This Lab’s Loyalty to a Man in the Hospital Is the Internet’s Most Heartwarming Story

Quick Take

• Magnus stayed with Brian Benson not just out of loyalty. There is a specific reason the hospital allowed it that changes the whole story. Watch the hospital visit →
• Benson ran marathons, ate well, and trained in boxing. So what landed him in the hospital anyway?
• Magnus's calm hospital behavior looks like pure breed instinct, but the real explanation is more nuanced than that. See the real explanation →
• Labs and Golden Retrievers seem nearly identical on paper, but that changes when you look at the one difference that actually sets them apart. Spot the key difference →

Magnus the Labrador Retriever stayed close to his owner throughout a three-day hospital stay after the man went to the emergency room with chest pain and trouble breathing. The video below shows just how attached the two are, with Magnus lying beside him, following him around the room, and doing what a good dog does best when his person needs him.

Magnus belongs to Brian Benson, who described himself as someone who had exercised regularly for decades, eaten a healthy diet, run the New York City Marathon, completed Spartan races, and trained in activities including boxing and Krav Maga. When chest pain and difficulty breathing showed up anyway, his family’s history of heart problems gave him even more reason to get checked out.

Doctors diagnosed Benson with cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that can make it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively. It has several forms and many possible causes, including inherited conditions. Benson later wrote that his arteries were not blocked and said his family history may have played a role in his diagnosis.

Benson remained in the hospital for three days while doctors ran tests and monitored him. Magnus was allowed to stay with him because he is also Benson’s service dog. Benson said having Magnus there helped keep both him and his daughters calm during an understandably stressful few days.

Watch Magnus Stay By His Owner’s Side

Where Do Labrador Retrievers Come From?

The Labrador Retriever traces its roots to Newfoundland, Canada, where the breed’s ancestors worked alongside fishermen. These smaller water dogs became known for retrieving fish, hauling lines, and working comfortably in cold water.

British sportsmen began importing the dogs from Newfoundland during the 1800s, and breeders in Britain played a major role in developing the modern Labrador Retriever. Today, Labs are kept around the world as family pets, hunting companions, service dogs, detection dogs, and working retrievers.

How Many Labrador Retrievers Are There in the World?

There is no reliable worldwide census of Labrador Retrievers, so there is no defensible number for exactly how many are alive today. Dog registries track registered animals, but those figures do not include every Lab or Lab mix living in homes around the world.

What we do know is that the Labrador Retriever is a well-established domestic breed, not a wild animal with a conservation population estimate. The American Kennel Club has consistently ranked Labs among the most widely kept dog breeds in the United States.

Is It Normal for a Labrador Retriever to Stay By His Owner’s Side?

Labrador Retrievers are generally known for being friendly, outgoing, active dogs that form strong relationships with people. That certainly fits Magnus, but his hospital behavior cannot be explained by breed alone. Magnus is also a trained service dog with a close bond to Benson.

His training is an important part of what you see in the video. Magnus remained calm in an unfamiliar hospital environment, stayed close to Benson, and provided the steady companionship he had been trained to give. Plenty of Labs are affectionate, but not every family pet would automatically know how to handle the same situation.

Golden Retrievers vs. Labs: How Are They Different?

Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are both sporting breeds with histories as working retrievers, and both are known for being social, active, and highly trainable. Physically, though, they are easy to tell apart.

Labs have a short, dense, water-resistant coat, while Golden Retrievers have a longer double coat with feathering around the neck, legs, underside, and tail. Their official weight ranges overlap quite a bit. The American Kennel Club standard puts male Labs at about 65 to 80 pounds and females at 55 to 70 pounds. Male Golden Retrievers are generally 65 to 75 pounds, while females are 55 to 65 pounds.

What Do Labradors Usually Eat?

Labradors do not require some special breed-specific menu of chicken, duck, vegetables, and fruit. Like other dogs, they need a nutritionally complete and balanced diet appropriate for their age, size, activity level, and health.

For most Labs, that means a commercial dog food formulated to meet recognized nutritional standards for the dog’s life stage. Puppies, active adults, seniors, and dogs with medical conditions can have different nutritional needs, so portion size and diet should be adjusted accordingly. A veterinarian can help when a dog has special dietary requirements.

How Big Do Labrador Retrievers Get?

According to the American Kennel Club breed standard, an adult male Labrador Retriever in working condition typically weighs about 65 to 80 pounds and stands 22.5 to 24.5 inches at the shoulder. Females generally weigh 55 to 70 pounds and stand 21.5 to 23.5 inches.

A Lab mixed with another breed may fall outside those ranges. There is no single expected weight for a Lab mix because the dog’s eventual size depends on the other breed, its parents, and individual genetics.

Images of Labrador Retrievers

Magnus is a particularly good example of how closely a Labrador Retriever can bond with a person. His friendly nature fits the breed’s reputation, but the calm, focused behavior in the hospital also reflects his individual personality, his relationship with Benson, and his service-dog training.