[jtward01]

About 1950 or so my uncle drove a couple hundred miles and paid $250 (a LOT of money then) to buy a beagle puppy whose parents were both field trial champions. When Bill brought the pup home he told my mom "now damn it Jo Ann, don't you dare make a pet out of this one, she's going to be a hunter."

In the middle the night my mom woke to the sound of that baby beagle crying for it's mother. After a few minutes she couldn't stand it anymore so she got up, got the dog and took it back to bed with her. That was all it took. The dog bonded with her and would never do a thing my uncle tried to get her to do. Boy was he mad. Of course, the dog was still valuable as a breeder. Her name was Susie and she was my Pokey's mother and the namesake of my current beagle Suzi.

 

[Katie]

Good for your aunt! I would have done the same thing! My dad goes hunting every fall with a friend who owns a large hunting camp. They have a pack of hounds, most of which are beagles, strictly used for hunting. These dogs live outside all year round and are most definitely NOT pets. Dad says it's soooo hard to resist loving them up because they are so cute, but if you do, they follow you and not the prey.

Guess that's why my pups will never make good field hounds...they love to sleep under the covers too much. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Genie]

Oh, who could resist making a pet out of a beagle baby? When Shiloh was a puppy I met a gial who was also going through the "beagle training trials". She said, "It's a good thing beagle puppies are so cute, otherwise nobody would keep them!!" /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[debannib]

Sweet story!! My father was a cattle rancher with one barn specially equipped for his orphan calves and his beagle dogs. As kids, our job was to hand feed the orphans calves....and of course, we always played with the beagles every chance we were in the barn. Thank goodness my dad wasn't a 'serious' hunter......he LOVED his dogs too....he was such a softy.

...it's why I adore this breed!! I'm so glad he allowed all his kids to love and appreciate beagles.

 

[Laxmobster]

What a cute story and seriously who wouln't want to love and cuddle a beag, they're irresistable.