Page 27 - ShowSight Presents - The Beagle
P. 27
“BEAG LES ARE AN
IND EP END ENT BREED
and often approach a task on their own terms.”
1400s in Britain. The first imports to the United States appeared around 1876. They were brought here by General Richard Rowett, who lived in Carlinville, Illinois. He bred many fine hounds from his imports and they were in great demand all over the United States.
By the late 19th century, the National Beagle Club of America was established with its first Speciality Show taking place in 1891. The breed was divided into two varieties in 1928. The varieties are “not exceeding 13" in height” as measured from the floor to the top of the withers and “over 13", but not exceeding 15" in height”. The first Beagle standard was accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1884 and was the first breed standard of the AKC. The standard was revised in 1957 and is the one we still use to this day.
Famous Breeders
Starting with the 20th century, some of the famous conformation kennels included Windholme and Rockridge, both of whom saw their haydays in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Of great prominence after World War II and during the 1940-1950s, was Kinsman, Johnson, Johjean, Validay and White Acres, just to name a few. From the 1960s to the present, some of the well-known Beagle lines include Busch’s, Chardon, Just-Wright, Lanbur, Teloca, Navan’s Shaw’s, Starbuck The Whim’s and many more.
The Scent Hound
Beagles are an independent breed and often approach a task on their own terms. They are full of love and affection; however, one must not forget that they are first and foremost a scent hound. Their world is ruled by many centuries of working with, and also independently of, the huntsman. They are a pack type hunter which means they will either be the leader or look to be led within the group. Beagles are a small hound with a big heart and a ton of stamina. A Beagle will stay on the game and will not quit until the huntsman calls him off, or he physically can not run anymore. When he is “in scent”, nothing else in the environment matters but that scent. Therefore, to be able to live in harmony and successfully with a Beagle, you must have great a sense of humor and a ton of patience. These little hounds not only excel in the Conformation ring but in the Obedience, Agility and Tracking disciplines as well. Beagles are not only a beautiful hound but one that is very trainable if given consistent instruction with consideration regarding its inherited instincts.
A Brief History of the Breed
The geneses of the Beagle is first recorded around the fourth century B.C. in Greek civilization where they hunted with small hound-type dogs. The Roman Empire brought the little hunting hounds to today’s France and Britain around 40 B.C. The Beagle-type dog that we would recognize started to appear in the late
