the end of each busy day. Going from one pup to two was the best decision for our family as Luna (red collar) and Junior (blue collar) have become best buds! ~ Beth (breeder)
I wanted to take a minute and share my experience so far with my 8 month old Luna baby batch one pup. You all knew him as Tank, he was the biggest of the bunch. Tank was a Christmas present to me from my family. We had recently lost a almost 12 year old yellow in the summer and I was getting over losing a hunting partner and buddy. When I opened the gift I was excited, but also a little Hesitant to take on a lab puppy again. My first lab, a female yellow was a nut. We had to fight tooth and nail to calm her down. She ate shoes, clothes, stuff, and anything and everything that was a round. She was CRAZY, and that is an understatement. That, and he is a male. A peeing everywhere, wild male.
That is the back story, and now to the dog I call Boomer. He is coming up on 8 months, on June 18th, 2020 and he is a joy. He is the first male dog I have ever owned, and I think if they were all like this, this would be it for me for my lifetime. As I type he is laying at my feet, just to be around. He is calm, cuddly, and perfect. He doesn't pee on everything while eating your clothes and running laps around you. He is lazy when you need it, wild when you need it, and kind of fits the mood without being asked or told.
I work in an office complex and Boomer has been coming to work since we brought him home. A couple hours to start, and now full days. He has had 2 accidents in that time. a 10 week old puppy coming into an office... Seriously. And those two times were my fault, as are most of them. He curled up in a chair and slept for most of his day, at 12,13,14 weeks old. People would come into the office and he would either sleep through or wake up and watch, never raising a hair.
As far as hunting is concerned, he is getting there wonderfully. He knows his basic commands, and Paul and Beth did a great job of instilling that at a super young age. It was wonderful. I have taken him to a bird and gun class which I was also hesitant about, but again he came out gracefully and is really wonderful at using his nose.
He is part of the family, and came into it in the most wonderful way. He is the best dog I have had in my life, hands down. His temperament is top notch! We have another dog that he gets along with great too, and they play, and he gets wild. Just in case you were wondering if he is a couch potato. He turns it up, but then he turns it down when it's time to be done.
Top notch pup from a great family! Thank you guys! ~ Pat and Jen from Champlin, MN (Luna X Vaider 1st Litter (2019))
