MORRILL, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated an important deal involving Iran's nuclear program last week. A day later, he was in the Maine town of Morrill to pick up his seven month old yellow lab named Ben, who was being trained.

Kerry had chosen champion breeder and trainer Frances Plessner of Morrill. She worked with Ben for two months and said the dog "exceeded my expectations."

"A good dog owner that will follow through and meet that dog's needs," said Plessner who has been breeding and training dogs for twenty years.

Plessner said that Kerry got the dog from his cousin who recommended her as a trainer. The cousin brought the dog up to Maine for two months of training.

She described Ben as descended from Irish field stock and boxier than many traditional yellow labs. However, Ben shares the same temperament as most members of the breed.