The Beagle is a non-aggressive breed which
has adapted from a pack hound, to a family pet. Affectionate towards
its family but not constantly seeking attention. Beagles are strong
willed and inquisitive and have a tendency to roam - often disappearing
for some considerable time.
Description & History
The Beagle is generally considered to
be a British breed although its ancestry is not known. Some canine historians
trace its history back to Greece in the pre-Christian era. There is
also mention of small hounds in Saxon times and centuries later in Geoffrey
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. In the fifteenth century a prioress at Sopewell
Nunnery made reference in her writings to a small hound as we know it
today � the Beagle. Its name is taken from the Celtic-Gaelic word "beg"
which means "small". The Beagle is a scent and pack hound which hunts
hare and is followed on foot. Beagling was a popular pastime until the
eighteenth century when foxhunting � a faster sport � gradually brought
the decline of beagle packs. Down the centuries these hounds have been
favoured by royalty. They are not only the smallest of our native hounds
but also probably one of the oldest used for the chase in the British
Isles. Elizabeth I kept pocket Beagles � they were no more than 10 inches
at the shoulder � and she called them her singing or glove beagles.
Charles II hunted a pack on Newmarket Heath, whilst the Prince Regent,
later George IV, kept a pack of dwarf Beagles which he hunted on Brighton
Downs. Prince Albert, Consort to Queen Victoria, kept rabbit Beagles
which he would hunt in Windsor Great Park. A popular breed which is
affectionate and makes an ideal companion due to its adaptability and
excellent temperament. Unfortunately, owing to their non-aggressive
behaviour and suitable size, they have been used for medical research
over a number of years.