9781422279281

Beagle will not object to being the center of attention. One of the legacies of being a pack hound is the Beagle’s vocal range. Pack dogs frequently “give tongue” when they are in pursuit of quarry, and the Beagle does like the sound of his own voice. If you want a quiet dog, the Beagle is not for you. Bear in mind that you have a clever dog on your hands, so pro- viding mental stimulation is essential. If you can combine this with a comfortable bed, plentiful food, and the opportunity to use his nose, your Beagle will be in heaven! Tracing back in time The Beagle has a long and distinguished history as a hunting dog, prized for his stamina, his determination, and his amazing ability to follow a scent. The origins of the Beagle are obscure, but it is thought that the first hounds used for hunting small game were found in southern Europe, probably in Greece. There is written evidence from the Greek author Xenophon, who was born around 433 BCE. He lived in Corinth, and when he retired from military duties he kept a pack of hounds—and knew every hound by name. The quarry was hare or rabbit. Beaters would go forward, flush- ing out the game, followed by the hounds who drove the game to- ward nets. The hunters were on foot rather than horseback. Reaching Britain The Romans were quick to find a use for the packs of hunting dogs they found in Europe. They were an easy means of providing hares and rabbits to feed their legions of soldiers. When the Romans expanded their empire to Britain, they took packs of small hounds with them. The name Beagle seems to be of Celtic origin, and comes from beg or beag, meaning small—referring to the size of some of the Celtic hunting hounds at the time of the Roman occupation.In time, they were joined by larger hounds from Normandy, and for the next

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