Our Males
Our "Core" Males
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We breed for our hounds to be balanced “well rounded” hounds. It took several years of line-breeding with selective out-crosses to gain the traits we desire. We don’t want hounds that have so much drive, zeal and competitiveness that it takes a village of them to run 1 rabbit or hare, with several self-created “checks” with a lot of “hit & miss” and “stop & go” running. May be great for some individuals or Field Trial formats in which they were bred for, but in my opinion, a misbalance of too much desire/competitiveness and not enough brains/patience. However, we don’t want hounds that “potter”, and spend time second guessing themselves, bowing up at the back & walking tracks out that were laid the day before with their "super nose", or hounds that to my taste, lack desire. May be great for some individuals or Field Trial formats in which they were bred for, but in my opinion, a misbalance of too much brains/patience and a lack of desire/competitiveness. However, you will see the Bloodlines of dogs that are well known for these very “extreme” traits within our lines, which we used to phase & mesh together over the years to get the dogs we have today. Dogs that jump, hunt, search and can run a line with no help. Dogs that will competitively run a line as fast as they can, with the least amount of mistakes. Balanced Gun Hunting Dogs.
What we WANT in every hound…
Searching ability is
evidenced by an aptitude to recognize promising cover and eagerness to explore
it, regardless of hazards or discomfort. Hounds should search independently of
each other, in an industrious manner, with sufficient range. In trials run
under Brace or Small Pack Procedures, hounds should remain within control
distance of the handler, and should be obedient to his commands.
Pursuing ability is shown
by a proficiency for keeping control of the trail while making the best
possible progress. Game should be pursued rather than merely followed, and
actions should indicate a determined effort to make forward progress in the
surest, most sensible manner by adjusting speed to correspond to conditions and
circumstances. Actions should be positive and controlled, portraying sound
judgment and skill. Progress should be proclaimed by tonguing. No hound can be
too fast, provided the trail is clearly and accurately followed. At a check,
hounds should work industriously, first close to where the loss occurred, then
gradually and thoroughly extending the search further afield to regain the
line.
Accuracy in trailing is
the ability to keep consistent control of the trail while making the best
possible progress. An accurate trailing hound will show a marked tendency to follow
the trail with a minimum of weaving on and off, and will display an aptness to
turn with the trail and to determine direction of game travel in a positive
manner.
Proper use of voice is
proclaiming all finds and denoting all forward progress by giving tongue, yet
keeping silent when not in contact with scent that can be progressed. True
tongue is honest claiming that running mates can depend on.
Endurance is the ability
to compete throughout the duration of the hunt and to go on as long as may be
necessary.
Adaptability means being
able to adjust quickly to changes in scenting conditions and being able to work
harmoniously with a variety of running mates. An adaptable hound will pursue
its quarry as fast as conditions permit or as slowly as conditions demand. At a
loss, it will first work close, and then, if necessary, move out gradually to
recover the line.
Patience is a willingness
to stay with any problem encountered as long as there is a possibility of
achieving success in a workmanlike manner, rather than taking a chance of
making the recovery more quickly through guesswork or gambling. Patience keeps
a hound from bounding off and leaving work undone, and causes it to apply
itself to the surest and safest methods in difficult situations.
Determination is that
quality which causes a hound to succeed against severe odds. A determined hound
has a purpose in mind and will overcome, through sheer perseverance, many
obstacles that often frustrate less determined running mates. Determination and
patience are closely related qualities and are generally found in the same
hound. Determination keeps a hound at its work as long as there is a
possibility of achievement and quite often long after its body has passed the
peak of its endurance. Determination is desire in its most intense form.
Independence is the
ability to be self-reliant and to refrain from becoming upset or influenced by
the actions of faulty hounds. The proper degree of independence is displayed by
the hound that concentrates on running its game with no undue concern for its
running mates except to hark to them when they proclaim a find or indicate
progress by tonguing. Tailing, or watching other hounds, is indication of lack
of sufficient independence. Ignoring other hounds completely and refusing to
hark to or move up with running mates is indication of too much independence.
Cooperation is the ability
to work harmoniously with other hounds by doing as much of the work as possible
in an honest, efficient manner, yet being aware of and honoring the
accomplishments of running mates without jealousy or disruption of the chase.
Competitive spirit is the
desire to outdo running mates. It is a borderline quality that is an asset only
to the hound that is able to keep it under control and to concentrate on
running the game rather than on beating other hounds. The overly competitive
hound lacks such qualities as adaptability, patience, independence and
cooperation, and in its desire to excel is seldom accurate.
Intelligence is that
quality which influences a hound to apply its talents efficiently, in the
manner of a skilled craftsman. The intelligent hound learns from experience and
seldom wastes time repeating mistakes. Intelligence is indicated by ability to
adapt to changes in scenting conditions, to adapt and to control its work with
various types of running mates, and to apply sound working principles toward
accomplishing the most under a variety of circumstances. The hound that displays the aforementioned
qualities would be considered the Ideal Beagle for all purposes afield, capable
of serving as a field trial hound, a gun dog or a member of a pack, on either
rabbit or hare.
What we DO NOT WANT in any hound…
Quitting is a serious
fault deserving severe penalty and, in its extreme form, elimination. Quitting
indicates lack of desire to hunt and succeed. It ranges from refusing to run,
to such lesser forms as lack of perseverance, occasional letup of eagerness,
and loafing or watching other hounds in difficult situations. Quitting is
sometimes due to fatigue. Judges may temper their distaste when a hound becomes
fatigued and eases off, if such a hound has been required to perform
substantially longer than those with which it is running. During the running of
a class, a hound may have to face several fresh competitors in succession. In
such instances, a short rest period would be in order. Otherwise, Judges should
expect hounds to be in condition to compete as long as necessary to prove their
worthiness, and no hound that becomes unable to go on should place over any
immediate running mate that is still able and willing to run.
Backtracking is the fault
of following the trail in the wrong direction. If persisted in for any
substantial time or distance it deserves elimination. However, hounds in
competition sometimes take a backline momentarily, or are led into it by faulty
running mates. Under these circumstances, Judges should show leniency toward
the hound that becomes aware of its mistakes and makes a creditable correction.
Judges should be very certain before penalizing a hound for backtracking and,
if there is any doubt, take sufficient time to prove it to be either right or
wrong. Backtracking indicates lack of ability to determine direction of game
travel.
Ghost trailing is
pretending to have contact with a trail and making progress where no trail
exists, by going through all the actions that indicate true trailing. Some
hounds are able to do this in a very convincing manner and Judges, if
suspicious, should make the hound prove its claim.
Pottering is lack of
effort or desire to make forward progress on the trail. Hesitating,
listlessness, dawdling or lack of intent to make progress are marks of the
potterer.
Babbling is excessive or
unnecessary tonguing. The babbler often tongues the same trail over and over,
or tongues from excitement when casting in attempting to regain the trail at
losses.
Swinging is casting out
too far and too soon from the last point of contact, without first making an
attempt to regain scent near the loss. It is a gambling action, quite often
indicating over-competitiveness or an attempt to gain unearned advantage over
running mates.
Skirting is purposely
leaving the trail in an attempt to gain a lead or avoid hazardous cover or hard
work. It is cutting out and around true trailing mates in an attempt to
intercept the trail ahead.
Leaving checks is failure
to stay in the vicinity of a loss and attempt to work it out, bounding off in hopes
of encountering the trail or new game. Leaving checks denotes lack of patience
and perseverance.
Running mute is failure to
give tongue when making progress on the line.
Tightness of mouth is a
failure to give sufficient tongue when making progress. This will often be
evidenced by the hound tightening up when pressed or when going away from a
check.
Racing is attempting to
outfoot running mates without regard for the trail. Racing hounds overshoot the
turns and generally spend more time off the trail than on it.
Running hit or miss is
attempting to make progress without maintaining continuous contact with the
trail, or gambling to hit the trail ahead.
Lack of independence is a
common fault that is shown by watching other hounds and allowing them to
determine the course of action. Any action which indicates undue concern for
other hounds, except when harking in, is cause for demerit.
Bounding off is rushing ahead when contact with scent is made, without properly determining direction of game travel.
