Evening star., 1940-06-02
KEEPING TAB ON THE DOG WORLD
News of Leaders Dogdom and Their Masters
Breeds; Notes Shows Here and Elsewhere
By X. r. T0ynf0n.

~ 1Ns Aes ~JUsUSss
DR.. and Mrs. Thomas Butler sny-
der Of Kimberton, Pa, long have
been known for the excellence Of
their beagles. There are few men
in the country who know the breed
as well as Dr.. Snyder, whose serv-
ices as hound Judge have been IN
constant demand for many years.
When DR.. Snyder picks . dog as
thoroughly typical Of the breed, that
dog has all the points the standard
calls for. His choice as q real
beagle is Oh. Sankanac Sun Tip,
whose picture shows all the char
acteristics Of the breed.
The origin Of the beagle Will prob
ably never be definitely known. In
the days Of the Roman conquest
the British Isles were over-run by
hares. Wherever you find . hare
or q rabbit you find q beagle. Con-
sequently, the British Isles In the
days Of the Romans were over
run by beagles. Way back, before
that, In $50 B. c., when Xenophon
wrote his classic essays, he described
hare hunting and hounds which
sound very much like today's
beagles. In the days Of King Arthur,
when Pwyll was Prince Of Wales,
he was noted for a pack Of white
hounds whose prowess in the field
was as noted as the deeds of the
Knights Of the Round Table. They
were beagles.
In every country where dogs are
raised for work and sport, 1t is
conceded that hounds Of some sort
are probably the oldest breeds Of
dogs. Hounds are of two main types,
the greyhound variety which hunts
mainly by sight and the blood
hound variety which hunts mainly
by scent. It is probable that the
so-called bird dogs, the spaniels,
settlers, pointers, retrievers, etc., owe
their existence and ability to good
foundation Of hound blood.
Even today there is q great vari-
alton in kinds Of beagles. In Eng
land, beagles may measure up to 16
inches at the shoulder. There Is a
variety called pocket beagles which
stand only 10 inches at the shoulder.
In Ireland, there Is still another
variety called the Kerry beagle,
which is all black and tan and stands
81 to "a inches. This is to be ex-
pected of bread that seems to be a
composite of three allied breeds, the
fox hound, the harrier and the bas-
sett, all Of which have contributed
of their best to make the merry
little beagle" the charming fellow
and useful field dog he is.
In this country the beagle is
divided into two main groups, un-
der 13 inches, and 13 to Is inches.
Over IS inches, the beagle is dis
qualified for show purposes. AS the
beagle is one breed that is really q
dual purpose dog, disqualification
for show has worked to eliminate
the larger dog from the field, too.
The beagle standard calls for a
miniature fox hound, solid and big
for his inches, with the wear-and-
tear look of the hound that can last
in the chase and follow his quarry to
the death" In the score of points
for judging packs of beagles, spe-
cial emphasis is laid or the individ-
ual merits of the hounds as bench
show individuals, and the quality
of the individual dogs that make up
the pack counts 80 per cent in scor-
ing the pack.
The head of the beagle should
have fairly long skull, slightly
domed and fairly broad. The muzzle
should be straight. square cut. me-
dium long and with a weN-defined
stop. The ears should be set on
moderately low, close to the head,
and should be long, broad. fine in
texture and rounded at the tip. The
eyes of the beagle, which mirror
much of its appeal and express its
personality, should be large and set
well apart, soft and houndlike, with
gentle, appealing expression, and
should be brown or hazel in color.
The jaws should be level and free
from flaws. The nostrils should be
wide and open.
In body the beagle is short
backed, well-ribbed up, with a deep,
broad chest and sloping shoulders
Its legs should be straight and
muscular, its feet round, close and
firm. Both pasterns and hooks
should be short. Its tail is short,
set high and carried gayly. It's coat
is close, hard and Of medium length
for a hound coat. Any true hound
color is acceptable.
After meeting all these require
ments the true beagle has a set Of
field requirements to meet which
includes searching ability. use of
voice, speed and ability to pick
trails and to drive. Since the beagle
is often entered In bench shows,
field trials and special hound shows,
since he is judged on conformation
as an individual, ability in the field,
manners and adaptability in the