This article is about the dog breed; "Beagle". For other uses,
see Beagle (disambiguation).
Beagle
Alternative names
English Beagle
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Classification and breed standards
FCI: Group 6 Section 1 #161 Stds
AKC: Hound Stds
ANKC: Group 4 (Hounds) Stds
CKC: Group 2 – Hounds Stds
KC (UK): Hound Stds
NZKC: Hounds Stds
UKC: Scenthound StdsThe Beagle is a breed of medium-sized dogs. A member of the hound group, it is similar in appearance to the Foxhound but smaller, with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game. They have a keen tracking instinct and an excellent sense of smell, which has seen them employed as detection dogs for prohibited agricultural imports and foodstuffs in quarantine around the world. They are popular as pets because of their size, even temper, and lack of inherited health problems. These characteristics also make them the dog of choice for animal testing.
Although beagle-type dogs have existed for over 2,000 years, the modern breed was developed in Britain around the 1830s from several breeds, including the Talbot Hound, the North Country Beagle, the Southern Hound and possibly the Harrier.
Beagles have been depicted in popular culture since Elizabethan times in literature and paintings, and latterly in film, television and comic
Early beagle-type dogs
Dogs of similar size and purpose to the modern Beagle can be traced back to around the 5th century BC.
Xenophon, born around 433 BC, in his Treatise on Hunting refers to a dog that hunted hares by scent and was followed on foot.
[1] Dogs of this type were taken to
Rome and may have been imported to
Roman Britain. Small hounds are mentioned in the Forest Laws of
Canute which exempted them from the ordinance which commanded that all dogs capable of running down a
stag should have one foot mutilated.
[2] If genuine, Canute's laws would confirm that beagle-type dogs were present in England before 1016, but it is likely they were written in the
Middle Ages to give a sense of antiquity and tradition to Forest Law.
[3]The
Southern Hound is thought to be an ancestor of the Beagle
In the 11th century,
William the Conqueror brought the
Talbot hound to
Great Britain. The Talbot was a predominantly white, slow, deep-throated, scent hound derived from the
St Hubert Hound which had been developed in the 8th century. At some point the English Talbots were crossed with
Greyhounds to give them an extra turn of speed.
[4] Long extinct, the Talbot strain probably gave rise to the Southern Hound which, in turn, is thought to be an ancestor of the modern day Beagle.
[a]From medieval times, beagle was used as a generic description for the smaller hounds, though these dogs differed considerably from the modern breed. Miniature breeds of beagle-type dogs were known from the times of
Edward II and
Henry VII, who both had packs of Glove Beagles, so named since they were small enough to fit on a glove, and
Queen Elizabeth I kept a breed known as a Pocket Beagle, which stood 8 to 9 inches (20 to 23 cm) at the shoulder. Small enough to fit in a "pocket" or saddlebag, they rode along on the hunt. The larger hounds would run the prey to ground, then the hunters would release the small dogs to continue the chase through underbrush. Elizabeth I referred to the dogs as her singing beagles and often entertained guests at her royal table by letting her Pocket Beagles cavort amid their plates and cups.
[5] Nineteenth-century sources refer to these breeds interchangeably and it is possible that the two names refer to the same small variety. In George Jesse's Researches into the History of the British Dog from 1866, the early 17th century poet and writer
Gervase Markham is quoted referring to the Beagle as small enough to sit on a man's hand and to the:
little small mitten-beagle, which may be companion for a ladies kirtle, and in the field will run as cunningly as any hound whatere, only their musick is very small like reeds.
[6]Standards for the Pocket Beagle were drawn up as late as 1901; these genetic lines are now extinct, although modern breeders have attempted to recreate the variety.
[7] [
edit] Eighteenth century
This image from the turn of the 19th century shows a dog with a heavier body and lacking the refined features of later strains.
By the 1700s two breeds had been developed for hunting hare and rabbit: the
Southern Hound and the
North Country Beagle (or Northern Hound). The Southern Hound, a tall, heavy dog with a square head, and long ears, was common from south of the
River Trent and probably closely related to the Talbot Hound. Though slow, it had stamina and an excellent scenting ability. The North Country Beagle, possibly a cross between an offshoot of the Talbot stock and a Greyhound, was bred chiefly in
Yorkshire and was common in the northern counties. It was smaller than the Southern Hound, less heavy-set and with a more pointed muzzle. It was faster than its southern counterpart but its scenting abilities were less well developed.
[8] As fox hunting became increasingly popular, numbers of both types of hound diminished. The beagle-type dogs were crossed with larger breeds such as Stag Hounds to produce the modern
Foxhound. The beagle-type varieties came close to extinction but some farmers in the South ensured the survival of the prototype breeds by maintaining small rabbit-hunting packs.
[
edit] Development of the modern breed
Reverend Phillip Honeywood established a Beagle pack in
Essex in the 1830s and it is believed that this pack formed the basis for the modern Beagle breed. Although details of the pack's lineage are not recorded it is thought that North Country Beagles and Southern Hounds were strongly represented; William Youatt suspected that
Harriers formed a good majority of the Beagles bloodline, but the origin of the Harrier is itself obscure.
[9] Honeywood's Beagles were small, standing at about 10 inches (25 cm) at the shoulder, and pure white according to John Mills (writing in The Sportsman's Library in 1845).
Prince Albert and
Lord Winterton also had Beagle packs around this time, and Royal favour no doubt led to some revival of interest in the breed, but Honeywood's pack was regarded as the finest of the three.
[10]Early images of the Beagle (clockwise from top left): 1833, 1835, Stonehenge's Medium (1859, reusing Youtt's 1852 "Beagle" image) and Dwarf Beagle (1859).
Although credited with the development of the modern breed, Honeywood concentrated on producing dogs for hunting and it was left to Thomas Johnson to refine the breeding to produce dogs that were both attractive and capable hunters. Two strains were developed: the rough- and smooth-coated varieties. The rough-coated Beagle survived until the beginning of the 20th century, and there were even records of one making an appearance at a dog show as late as 1969, but this variety is now extinct having probably been absorbed into the standard Beagle bloodline.
[11]In the 1840s, a standard Beagle type was beginning to develop: the distinction between the North Country Beagle and Southern Hound had been lost, but there was still a large variation in size, character, and reliability among the emerging packs.
[12] In 1856, "Stonehenge" (the pseudonym of John Henry Walsh, editor of
The Field), writing in the Manual of British Rural Sports was still dividing Beagles into four varieties: the medium Beagle; the dwarf or lapdog Beagle; the fox Beagle (a smaller, slower version of the Foxhound); and the rough-coated or terrier Beagle, which he classified as a cross between any of the other varieties and one of the Scottish
terrier breeds.
[13] Stonehenge also gives the start of a standard description:
In size the beagle measures from 10 inches, or even less, to 15. In shape they resemble the old southern hound in miniature, but with more neatness and beauty; and they also resemble that hound in style of hunting.
[13]By 1887 the threat of extinction was on the wane: there were 18 Beagle packs in England.
[14] The Beagle Club was formed in 1890 and the first standard drawn up at the same time.
[15] The following year the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles was formed. Both organisations aimed to further the best interests of the breed, and both were keen to produce a standard type of Beagle.
[16] By 1902 the number of packs had risen to 44.
[14][
edit] Export
Beagles were in the United States by the 1840s at the latest, but the first dogs were imported strictly for hunting and were of variable quality. Since Honeywood had only started breeding in the 1830s, it is unlikely these dogs were representative of the modern breed and the description of them as looking like straight-legged
Dachshunds with weak heads has little resemblance to the standard. Serious attempts at establishing a quality bloodline began in the early 1870s when General
Richard Rowett from
Illinois imported some dogs from England and began breeding. Rowett's Beagles are believed to have formed the models for the first American standard, drawn up by Rowett, L. H. Twadell, and Norman Ellmore in 1887.
[17] The Beagle was accepted as a breed by the
American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1884. In the 20th century the breed has spread worldwide.
[
edit] Popularity
An attractive uniform type for the breed developed at the start of the 20th century
On its formation, the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles took over the running of a regular show at
Peterborough that had started in 1889, and the Beagle Club in the UK held its first show in 1896.
[15] The regular showing of the breed led to the development of a uniform type, and the Beagle continued to prove a success up until the outbreak of
World War I when all shows were suspended. After the war the breed was again struggling for survival in Britain: the last of the Pocket Beagles were probably lost during this time, and registrations fell to an all time low. A few breeders (notably Reynalton Kennels) managed to revive interest in the dog and by the time of
World War II, the breed was once again doing well. Registrations dropped again after the end of the war but almost immediately recovered.
[18] In 1959 Derawunda Vixen won "Best in Show" at
Crufts.
[15]As a pedigree dog, Beagles have always been more popular in the United States and Canada than in their native country. The National Beagle Club of America was formed in 1888 and by 1901 a Beagle had won a Best in Show title. As in the UK, activity during World War I was minimal, but the breed showed a much stronger revival in the US when hostilities ceased. In 1928 it won a number of prizes at the
Westminster Kennel Club's show and by 1939 a Beagle, Champion Meadowlark Draughtsman, had captured the title of top-winning American-bred dog for the year.
[19] In North America they have been consistently in the top ten most popular breeds for over 30 years.
[20] From 1953 to 1959 the Beagle was ranked number one on the list of the
American Kennel Club's registered breeds;
[21] in 2005 and 2006 it ranked 5th out of the 155 breeds registered.
[22] In the UK they are not quite so popular, placing 28th and 30th in the rankings of registrations with the Kennel Club in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
[23][
edit] Name
According to the
Oxford English Dictionary, the first mention of the beagle by name in English literature dates from
circa 1475 in the Esquire of Low Degree. The origin of the word "beagle" is uncertain, although it has been suggested that the word derives from the
French begueule (meaning "open throat" from bayer "open wide" and gueule "mouth")
[24] or from an
Old English, French, or
Welsh term beag, meaning "small." Other possibilities include the French beugler (meaning "to bellow") and the
German begele (meaning "to scold").
It is not known why the black and tan
Kerry Beagle, present in
Ireland since
Celtic times, has the beagle description, since at 22 to 24 inches (56 to 61 cm) it is significantly taller than the modern day Beagle, and in earlier times was even larger. Some writers suggest that the Beagle's scenting ability may have come from cross-breeding earlier strains with the Kerry Beagle. Originally used for hunting stags, it is today used for hare and
drag hunting.
[25][
edit] Description
[
edit] Appearance
The Kennel Club (UK) standard states the Beagle should give the impression of quality without coarseness.
The general appearance of the Beagle resembles a Foxhound in miniature, but the head is broader and the muzzle shorter, the expression completely different and the legs shorter in proportion to the body.
[26] They are generally between 13 and 16 inches (33 and 41 cm) high at the
withers and weigh between 18 and 35 lb (8 and 16 kg), with bitches being slightly smaller on average.
[27]They have a smooth, somewhat domed
skull with a medium-length, square-cut
muzzle and a black (or occasionally liver), gumdrop nose. The jaw is strong and the teeth scissor together with the upper teeth fitting perfectly over the lower teeth and both sets aligned square to the jaw. The eyes are large, hazel or brown, with a mild hound-like pleading look. The large ears are long, soft and low-set, turning towards the cheeks slightly and rounded at the tips. Beagles have a strong, medium-length neck (which is long enough for them to easily bend to the ground to pick up a scent), with little folding in the skin but some evidence of a
dewlap; a broad chest narrowing to a tapered
abdomen and
waist and a short, slightly curved tail tipped with white. The white tip, known as the "stern" or "flag" has been selectively bred for, as it allows the dog to be easily seen when its head is down following a scent.
[28] The tail does not curl over the back, but is held upright when the dog is active. The Beagle has a muscular body and a medium-length, smooth, hard coat. The front legs are straight and carried under the body while the rear legs are muscular and well bent at the
stifles.
[29][
edit] Colouring
A pair of Polish show Beagles showing a faded tricolour
Beagles appear in a range of colours. Although the tricolour (white with large black areas and light brown shading) is the most common, Beagles can occur in any hound colour. Tricoloured dogs occur in a number of shades, from the "Classic Tri" with a jet black saddle to the "Faded Tri" where the faint black markings are toned with brown. Some tricoloured dogs have a broken pattern, sometimes referred to as pied. These dogs have mostly white coats with patches of black and brown hair. Two-colour varieties always have a white base colour with areas of the second colour. Tan and white is the most common two-colour variety, but there is a wide range of other colours including lemon, a very light tan; red, a reddish, almost orange, brown; and liver, a darker brown. Liver is not common and is not permitted in some standards; it tends to occur with yellow eyes. Ticked or mottled varieties may be either white or black with different coloured flecks (ticking), such as the blue-mottled or bluetick Beagle, which has spots that appear to be a midnight-blue colour, similar to the colouring of the
Bluetick Coonhound. Some tricolour Beagles also have ticking of various colours in their white areas.
[30][31]Tricolour Beagles are almost always born black and white, with the brownish areas developing later. The brown may take between one and two years to fully develop. Some Beagles gradually change colour during their lives.
[
edit] Sense of smell
Alongside the Bloodhound, the Beagle has one of the best developed senses of smell of any dog.
[32] In the 1950s John Paul Scott and John Fuller began a 13 year study into canine behaviour. As part of this research they tested the scenting abilities of various breeds by putting a mouse in a one acre field and timing how long it took the dogs to find it. The Beagles found it in less than a minute, while
Fox Terriers took 15 minutes and
Scottish Terriers failed to find it at all. Beagles are better at ground-scenting (following a trail on the ground) than they are at air-scenting, and for this reason they have been excluded from most
mountain rescue teams in favour of
collies, which use sight in addition to air-scenting and are more biddable.
[32] The long ears and large lips of the Beagle probably assist in trapping the scents close to the nose.
[33][
edit] Variations
[
edit] Breed varieties
The
American Kennel Club and the
Canadian Kennel Club recognize two separate varieties of Beagle: the 13-inch for hounds less than 13 inches (33 cm), and the 15-inch for those between 13 and 15 inches (33 and 38 cm). The
Kennel Club (UK) and
FCI affiliated clubs recognize a single type, with a height of between 13 and 16 inches (33 and 41 cm).
English and American varieties are sometimes mentioned. However, there is no official recognition from any Kennel Club for this distinction. Beagles fitting the American Kennel Club standard—which disallows animals over 15 inches (38 cm)—are smaller on average than those fitting the Kennel Club standard which allows heights up to 16 inches (41 cm).
A Puggle, a fashionable Beagle/Pug cross, shows traits from both breeds.
Pocket Beagles are sometimes advertised for sale but the bloodline for this variety is extinct, and, although the UK Kennel Club originally specified a standard for the Pocket Beagle in 1901, the variety is not now recognised by any Kennel Club. Often, small Beagles are the result of poor breeding or dwarfism.
[7]A strain known as Patch Hounds was developed by Willet Randall and his family from 1896 specifically for their rabbit hunting ability. They trace their bloodline back to Field Champion Patch, but do not necessarily have a patchwork marking.
[34][
edit] Hybrids
In the 1850s Stonehenge recommended a cross between a Beagle and a Scottish terrier as a retriever. He found the hybrid to be a good worker, silent and obedient, but it had the drawback that it was small and could barely carry a hare.
[35] More recently the trend has been for "designer dogs" and one of the most popular has been the Beagle/
Pug cross known as a
Puggle. Less excitable than a Beagle and with a lower exercise requirement, these dogs are suited to city dwelling.
[36] The American Canine Hybrid Club, a register for hybrid breeds, lists over 20 varieties of Beagle hybrid.
[37][
edit] Temperament
Beagles are happy to rest without being exercised to exhaustion.
The Beagle has an even temper and gentle disposition. Described in several breed standards as "merry" they are amiable and not generally aggressive or timid. They enjoy company, and although they may initially be stand-offish with strangers they are easily won over. They make poor
guard dogs for this reason, although their tendency to give bark or howl when confronted with the unfamiliar makes them good watch dogs; in a 1985 study conducted by Ben and Lynette Hart the Beagle was given the highest excitability rating along with the
Yorkshire Terrier,
Cairn Terrier,
Miniature Schnauzer,
West Highland White Terrier and
Fox Terrier.
[38][b] Beagles are intelligent, but as a result of being bred for the long chase are single-minded and determined, which can make them hard to train. They are generally obedient but can be difficult to recall once they have picked up a scent and are easily distracted by smells around them. They do not generally feature in obedience trials, for while they are alert, respond well to food reward training and are eager to please, they are easily bored or distracted.
Beagles are excellent with children and this is one of the reasons they have become popular family pets, but they are pack animals, and can be prone to separation anxiety.
[39] Not all Beagles will howl, but most will bark when confronted with strange situations, and some will bay (also referred to as "speaking","giving tongue" or "opening") when they catch the scent of potential quarry.
[40] They are not demanding with regard to exercise; their inbred stamina means they do not easily tire when exercised, but they also do not need to be worked to exhaustion before they will rest, though regular exercise helps ward off the weight gain to which the breed is prone.
[41][
edit] Health
The median longevity of Beagles is about 12.3 years,
[42] which is a typical lifespan for a dog of their size.
[43]Weight gain can be a problem in older or sedentary dogs, which in turn can lead to heart and joint problems.
Beagles may be prone to
epilepsy, but this can be controlled with medication.
Hypothyroidism and a number of types of
dwarfism occur in Beagles. Two conditions in particular are unique to the breed: Funny Puppy, in which the puppy is slow to develop and eventually develops weak legs, a crooked back and although normally healthy, is prone to range of illnesses; and Chinese Beagle Syndrome in which the eyes are slanted and the outer toes are underdeveloped but otherwise development is as normal.
[44] Hip dysplasia, common in Harriers and in some larger breeds, is rarely considered a problem in Beagles.
[45]In rare cases Beagles may develop
Immune Mediated Polygenic Arthritis (where the immune system attacks the joints) even at a young age. The symptoms can sometimes be relieved by
steroid treatments.
[44]Their long floppy ears can mean that the inner ear does not receive a substantial air flow or that moist air becomes trapped, and this can lead to ear infections. Beagles may also be affected by a range of eye problems. They are prone to "
cherry eye", an inflammation of the
third eyelid, and sometimes their lashes grow into the eye causing irritation, a condition known as
distichiasis; both these conditions can be corrected with surgery. They can suffer with
glaucoma, and several types of
retinal atrophy. Failure of the nasolacrimal drainage system can cause dry eye or leakage of tears onto the face.
[44]As field dogs they are prone to minor injuries such as cuts and sprains, and, if inactive, obesity is a common problem as they will eat whenever food is available and rely on their owners to regulate their weight.
[44] When working or running free they are also likely to pick up parasites such as
fleas,
ticks,
harvest mites and
tapeworms, and irritants such as grass seeds can become trapped in their eyes, ears or paws.
[46]Beagles may exhibit a behaviour know as
reverse sneezing, in which they sound as if they are choking or gasping for breath, but are actually drawing air in through the mouth and nose. The exact cause of the this behaviour is not known, but it is not harmful to the dog.
[47][
edit] Working life
[
edit] Hunting
The Caynsham Foot Beagles (c.1885)
Beagles were developed primarily for
hunting hare. They were seen as ideal hunting companions for the elderly who could follow on horseback without exerting themselves, for young hunters who could keep up with them on ponies, and for the poorer hunters who could not afford to maintain a stable of good hunting horses.
[48] Before the advent of the fashion for foxhunting in the 19th century, hunting was an all day event where the enjoyment was derived from the chase rather than the kill. In this setting the tiny Beagle was well matched to the hare, as unlike Harriers they would not quickly finish the hunt, but because of their excellent scent-tracking skills and stamina they were almost guaranteed to eventually catch the hare. The Beagle packs would run closely together ("so close that they might be covered with a sheet"
[9]) which was useful in a long hunt, as it prevented stray dogs from obscuring the trail. In thick undergrowth they were also preferred to
spaniels when hunting
pheasant.
[49]With the fashion for faster hunts, the Beagle fell out of favour for chasing hare, but was still employed for rabbit hunting. In Anecdotes of Dogs, Jesse says:
In rabbit-shooting, in gorse and thick cover, nothing can be more cheerful than the beagle; and they have been called rabbit-beagles from this employment, for which they are peculiarly qualified, especially those dogs which are somewhat wire-haired.
[5]The Beagle has been used for rabbit-hunting since the earliest development of the breed.
In the United States they appear to have been employed chiefly for hunting rabbits from the earliest imports. Hunting hare with Beagles became popular again in Britain in the mid-19th century and continued until it was made illegal in Scotland by the
Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 and in England and Wales by the
Hunting Act 2004. Under this legislation Beagles may still pursue rabbits where they are considered pests.
Drag hunting is popular where hunting is no longer permitted or for those owners who do not wish to participate in blood sports but still wish to exercise their dog's innate skills.
The traditional foot pack consists of up to 70 beagles, marshalled by a Huntsman who directs the pack and who is assisted by a variable number of whippers-in. The Master of the Hunt is in overall day-to-day charge of the pack, and may or may not take on the role of Huntsman on the day of the hunt. Beagles may also be employed individually or in a brace (a pair).
[50]As hunting with Beagles was seen as ideal for young people, many of the British
public schools traditionally maintained Beagle packs. Protests were lodged against
Eton's use of Beagles for hunting as early as 1902 but the pack is still in existence today,
[51] and a pack used by
Imperial College in
Wye,
Kent was stolen by the
Animal Liberation Front in 2001.
[52] School and university packs are still maintained by Eton,
Marlborough, Wye,
Radley, the
Royal Agricultural College and
Christ Church, Oxford.
[53]Beagles have been used for hunting a wide range of game including
Snowshoe Hare,
Cottontail rabbits,
game birds,
Roe Deer,
Red Deer,
Bobcat,
Coyote,
Wild Boar and
foxes, and have even been recorded as being used to hunt
Stoat.
[50][54] In most of these cases, the Beagle is employed as a gun dog, flushing game for hunter's guns.
[50][
edit] Quarantine
Beagles have excellent noses; this dog is employed by the US Customs and Border Protection Agency.
Beagles are used as detection dogs in the
Beagle Brigade of the
United States Department of Agriculture. These dogs are used to detect food items in luggage being taken into the United States. After trialling several breeds, Beagles were chosen because they are relatively small and unintimidating for people who are uncomfortable around dogs, easy to care for, intelligent and work well for rewards.
[55] They are also used for this purpose a number of other countries including by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in
New Zealand, the
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, and in
Canada,
Japan and the
People's Republic of China.
[56] Larger breeds are generally used for detection of explosives as this often involves climbing over luggage and on large conveyor belts, work for which the smaller Beagle is not suited.
[57][
edit] Experimentation
Beagles are the dog breed most often used in
animal testing, due to their size and passive nature. Of the 8,018 dogs used in testing in the UK in 2004, 7,799 were Beagles (97.3%).
[58] In the UK, the
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 gave special status to primates, equids, cats and dogs and in 2005 the Animal Procedures Committee (set up by the act) ruled that testing on mice was preferable, even though a greater number of individual animals were involved.
[59] In 2005 Beagles were involved in less than 0.3% of the total experiments on animals in the UK, but of the 7670 experiments performed on dogs 7406 involved Beagles (96.6%).
[60] Most dogs are bred specifically for the purpose, by companies such as
Harlan. In the UK companies breeding animals for research must be licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act.
[59]Group housed dogs used in safety testing of pharmaceuticals, August 2000
In the United States where the breeds of dog used are not specified (although Beagles feature heavily in published research papers) the number of tests performed each year on dogs dropped by two-thirds, from 195,157 to 64,932, over the period from 1972 to 2004.
[61] In Japan the laws on animal experimentation do not require reporting on the types or number of animals used,
[62] and in France the proportion of inspectors to testing facilities means the regulatory environment is essentially one of trust.
[62]Beagles are used in a range of experimental procedures: fundamental biological research, applied human medicine, applied veterinary medicine, and protection of man, animals or the environment.
[60][62] Testing of cosmetic products on animals is banned in the member states of European Community,
[63] although France protested the ban and has made efforts to have it lifted.
[64] It is permitted in the United States but is not mandatory if safety can be ascertained by other methods, and the test species is not specified by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
[65] When testing toxicity of food additives, food contaminants, and some drugs and chemicals the FDA uses Beagles and
mini-pigs as surrogates for direct human testing.
[66]Anti-
vivisection groups have reported on abuse of animals inside testing facilities. In 1997 footage secretly filmed by a freelance journalist inside
Huntingdon Life Sciences in the UK showed staff punching and screaming at Beagles.
[67] Consort Kennels, a UK-based breeder of Beagles for experimentation, closed down in 1997 after pressure from animal rights groups.
[68][
edit] Other roles
Their friendly nature and gentleness make Beagles popular as pets.
Although bred for hunting, Beagles are versatile and are nowadays employed for various other roles in detection, therapy, and as family pets.
[28] Beagles are used as sniffer dogs for
termite detection in Australia,
[69] and have been mentioned as possible candidates for drug and explosive detection.
[70][71] Because of their gentle nature and unimposing build, they are also frequently used in
pet therapy, visiting the sick and elderly in hospital.
[72] In June 2006, a trained Beagle assistance dog was credited with saving the life of its owner after using his mobile phone to dial an emergency number.
[73][
edit] In popular culture
Beagles have featured across a wide range of media. References to the dog appear before the 19th century in works by such writers as
William Shakespeare,
John Webster,
John Dryden,
Thomas Tickell,
Henry Fielding and
William Cowper, and in
Alexander Pope's translation of
Homer's Iliad.
[c]Beagles appeared in
comic strips from the 1950s with the
Peanuts character
Snoopy (said to be "the world's most famous Beagle"
[74]) and
Walt Disney's
Beagle Boys. There is also Beegle Beagle, constant companion of
Hanna-Barbera's
Grape Ape.
They have appeared in numerous films, taking central roles in
Cats and Dogs, in the adaptation of
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's book
Shiloh. The main character of the live-action version of
Underdog, "Shoeshine Boy", is a beagle, though in the original cartoon
Underdog, he is undescript in terms of breed. They have played supporting roles in films including
Audition and
The Royal Tenenbaums, and on television in
Star Trek: Enterprise,
EastEnders,
The Wonder Years, and
To the Manor Born among others.
Bagel, one of
Barry Manilow's two Beagles, appeared on several of his album covers. Former US President
Lyndon Baines Johnson had several Beagles, and caused an outcry when he picked up one of them by the ears during an official greeting on the White House lawn.
[75]The ship on which
Charles Darwin made his
voyage which was to provide the inspiration for
Origin of the Species was named
HMS Beagle after the breed, and, in turn, lent its name to the ill-fated British
Martian lander
Beagle 2.
