Numero Uno

I love the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. I watch it every year. Faithfully. Picking my favorites from every group. Of course, I love beagles best of all and look forward to those few moments when the 13" and 15" beagles are judged in the hound group, but every year I've watched them shut out and overshadowed by itsy-bitsy dogs, terriers, big flashy sporty dogs, snooty-looking Afghan hounds and my personal pet peeve dogs, the stinkin' poodles of all sizes. To all the poodle lovers out there, my apologies. I'm sure they are fine animals. Really. But to a person that grew up with beagles, they are rat-faced, foofy-lookin' dogs.

So I was absolutely thrilled when Uno, the 15" "big" beagle, took the hound group. And even though I don't know the dog personally, I was tickled to death to see him win all the marbles, as it were, by going Best in Show. Of course, the judge was a Georgia boy, so it should figger that he'd take a look at that spunky, noisy hound and see a winner. Uno really showed off the beagle personality in a way that most beagles, fine as they are, just don't quite manage to convey in the show ring. That perky, tail-up, ears flying strut as he paraded around the ring. Getting so caught up in the excitement in the air that he started baying at his handler and the judge while he was showing and being judged. And continuing to do so whilst one of the formidable poodles was being judged. You cannot tell a beagle to shut up if it's made up its mind to bark and carry on. Trust me. I know from personal experience. Uno cracked me up standing there barking at everything and everyone after they announced he was the Best in Show. The jumping and dancing. So very beagle. I couldn't help but see Dogzilla in Uno, although my personal prejudice is that while Uno is, indeed, a very fine specimen of beagle, Dogzilla in his prime was at least as handsome a specimen if not more so.

Now, having waxed euphoric about beagles, I do hope to God that all the people who thought Uno was the cutest thing on earth and who want to run out and get them a beagle dog will take time to actually do their homework on beagle ownership first. There are enough beagles in rescue and in shelters and roaming the streets because people couldn't handle them. Dogzilla himself is a rescue boy because some idiot that didn't know how to train a beagle to hunt opted to just abuse and neglect Dogzilla when he didn't become a rabbit dog. Beagles are, indeed, furry little clowns. They do well with children, being sturdy and generally possessed of a merry and playful temperament. They usually enjoy being part of the pack and want to sit with you and sleep with you. They're very companionable dogs. However, they definitely have minds of their own. Which is all well and good until you don't want to do what your beagle wants to do. They can be downright stubborn and single-minded, so you'd better be sure your beagle knows YOU are the alpha dog in the house. Understand that there is a reason that few beagles hold obedience titles and awards. Smart they are, and they'll certainly benefit from obedience training (so will you!), but don't hold your breath for your beagle to win awards for being perfectly obedient and willing to bend to your will. They can be difficult to house-train, partly because they ARE scent hounds. They are strongly food-motivated and they are problem solvers, which means in practical terms that they WILL figure out how to get those cookies off the counter at the first opportunity, and have no scruples or apologies for cruising grocery bags that get left sitting on the floor. Or the table. They are, at least in their youth, fairly active dogs, which means you'd better have at least an hour a day (more is better in my experience of any beagle under 8 years old) to devote to walking their little legs off or a large, fenced-in back yard. And they are furry Houdinis, so that fence had probably better be pretty tall and planted deep or they will figure out how to jump it, climb it or tunnel under it. Never, never, never trust a beagle off the leash unless you are in an enclosed area. They are inclined to roam and were bred to be pretty tireless, so they can go a far piece on those four little legs. And if they are on a scent trail, they become oblivious to everything, like landmarks and moving vehicles. And they can be noisy little creatures. They like to bark (technically, they bay). They're certainly vocal when happy and excited. And also if they are bored and lonely. You'll need to exercise your beagle's body and brain, accept its little personality quirks and notions, and have time to include it in your daily life. Because your beagle wants to "help" you with any project. Mostly it is like having a furry little two-year old that gets in your way, but that's a beagle and that's what you can expect. If you can accept all of that, then by all means, the beagle is the adorable little hound for you. Enough of the soap box, then. Just please, please, please read about beagles, talk to people who own them and who've spent lots of time with them before running off to get one. And please, please, please either find a reputable breeder or a very good rescue operation if you want a beagle. Do NOT patronize mall pet stores or puppy mills. You can read all about finding a reliable, reputable breeder at the American Kennel Club web site.

Anyhow, forget the Year of the Rat. It's the Year of the Beagle!