History of the Beagle

 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 Dog 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 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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