Beagle

Some judging tips

Standard

• Original Standard written in 1884 • (Current standard in 1957). • Very little change.

GENERAL APPPEARANCE

• A miniature Foxhound, solid and big for his inches, with the wear-and–tear look of the hound that can last in the chase and follow his quarry to it’s death.

Head, Front & Topline

If you can learn just 4 things today, you will be well on your way to judging

Beagles.

• What is a good head? • What is good front assembly?• What is a good topline?• What is good movement?

Obviously there is much more to a beagle, but

these are the four problem areas in the

breed today.

THE HEAD

It is all in the balance and the expression.

The balance

• A skull that is fairly long and a muzzle of medium length.

• Most breeders will ask for parallel planes.

• The muzzle should be straight and square cut with stop moderately defined.

The expression

You should look at a beagle’s head and say, “Ahh how pretty”. Not “Oh my, you look like a guard dog”.

Expression gentle and pleading the two things that contribute to this are ear set and large eyes (dark brown or hazel) with a soft expression.

The ears in repose should be on a level with the corner of the eye. They should be long and rounded at the tips with the forward edge slightly in turning to the cheek; reaching when drawn out nearly, if not quite, to the end of the nose

Judge expression on the table, All beagles will raise their ears when alert or baited. The forehead should be clean (no frown or wrinkle).

FRONT ASSEMBLEY

• You must have some forechest• Good length of upper arm.• Must be free moving and should have

reach and drive.• Value those who have good layback and

can move properly.• A Beagle needs a neck of medium length

to enable the hound to come down to the scent.

TOPLINES

• Back Short, Loin slightly arched. • Be very careful with these two phrases. • Do not accept short rib cages and a long loin in

a short body. This is working hound that needs heart & lung room, to last in the chase.

• The “slightly arched loin” is from muscle development along the backline at the loin. This can be seen when viewed from side and felt on examination. . (It does not mean a roach or a low set tail)

• Tail set moderately high. • The English Beagle standard and the English

Foxhound standard both ask for a level topline. • This would be preferred to the undulating

toplines we have today. • A good topline with fair length of rib cage and

short coupling are essential as is some tuck-up at the loin.

Excessive tuck-up is wrong. • Short coupling refers to the length of loin - which

should be in balance with the whole dog.

BALANCE

• The Beagle is a little longer than tall (when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks) not mentioned in standard

• Height to the elbow is about half the height at the withers.

• Chest should come down to the elbow.

MOVEMENT (not mentioned in the standard)

But is important in a dog made to hunt all day in the field

From the side• The motion should appear effortless, efficient, and ground-covering. • Good reach of front legs.

Viewed from the front• The forelegs should move straight forward in parallel planes. The

hind foot should almost be hidden by front leg.

Viewed from the rear• Hocks should move perpendicularly to the ground. Front legs should

almost be hidden by rear legs.

Good Movement, front and rear

Good front movement

Good rear movementGood Extension

Good reach and drive