What were beagles bred for? The hunting job behind the breed

Part 1

The short answer: scent hunting in packs

Beagles were developed to hunt hare and rabbit using scent. Reports describe small pack-hounds hunting rabbit and hare in England before the Roman legions arrived, and by the 1500s many English gentlemen kept smaller hounds to track hares. The breed was bred to hunt in packs, so your dog is likely to enjoy the company of other dogs. Hunters followed the pack on foot, and the dogs needed a good nose, persistence, and stamina rather than speed. The breed suited hunters who followed the pack on foot rather than on horseback.

Modern beagles are thought to descend from Talbot Hounds, large white scent hounds brought into Britain in the 11th century. Another now-extinct breed, the Irish Kerry beagle, may also have contributed to the beagle's ancestry.

Part 2

The job that shaped the beagle's body

Its nose carries more than 225 million scent receptors, compared with about 5 million in a human nose. That scenting power is one reason the breed's sense of smell is described as highly developed. Hunters needed a dog with a good nose, persistence, and stamina to follow a hare all day, not one built purely for speed.

• Long ears and a short coat give the beagle its familiar look.
• A nose with more than 225 million scent receptors gives it strong scenting power, far more than the roughly 5 million in a human nose.

Part 3

How beaglers hunted with the pack

Beagles were bred to accompany hunters on foot, who might spend a whole day hunting a single hare. Packs were handled by a huntsman and assistants called whippers-in, who worked together to manage the hounds during a hunt. Queen Elizabeth I owned pocket beagles, also known as singing beagles.

Part 4

From hunting pack to farm and household

By the mid-18th century, hare hunting with beagles was overtaken in popularity by fox hunting with larger hounds. Even so, farmers and small landholders in parts of England kept hunting with beagle packs, and the breed survived. General Richard Rowett of Illinois improved the look of American beagles by importing English hounds around 1870. Beagle field trials began in 1890, when a group of owners organized the first trial in Massachusetts. In 1885, a beagle named Blunder became the first of the breed registered by the American Kennel Club. By the mid-20th century, the breed's looks and cheerful temperament had made beagles popular family dogs in homes across the country.

Part 5

Beagles at work today

Beagles still work outside formal hunting, especially in detection roles. The USDA's Beagle Brigade began in 1984 and uses beagles at airports and other ports of entry to sniff out prohibited food and plant products. The program is credited with around 75,000 seizures of illegal agricultural products a year. Beagles are chosen for this work partly because their size and calm, friendly temperament don't intimidate travelers, on top of their scenting power. Handlers rely on the dogs to signal a find by sitting down.

Part 6

What the breeding history means for your dog now

This hunting history explains a few things about your beagle today. Because beagles were bred to hunt in packs, they tend to be easygoing and enjoy the company of other dogs. Queen Elizabeth I kept small beagles known as singing beagles. Beagles can also be difficult to train, a trait linked to their independent streak rather than low intelligence. None of this means your beagle can't be trained, but knowing the job behind the breed helps explain its instincts.