Hunting

The Caynsham Foot Beagles (c.1885)

Beagles were developed primarily for hunting hare, an activity known as beagling. They were seen as ideal hunting companions for the elderly who could follow on horseback without exerting themselves, for young hunters who could keep up with them on ponies, and for the poorer hunters who could not afford to maintain a stable of good hunting horses.^[50] Before the advent of the fashion for foxhunting in the 19th century, hunting was an all day event where the enjoyment was derived from the chase rather than the kill. In this setting the tiny Beagle was well matched to the hare, as unlike Harriers they would not quickly finish the hunt, but because of their excellent scent-tracking skills and stamina they were almost guaranteed to eventually catch the hare. The Beagle packs would run closely together ("so close that they might be covered with a sheet"^[9]) which was useful in a long hunt, as it prevented stray dogs from obscuring the trail. In thick undergrowth they were also preferred to spaniels when hunting pheasant.^[51]

With the fashion for faster hunts, the Beagle fell out of favour for chasing hare, but was still employed for rabbit hunting. In Anecdotes of Dogs, Jesse says:

In rabbit-shooting, in gorse and thick cover, nothing can be more cheerful than the beagle; and they have been called rabbit-beagles from this employment, for which they are peculiarly qualified, especially those dogs which are somewhat wire-haired.^[5]

The Beagle has been used for rabbit-hunting since the earliest development of the breed.

In the United States they appear to have been employed chiefly for hunting rabbits from the earliest imports. Hunting hare with Beagles became popular again in Britain in the mid-19th century and continued until it was made illegal in Scotland by the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 and in England and Wales by the Hunting Act 2004. Under this legislation Beagles may still pursue rabbits with the landowner's permission. Drag hunting is popular where hunting is no longer permitted or for those owners who do not wish to participate in blood sports but still wish to exercise their dog's innate skills.

The traditional foot pack consists of up to 70 Beagles, marshalled by a Huntsman who directs the pack and who is assisted by a variable number of whippers-in whose job is to return straying hounds to the pack. The Master of the Hunt is in overall day-to-day charge of the pack, and may or may not take on the role of Huntsman on the day of the hunt. Beagles may also be employed individually or in a brace (a pair).^[52]

As hunting with Beagles was seen as ideal for young people, many of the British public schools traditionally maintained Beagle packs. Protests were lodged against Eton's use of Beagles for hunting as early as 1902 but the pack is still in existence today,^[53] and a pack used by Imperial College in Wye, Kent was stolen by the Animal Liberation Front in 2001.^[54] School and university packs are still maintained by Eton, Marlborough, Wye, Radley, the Royal Agricultural College and Christ Church, Oxford.^[55]

Beagles have been used for hunting a wide range of game including Snowshoe Hare, Cottontail rabbits, game birds, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Bobcat, Coyote, Wild Boar and foxes, and have even been recorded as being used to hunt Stoat.^[52][56] In most of these cases, the Beagle is employed as a gun dog, flushing game for hunter's guns.

Early beagle-type dogs

Dogs of similar size and purpose to the modern Beagle^[a] can be traced in Ancient Greece back to around the 5th century BC. Xenophon, born around 433 BC, in his Treatise on Hunting or Cynegeticus refers to a hound that hunted hares by scent and was followed on foot. Dogs of this type were taken to Rome and may have been imported to Roman Britain. Small hounds are mentioned in the Forest Laws of Canute which exempted them from the ordinance which commanded that all dogs capable of running down a stag should have one foot mutilated.^[2] If genuine, Canute's laws would confirm that beagle-type dogs were present in England before 1016, but it is likely they were written in the Middle Ages to give a sense of antiquity and tradition to Forest Law.^[3]

The Southern Hound is thought to be an ancestor of the Beagle

In the 11th century, William the Conqueror brought the Talbot hound to Great Britain. The Talbot was a predominantly white, slow, deep-throated, scent hound derived from the St Hubert Hound which had been developed in the 8th century. At some point the English Talbots were crossed with Greyhounds to give them an extra turn of speed.^[4] Long extinct, the Talbot strain probably gave rise to the Southern Hound which, in turn, is thought to be an ancestor of the modern day Beagle.^[b]

From medieval times, beagle was used as a generic description for the smaller hounds, though these dogs differed considerably from the modern breed. Miniature breeds of beagle-type dogs were known from the times of Edward II and Henry VII, who both had packs of Glove Beagles, so named since they were small enough to fit on a glove, and Queen Elizabeth I kept a breed known as a Pocket Beagle, which stood 8 to 9 inches (20 to 23 cm) at the shoulder. Small enough to fit in a "pocket" or saddlebag, they rode along on the hunt. The larger hounds would run the prey to ground, then the hunters would release the small dogs to continue the chase through underbrush. Elizabeth I referred to the dogs as her singing beagles and often entertained guests at her royal table by letting her Pocket Beagles cavort amid their plates and cups.^[5] Nineteenth-century sources refer to these breeds interchangeably and it is possible that the two names refer to the same small variety. In George Jesse's Researches into the History of the British Dog from 1866, the early 17th century poet and writer Gervase Markham is quoted referring to the Beagle as small enough to sit on a man's hand and to the:

little small mitten-beagle, which may be companion for a ladies kirtle, and in the field will run as cunningly as any hound whatere, only their musick is very small like reeds.^[6]

Standards for the Pocket Beagle were drawn up as late as 1901; these genetic lines are now extinct, although modern breeders have attempted to recreate the variety.^[7]

How the Beagle Got Here

The Beagle has become a popular breed of dog in the United States over the past century or so. In fact, in the 1950’s, this breed enjoyed a brief stint at the number one spot for most sought after dogs in this country. But the Beagle’s roots go back much farther than 100 years or so – and could possibly date back to around 400 B.C. in Greece. Documents show that a Beagle type of dog may have been in existence at this time.

However, the Beagle as we know it probably originated in England in the early years of the second century. Royalty in Great Britain was known to keep packs of these hounds for hunting purposes. The Beagle was originally bred to hunt hares, and is quite adept at sniffing these creatures out and chasing them. Generally the hare circles back. The challenge for the hunter is to guess where to wait to get a shot at the oncoming hare. To this day, Beagles can still be used for hunting, although many are simply family pets to be enjoyed.

England was most definitely the country that can be credited for the development and preservation of the Beagle breed. However, this dog came to the United States in 1876, where the breed was not cared for in the same careful way that it had been in England. General Richard Rowett of Illinois changed that by importing Beagles from England and maintaining careful record keeping of the breeding that took place with these dogs. By 1885, the American Kennel Association recognized Beagles as an official breed, and in 1888 the National Beagle Club was formed. This is the year that a standard for this breed was established.

In the middle part of the last century, the Beagle actually made it to the number one spot as the most popular breed in this country. It has consistently remained in the top ten most desirable breeds, undoubtedly due to its sweet, friendly nature and abounding energy that makes it a perfect family pet.

Are you convinced that beagle is the perfect choice for your next family pet? If the answer is yes then your homework and research has just begun. Unfortunately, the popularity of these dogs has led to many puppy mills cropping up across the country. These "breeders" are only interested in producing as many Beagle puppies as possible so that they can turn over a much bigger profit. Factors like health and temperament of the dogs is rarely a consideration in these situations. However, by spending time researching the Beagle breed and studying the history of these dogs you can go far in ensuring that you find a good, healthy dog. Collect plenty of Beagle information by reading articles like these and checking out other sites on the Internet, and talking to experts like reputable breeders and veterinarians about the best places to find healthy dogs. Your hard work will pay off in a family pet that will bring you years of enjoyment. Love your Beagle!

Beagles need baths.

My beagles have always loved to come indoors and I have always enjoyed having them come in, but sometimes after a long days hunt they can get a very strong odor. Every smell they come across while outdoors they have to check it out. Dead fish or smelly old animals, they think it as a great opportunity to roll in the smell of it. It is impossible to keep your eye on them every second so they are bound to find something smelly to roll in before its time to go home. I got in the habit of knowing that when we got home it meant bath time. They love baths as long as you take care not to get water in their eyes and ears. They really enjoy drying with the towel and as soon as they can they love to run from one end of the house to the other, finishing it off by rolling in the carpet. Keeping your dog clean will certainly help to keep peace in the family, its is also a good time to check your dog for thorns and cuts. Run you dogs often and bath them to keep them smelling good.

Dogs on chains

The above pictured beagle is not mine, I found it on the Internet.

Tying your dog up on a chain, even for a short time is not a good idea. Many people keep their dogs on a chain, because it is a cheap alternative to fencing. I do not think this is good and I will tell you why. My beagle named Gabrielle, when she was still a puppy was kept on a chain on occasion because I was in the process of building a new home and had not put up a fence yet. One day, while at work I got a call from my wife that she had returned from shopping to find Gabrielle unable to move at the end of her chain. She brought her to me in the car and yes, she was paralyzed. She must have run to the end of her chain and violently come to a sudden stop while chasing after the numerous squirrels in our yard. She had broken her neck. We took her to the vet and it was verified that her neck was broken. She would need to be placed in a dog carrier box with a restrictive cone collar for several months. We would feed and water her in the cage and carry her out to due her duties repeatedly throughout the day. This broke my heart, I was devastated to think that my action of placing her on a chain had left her helpless. The good news is Gabrielle did recover almost completely, she adapted to loss of feeling in her front paws and taught herself to extend her paws so she could walk and eventually run. It was a miracle she was able to do that as she had nearly no feeling at the fronts of her front paws. This past year I had to put Gabrielle down as her life was no longer a joy after nearly 13 years. Once again my heart was broken. I will never again put any dog on a chain and I hope you won't either.

Consider the cold

Beagles make wonderful indoor pets as well as proficient hunters, but try to keep in mind, when taking your indoor dog hunting out in the cold, they get cold too. Your beagle loves to live inside with the family, but when they go out to hunt, they are not wearing a coat to keep them warm, they are like an athlete, as long their out and running on the chase, the cold will not bother them, but when you stop to take a break, keep in mind your dog has been exercising and will chill very quickly when not active. I always make it a point to look out for their well being, as they cannot. In that regard, they are like children. Even dogs that sleep outside will get cold as they are used to the protection offered them by shelter, so either put them together if possible in the dog box or the truck, and if they appear cold pick them up and warm them in your coat. Take good care of your dog and they'll perform better for you.

Rescue

Your dog requires more than just a doghouse, chain and 2 bowls. Three years ago while vacationing and working in Florida, I noticed the next door neighbor had a very large boxer tied up with a rope to a pile of junk. His house was nothing more than a wooden box, which he could not even get in for protection from the hot afternoon sun. Upon further investigation, I realized the dog whose name was Jake, did not have water or food and with his rope so tangled he would not have been able to reach it if he had some. I knocked on the front door to let the neighbor know his dog was tangled and did not appear to have water or food. The neighbor, young, barely out of high school came out to take care of the situation. I asked him if it would be alright with him, that if I happened to see Jake without water if it would be alright to give him some water. He said that would be fine but do not try to approach him as he would definitely bite me. As the days went by, I was giving Jake water several times a day, and approached the neighbor several more times about food for Jake. I spoke to Jake as did my wife throughout the day and Jake responded very well. One day Jake was tangled again, so I went over to let the neighbor know, there was no one at home. I went around and spoke to Jake as I had many times before and he immediately started wagging his tail. I cautiously approached Jake and extended my hand. Jake smelled my hand without so much as a growl, he was pleased to get some attention. I give Jake a pet and untangled the rope, give him some food and water, and spoke to Jake while I was doing it. When the neighbor got home that day, I went over to tell him he had left Jake tangled up without food or water again. I asked him if he would like to sell Jake, and he said that Jake would never go near anyone other than him. I told him about untangling Jake that day and that Jake was a fine dog, he just needed attention. He didn't believe me and asked me to show him, so we walked around the house to see Jake. Jake of course was happy to see me and came right over to me. A couple of more days passed and the neighbor came over and knocked at the front door. He said he really needed the money and would reluctantly sell Jake to me for $75, I paid him the money, because neither my wife or I could not bear to watch Jake live under those conditions any longer. We did not have a place to keep Jake, so I searched the Internet to find a placement home for Jake. We found one that would take him in Orlando and drove him the next day some 150 miles. The home was very well kept, air conditioned for comfort, with fenced in back yard for daily exercise, we left Jake there with the owners promise of finding Jake a good home. It was difficult to do, but Jake's life would be so much better and we did not have a good home for him.