The Beagle as a Junior Showmanship Dog

The following FAQs are combined from the input of several current and past Junior Handlers in both the US and Canada.  Photos accompanying this section are not identified as to the Junior or the dog to avoid any possibility of anyone interpreting them as politics. However, in case you were wondering, we have received photos from all reaches of the world.   We hope the information here will encourage more young people to participate in Junior Showmanship with a Beagle, which is fast becoming a very popular breed for this part of AKC competition.  Remember, it is the Juniors who are the future in our breed; and without them and their developing interest in the beagle and the generations that will come afterwards, our breed cannot survive.  It is the young people of today and tomorrow who will keep this breed alive in both the conformation and field trial realms of the Sport of Dogs.

While a beagle may not be every Junior's choice for competition, we hope that the FAQs here will help them make that decision.  If there are any other questions or facts you would like to see presented here, please write the webmaster at wildair@texas.net.  If a great number of photos are received, we will most likely begin a separate page for this alone.  Photos are always welcomed.  Please email in jpg format to the webmaster

Special Links just for Juniors: 

Junior News and Views          List of Qualifiers for Westminster         Juniors Review             Juniors World

Email Lists

These are lists all hosted by Yahoo Groups.  Some are very active, some very inactive, some have large memberships and others very small memberships. Some are specific to locality but most are general. Check out http://www.yahoogroups.com for more lists regarding various breeds, groups or other interests.

FAQs

1.  Why did you pick a beagle for Juniors competition? Many Juniors responded that their families already had beagles as show dogs and so the transition was a natural one, taking the retired Champion and using it for JS. Others say they didn't want a large dog and since the beagle is smaller yet sturdier than a toy, it seemed to fit the bill. One Junior said two handlers and a couple of friends evaluated her handling style and came up with a beagle as the breed for her.

2.  How do you think a Beagle compares to other breeds for:

    a.  trainability:  Some Juniors dogs were already trained so this didn't apply. Another said that each beagle is different, but being a hound, you can expect some stubbornness.

   b. showmanship:  Again, each individual is different. It really depends on the innate attitude of the dog and how it takes to training and showing.  Some are natural showmen and others could care less.

   c.  as a traveling companion:  Most agree because of its size, the beagle is easy to travel with and presents very few problems with either car or air travel.  They are eager eaters so you won't find one going off its feed because of the stress of traveling.

   d.  ease of handling:  Again, this depends on the individual temperament.  They can suddenly decide they don't want to do something they have done perfectly for months. It seems that the more showy a dog is, the more independent and dominant he is, and therefore the more unpredictable to a certain extent.

  e.  health:  While every breed has health problems, the beagle seems to be unusually healthy as long as he is provided with good care, clean housing, plenty of exercise and attention.

3.  Do you prefer getting a beagle for Juniors as an adult, a puppy or a finished Champion?  Most seemed to get their dogs as finished Champions, already trained. Some have started theirs out as a puppy and done all the training required for conformation and the Juniors ring. Some recommend if you are just starting out in showing and Juniors that a trained, finished Champion is probably the better choice, saving a puppy for when you yourself have had more training and have developed more patience for the training of a rambunctious beagle pup.

4.  What kind of arrangements are made with the person who gave/sold you your beagle?  Do they get the dog back later on, do they reserve breeding rights, etc.?  Some dogs were loaners after they finished, until they became more mature and the breeder could see if they would be specials material.   Others were owned by the Juniors parents, so this was not a factor.  Some dogs were bought and owned outright. In the case of a bitch, the breeder will sometimes retain co-ownership on the dog and request a puppy back from one breeding.

5. What problems have you had or do you anticipate with such arrangements? Most have had no problems.

6.  Will you keep the beagle/s as part of the family when it is too old to show or you age out, or will it go back to the breeder?  Most say the dog is there for life.

7. How do beagles get along with other breeds of dogs in your house or kennel.  All agree there is no problem with other dogs or breeds of dogs.

8.  How many hours a week do you spend working with your beagle to train it for Juniors?  Some go to a handling class, which is one hour a week, and wok the dog ten minutes or so several times a week in between.  When first training a green dog, you will of course spend considerably more time on training in addition to going to classes or showing.

9.  Do you groom your beagle yourself or does someone else?  The younger Juniors admit their parent or the dog's breeder does most of the grooming, but by around age 12 or so most feel they can do the majority of the grooming for the ring.

10.  How long does it take to groom?  Total trimming, clipping, etc. for the ring, not including bathing, nails, is about 20-45 minutes, depending on the type of coat and the expertise of the groomer, and how much needs to be done that particular week.

11. Do you compete in any other conformation or performance events with your Juniors beagle?  Many Juniors show their dogs in conformation and in agility and obedience. Some also show in not only AKC shows but UKC and 4-H.