All About Beagles and Their Long, Fascinating History
Beagles are perhaps one of the most endearing and interesting of all the many breeds of dogs we know and love today. But, one of the most surprising things about Beagles is that they have been around for at least a few thousand years, with reports of similar dogs first surfacing in ancient Greece and Rome and continuing accounts in England around the eleventh century.
When first learning about Beagles you’ll soon discover that the dogs we are familiar with are members of the hound group and are keen hunters with an incredible sense of smell coupled with an unrivaled tracking instinct.
In the 1700s, fox hunting become rather popular, leading to the development of the Foxhound, a cross between a Beagle and a Buck Hound. From this particular intermingling of breeds came two different types of Beagle, one called the North Country Beagle and the other the Southern Hound, an important notation in the long history about Beagles.
The so-called modern breed of Beagles is said to have been established in Essex, England during the 1830s by a man named Reverend Phillip Honeywood. Another breeder, Thomas Johnson is credited with refining the breed to produce dogs that were not only excellent hunters, but attractive looking as well.
However, before the 1840s, Americans knew nothing about Beagles, or even of their existence, until the efforts of a man named General Richard Rowett who brought some of the dogs back from England and eventually formed the breed we visualize when we think about Beagles today.
Over the years, two variations of Beagle then developed, the smooth and rough-coated types, with the latter variety unfortunately becoming extinct back in the late 1960s.
Before the 1870s, hunting hounds in the United States that were referred to as Beagles actually resembled Basset Hounds with straighter legs, or even the Dachshund. Over the next decade or so, dogs from a well-bred line of Beagles in England were imported to the states and by 1888, the National Beagle Club was founded and field trials were soon being held all over the country, spreading the word about Beagles and their amazing skills.
An interesting fact about Beagles is that although at first they may seem a bit lazy or indifferent, the breed has plenty of energy to spare and will therefore require a great deal of exercise as well as patience from their owners.
When researching the facts about beagles, you’ll learn that they’re found in all the traditional hound colors including reddish and white, beige or brown and white, or tri-color, which is tan, black, and white.
When it comes to issues about Beagles’ health problems in general, dealing with reputable breeders will help to keep their bloodlines intact, although there are still a few hereditary problems the breed is known for such as hypothyroidism, epilepsy, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).
One of the best things about Beagles for families is that they’re ideal companions provided they’ve been properly socialized and trained, of course. Because of their even temperament, manageable size, and lack of chronic health problems, Beagles are the breed of choice for many dog lovers today, and while they’re still used for hunting purposes, they’re just as popular for their courage, loyalty, stamina, and companionship.
Jul 05, 2009 | 0 | About Beagles
