Beagle Hound

For many centuries, the Beagle hound was used for tracking small game, such as hares and foxes. Usually, larger sight hounds were used to pursue the prey and beagles used their keen sense of smell to track the game in the dense undergrowth and shrub where large dogs could not get. This breed is very effective when hunting in a pack of 20-50 dogs.

The early history of the Beagle is not clear. Small hounds that looked like modern Beagles were used about 3,000 years ago. First, beagles were not a separate breed, but rather a type of dogs good at sniffing the game. Throughout the history, Beagles were bred for their talents, but not for their looks. Even today, the breed standard is not very strict concerning the size and coat color and patterns of the Beagle. In the 13th-14th centuries, the Beagle hound was much smaller than the modern dog is. Beagles were used by the European royalty and nobility for hunting hare and sometimes fox. Tiny dogs were carried to the hunt in a glove, pocket, or in a saddlebag and were named the Glove and Pocket Beagles correspondingly.

Nowadays, beagling (hunting with Beagles) has lost its popularity, though the Beagle hound can be used in drag hunting, which is a popular sport in public schools and universities of Great Britain. In drag hunting, a pack of similarly-looking Beagles is guided by the huntsman and several assistants. Though all Beagles retain much of their hunting instincts, they are kept mostly as pets today.

It’s not an easy matter to train and control an intelligent dog intended for hunting. It requires a commitment of both time and money. Very communicative and people-oriented dogs cannot do without much interaction. Financial aspect is important for all purebred dogs. They need quality food, vet services and professional trainers. Dog toys and accessories are also very important, since Beagles cannot be taken for a walk without a leash and cannot be left indoors without some toys to play with. Although it may seem that a Beagle hound is easy to maintain due to its short coat, there are many things to consider for a perspective Beagle owner.