Beagle Breeder

Choosing a Beagle breeder is the main thing to consider when obtaining a pet of this breed. Much in a dog of this breed depends on the pedigree, socialization and training, so if the puppy’s parents were of a poor quality and the pup hasn’t received proper socialization and basic training, it’s unlikely to become a reliable working dog or a well-behaved pet. Breeding hounds requires special knowledge and a lot of experience.

Since this breed appeared about two thousand years ago, nothing is known about the first Beagle breeder. Small Beagle-like hounds were imported to Britain from Rome. The intelligence and working abilities of Beagles probably came from the Talbot Hound, the Southern Hound, and the Harrier. In the Middle Ages, the beagle was rather a type of small hounds rather than a separate breed. Miniature or Glove Beagles became a separate breed earlier than the standard Beagle. Edward II, Henry VII, and other British monarchs had packs of Glove Beagles. Later, a Pocket Beagle appeared. These hounds measured 8-9 inches at the withers and were carried in a saddlebag. The royalty and nobility prized Beagles for their melodious voice.

The genetic lines of the Pocket and Glove Beagles are extinct now. Miniature Beagles that a modern Beagle breeder can offer nowadays were created by breeding down the standard Beagle. The modern breed standard was developed in the early 19th century in Britain. The purpose of the breed was the same: tracking small game like rabbits and hares. To perform this task, Beagles have a strong tracking instinct and a keen sense of smell. 

First Beagles appeared in America in the 1840’s. They were imported for hunting and nobody cared about preserving the appearance and size of the breed. In 1884, the breed was accepted by the AKC (American Kennel Club.) In England, the country of the breed’s origin, the first breed standard for the Beagle was adopted six years later, in 1890, when the Beagle Club was formed. The American and British standards for the Beagle vary a little. The first American Beagle breeder was General Richard Rowett from Illinois who imported the breeding stock from England.