FOR BREEDERS AND PROSPECTIVE NEW OWNERS

[HoundMusic]

With Uno's much deserved win at Westminster, any breeders here know already, is going to greatly increase the demand for Beagle pups, mainly pups that look & act just like Uno. If you're thinking about purchasing a Beagle at the moment, please realize that Uno's outstanding temperament is a product of his flawless breeding AND the manner in which he was raised/trained/socialized. If you want a Beagle, please do not purchase or adopt hastily. The Beagle is not a breed for everyone and far too challenging for many family situations. They have a very high rate of being surrendered to a shelter, and it's for a reason - their new families bought them for looks & could not handle the breed's energy.

The following article applies mainly to breeders but also to prospective new owners as well. Crossposted with permission ...

WHAT DOES UNO'S WIN MEAN FOR ALL OF US?
by Bev on Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:19 pm
A Beagle has just won Westminster for the first time in it's 132-year history. This one single event will change things for every Beagle breeder everywhere - hunt or show. We are most definitely on the doggy world's radar now. We also know how the general public reacts to events such as this, and how the "fad buying" will begin. It has already begun, and even the rescue shelters expect their numbers of Beagle residents to disappear into the hands of adoptive families. I bet "beagle breeder" has been in Google's top ten searches over the last couple of days. I can remember when everyone HAD to have a Dalmation when the movie 101 Dalmations came out. Chihuahuas were suddenly in great demand when Taco Bell ran it's advertising campaign using the breed. If you haven't been approached by buyers yet, prepare yourself for the onslaught...it will come.

I just tonight read this excerpt from a very old book, and how well it applies:

"No fact is isolated. No event is solitary. No force works alone. No life exists but as a part of all other lives. We cannot separate our fortunes, or arrest the influences by which we touch each other. Society is a ship on which all are passengers, and what affects one affects all."

With this in mind, we, as beagle owners, will do the breed a great injustice if we do not field the request for beagle puppies by educating the inquirers on the difficulties and true nature of the Beagle breed. The general public has NO IDEA that Beagles are one of the greatest kenneling challenges we know. They do not know that there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between "show" and "field" Beagles. A great many think all Beagles are going to be just like Uno - outgoing, bold, cuddly, and gorgeous in his Westminster-worthy way.

Here is my portend. The shelters will be void of Beagles for a while, but when the proud new owners of your hunting-bred beagle realize they have a dog that's a little on the timid side at times, finer-boned with a longer body and a sparser tail, and digs out of the yard 3 times daily, or bolts out the front door after squirrels...the shelters will fill back up. Hopefully these poor, unsuspecting, experimenting "bandwagon" folks will not put two or three indescriminately-bred litters on the ground in an effort to cash in on Uno's ride before they get a clue that their beagles are not fit to be show, field, or the housepets they expected.

Again, what affects one affects all.

So, I beseech you all to be good stewards of the breed on the hunting side. Resist the urge of supply and demand. We get a bad enough rap as it is (with our hunting ways) from the tree-huggers. The serious show breeders/competitors are much fewer in numbers than we field trialers/hunters are...and even at that, they will have their hands full as well...saying "no, I don't have any puppies that will be born 6 weeks before Christmas..." but I feel like the show folks are better equipped to screen new buyers and put restrictions on sales because they've been stringent all along. We tend to think most folks will want to hunt with our Beagles, when all they really want in 2008-2010 is to show their neighbors that they now own a "Westminster" dog.

These are just my feelings right now. I know that it won't apply to most of us, and some of you will get offended by my words, but if it reaches 1% of the readers here who haven't considered the possible ramifications, then it's worth saying. We don't want to hurt the breed in the long run for a quick buck today. My wish is that we keep to our goals -- to produce the best show Beagles we can, the best hunting Beagles we can, and support those who are carefully trying to get the BEST of both in producing a "total Beagle." We are mostly breeders on this board -- be it one litter every few years, or on a bigger scale, but we are breeders nonetheless. I hope we all keep to our missions in a serious manner.

Thanks for reading, and again, Congrats to Team Uno!

[debannib]

Well worded! :thumbsup: I think you've captured the thoughts and fears of most beagle owners/breeders/lovers-of-the-breed

I will forward this to many in my contact list who are dog lovers and understand these valid concerns.

[eleanor]

That is so true.... what happened with mild results (relatively) after Underdog back in August, will most definitely happen now, and big time. I only pray that these concerns will not prove to be correct (wishful thinking?).

I do think that in this forum, though, it is a little obvious, since we know and love the beagle breed, that the breeders among us, and the ones who are researching on the breed, are serious people, who are potentially (at least) responsible and won't just take a pup to surrender it to a shelter.

These words should be publish in a different platform. It should be placed in "puppyfind", "petfinder", "nextdaypets", etc., and all the dog interest magazines, so it will reach more people.... I wish that could be done!!

[socrafty]

I forsee a great increase in Beagles in the near future. I do hope that good breeders can stick to their own high standards of breeding and others will follow suit. It is in the dogs best nature to keep them the way they are and conform to standards. If this means breeders need to ask stronger questions when a buyer comes knocking, so be it. When it's my turn, I can only hope that I will find a breeder that has stuck to their guns and if I have to fill out a 12 page questionaire, no problem.

I wish this could be cross-posted everywhere.

[russjor]

I am not offended in the least way,infact every word you posted was correct.

[GloverCharlie]

hear hear!

x
K

[Brisen]

Uno's win is bittersweet for sure.

[GallinaBeagleX2]

I can add to this thread as owner of 2 rescue dogs.

My Luna was a found dog. Whoever had her either assumed she would hunt, and tried to beat her into hunting, or just didn't know how to raise a beagle. She has incredible fears - from brooms, vacuums, brooms, anything bigger than she is, anything new...

Lemon was also a found dog - she has less issues, but has abandonment issues - she can't stand for me to be out of her sight when I'm home.

They are beautiful beloved babies from the Beagle rescue - but we walk every day, and they require training, love and attention. Its not a "plug and play" toy.

If you plan to adopt a beagle, I suggest starting with the various Rescue organizations - try fostering one, to see what it is really like to haave a "nose on 4 legs" in your house. Plan to exercise them every day - probably more than once - and they generally do NOT play fetch - they'll go after the ball, but don't expted it return. Plan on at least one episode of psychotic barking at nothing - at the most inopportune moment. Expect beable"glurp" from an upset beagle tummy, and expect to clean up doggie "business"

My point in all this? Don't let that beautiful cute face fool you - Beagles require a lot from their owners!! Don't make another rescued lost beagle...

[sr41056]

HoundMusic,
I agree with your post totally. When my girlfriend moved in with me she just couldn't understand why my Beagles weren't just like her Labrador Retriever. It took a long time but she has finally warmed up to them and understands that they require more maintenance than other dogs. She describes it as a love/hate relationship.

I recently published a couple of articles on ezine.com about selecting the correct Beagle puppy. If you're interested, here are the links:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Beagle-Tra...le!&id=4959209
http://ezinearticles.com/?Beagle-Tra...in!&id=4959112

[brandypup]

Genetic Testing
If the only quality offspring is also a carrier, then breeders can use that offspring to replace the original carrier. The breeder has improved the quality of the breeding stock, even though the defective gene remains in the next generation. The health of the breed does depend on diminishing the carrier frequency and not increasing it. Breeders should therefore limit the number of carrier-testing offspring placed in breeding homes. It is important to carry on lines. A test that should be used to help maintain breed diversity should not result in limiting it.