This history of the Pocket Beagle is the most complete that has been found to date. It is from the book “The Beagle” written and published by Ftiz-Daglish and published in 1961. The author was a well-known writer and authorative on dogs in that era.
Following are excerpts from the book “The Beagle”:
The Beagle Club was founded in 1890 and soon after issued a Standard of Points. This included a special paragraph relating to the Pocket Beagles, which read: “Pocket Beagles must not exceed ten inches in height. Although ordinary Beagles in miniature, no point however good in itself should be encouraged if it tends to give a course appearance to such minute specimens of the breed. They should be compact and symmetrical through out, of true Beagle type and show great quality and breeding.” As previously mentioned, the Beagle Club’s standard was drawn up by a number of hare-hunting enthusiasts who value the beagle solely for its prowess in the field. It is surely, in the highest degree unlikely that men of their standing in the hunting world would have deemed it necessary to make special references to the ten inch and under hound unless the variety was at the time well known, generally recognized and widely kept.
As a boy in the pre-1914 days I saw several packs of Pocket Beagles at shows and elsewhere and was strongly attracted by them. During the war years all these packs were disbanded and breeding was almost totally suspended, with the result that when hunting and showing were resumed about 1920 the Pocket Beagle was seldom seen either in the field or on the bench. Even thirteen-inch and under hours were difficult to find. Through the 1920’s circumstances prevented me from taking active steps to realize a long cherished ambition to own a small pack of miniature hounds, and when in the 1930’s I set about trying to revive the ten-inch beagle it was too late.
That admiration of the smaller type is not a modern craze as shown by the following extract from an article published in the Sportsman’s Library close on a century ago: “Beagles to be very choice can scarcely be bred too small. The standard of perfection is considered to be from ten to eleven inches and the latter should be the maximum height…Nothing can be more melodious and beautiful than to hear the pygmy pack open at a hare and, if slow comparatively speaking in running her, should the scent be good she stands but little chance of escape from them in the end.”
In an article bearing the title “Foot Hunting” which appeared in the Stock-Keeper about 1900, the author in discussing the relative merits of packs of different sized Beagles wrote: “First, Pocket Beagles. The smaller a perfect specimen can be obtained the more valuable it is…Under certain circumstances a pack of Pocket Beagles is invaluable…Some of these little packs are as keen as mustard and afford untold pleasure and interest.” In the same periodical a Mr. Lord who owned and hunted a pack of ten-inch Beagles wrote: “Rabbit is the legitimate quarry of the Pocket Beagle. The hound is so small and active that he can fly thru the rabbit meshes.”
These few quotations should suffice to show how unreasonable is the assertion that the Pocket Beagle was never a stabilized variety, that all ten inch hounds were freaks produced by accident and were too toyish to be used for serious field work. Many packs of such tiny hounds were kept in many parts of the country up to the outbreak of the 1914 war and were shown both at hound shows and. Less frequently, at larger dog shows, like Crufts and the Crystal Palace. The maximum height of ten inches was rigidly adhered to – several very typical specimens of eight inches were exhibited – and it is safe to say that practically all the hound seen were members of working packs.
What Makes the Pocket Beagles Special
Lots of intelligence in a small package, combined with loving, sweet dispositions in a diminutive body. They are not the diggers and noise makers that their large cousins are. Their soft melodious voices are seldom heard.
Where We Are Now
There are no “Pocket Beagles” left in England, Ireland or Scotland. While still somewhat popular in the US until the mid 1970’s they were no longer winning in the field trials. The larger, longer legged beagles were faster and were bringing home the trophies. Breeders were quick to abandon the small beagles and breed for the larger, faster beagles. At this time less than 50 adults of the original type pocket beagles have been located in the US.
Genetic Health History
After five years of working to restore these diminutive beagles, no genetic faults have appeared in the litters. This is due to where they have stayed since the early 1970’s. Small hunting packs were and still are kept by the hunters who had had them for many years. The hunters are very harsh with their dogs, if anything showed up in the breeding that was considered a fault such as whelping problems, hip dysplasia or other disorders now common in the larger beagles, they were destroyed and not used in the breeding program. They had neither the money, access to a veterinarian, or the desire to perpetuate any faults. This was a blessing, the little beagles had to be strong, healthy and avid hunters. The stronghold of safety for the Pocket Beagles was the Ozark and Appalachian Mountains and the Deep South where occasionally small packs can still be found.
The Ole English Pocket Beagle Registry
The Registry was formed five years ago to protect and restore this endangered breed. The goals are to prevent the prostitution of the breed. We all know of breeds of dogs that have been genetically destroyed by sudden popularity and the greed of the breeders and now have severe genetic faults that seriously impair their health and dispositions. The registry is still an open registry and does accept foundation stock that meets the requirements of the breed. New breeders are accepted into the registry only after a very meticulous inspection. This is insurance that when you purchase a Pocket Beagle registered with the Ole English Pocket Beagle Registry you will receive a puppy that meets the standards of the Registry. Any breeder who does not meet the ethic’s standards of the registry is immediately disbarred and has their registrations revoked.
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