Beagles have been around for many generations. It is believed
that they were first bred as hunting dogs in England during the
time of King Henry VII. Hunters used to carry the little dogs
in baskets attached to the saddle of their horses. What a great
image! Beagles are one of the oldest breeds in existence and are
considered to be Hounds. The bigger dogs are 15 inches tops, and
the smaller are 13 inches or less. In fact their bloodlines go
back so far that no one is certain exactly when and where they
first appeared. Some doing research on the breed will tell you
that they were hunting across Great Britain before the Romans
invaded.
Early Beagles didn’t look like what we see today. Their ancestors
were of various breeds and had some greyhound bloodlines bred
in to increase speed. There is disagreement on what the term “Beagle”
actually means, but many attribute it to an old Celtic word “beag”,
which translates to mean small. It may also come from the French
“beigh”, also meaning small. In those days any pack of small hound
dogs were called Beagles.
In the mid-eighteenth century, fox hunting became the passion
of outdoor enthusiasts and the little Beagle lost favor. The diminutive
dog just wasn’t fast enough for the speedy foxes. Within a hundred
years it was nearly extinct as only men and women who lived quiet
lives or were elderly kept them as pets.
Luckily there were enough Beaglers left that they made it their
mission to re-build the line. They also modified breading standards
so that a better
Hunting Beagle was born; one that would appeal to hunting
enthusiasts. However, no breeding records were kept until the
year 1891. That was when the Association of Masters of Harriers
and Beagles (AMHB) were created. Thanks to their Kennel Stud Book,
a pedigreed Beagle with British bloodlines can be traced back
to the Victorian era.
Beagles first appeared in the US in about 1870. They came from
England and were good hunters and possessed the finest attributes
of the newly bred animal. General Richard Rowett from Carlinvillie,
Illinois was one of the first Beagle importers. The strain he
continued became known as the Rowett strain of Beagle and was
highly praised for its show quality and hunting agility with a
pleasant typical Beagle Temperament.
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get a copy of this Beagle Guide
NOW!
