History of the Breed |
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| Ancient hunting dogs can be divided into two categories - those that
were bred primarily to hunt by scent or primarily by sight. The beagle is a part of the
family of dogs known as scent hounds. The exact origin of the beagle is uncertain,
however, we do know that the ancient Greeks and Romans had small dogs that hunted by scent
as far back 400 B.C. The word "Beagles" probably originated from the word
"begle" or the Irish word "beag" both of which refer to
"smallness". The Romans were thought to have brought small scent hounds to England that were interbred with hounds that already existed in England at the time. These small scent hounds also became established in France, Italy and Greece and as early as 1400 were being referred to as Beagles. Being bred for the hunting of small game, they were used primarily for the hunting of hares. Beagles of unknown origins were used in the United State for hunting prior to the 1870's. Excellent hunters, their appearance was probably quite different than the Beagle we envision today. The appearance of the Beagle in this country took a turn in the 1870's - 1880's with the importation of Beagles from England. The National Beagle Club of America was formed in 1887. It was through the efforts of the member of this club that the beagle was developed with consideration for both type and function. The N.B.C. has its’ grounds at Institute Farm in Aldie, Va. It is at these running grounds that the regular membership holds its competition for packs of Beagles which includes a Master and whips dressed in formal attire. The judging is based on levelness of pack, merit of individual hounds, manners of the hounds and the dress of the Master and Whips. A popular sport of Beagling is the field trial where Beagles are judged strictly on their ability to follow the scent of the hare or cottontail, to the smallest detail, in a slow methodical pattern. These activities are administered by the Beagle Advisory Commission of the A.K.C. The United Beagle Gundog Federation conducts a variation of the sport where the Beagles work at a much faster pace and over a larger area, selecting its grand final winner award on a 50 % field, 50 % show basis. Over the years, interest has grown tremendously in the sport of showing Beagles at dog shows conducted by specialty and all breed clubs. At these shows, the Beagle is judged in accordance with his conformation to the official standard of the Beagle adopted by N.B.C. and the A.K.C. Due to interest in the conformation Beagle, the N.B.C. granted permission in 1980 to form a second classification of membership know as "supporting membership". It is this membership that has its own by-laws to govern the national specialty show activities. Beaglers are also active in the sports of agility, obedience and tracking. Known for its keen sense of smell, the Beagle today is used by law enforcement to detect illegal drugs and the USDA maintains the Beagle Brigade to detect illegal food and agricultural products being brought into the country. Beagles are very popular as pets due to their cheerful dispositions and loyalty to family members. They have truly earned their nickname of "The Merry Little Hound". |
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