The Boisterous Beagle Trivia Quiz

Answer: England

The word "beagle" has existed in the English language since the 15th century; it originally meant any small hound. The word may be derived from an old French word, "becguele," meaning a noisy person, or, literally, "gaping throat." If so, the name is very apt, because beagles are very noisy dogs. Instead of barking, they emit a high-pitched, ear-splitting howl; this is called "baying."

Although dogs called beagles have been around for a long time, the modern breed, or standard beagle, appears to have been developed in England around 1830. Breeds called the Talbot hound, the northern beagle, the southern hound, the harrier all contributed to the modern Beagle's bloodlines. The first beagles were imported to the United States in the 1870s, and quickly became popular. The beagle was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1884.

Today's beagle is a fairly small dog with short legs, a dense coat, floppy ears, and large brown eyes. Beagles can come in a variety of colors, but most, like Max, are tri-colored. Max has a white and brown face, brown ears, a white chest, white feet, and a black "saddle" across his back. Like all beagles, he has a white tip on the end of his tail.

Answer: Hunting

Beagles were bred to be hunting dogs. They were used to hunt small game, especially rabbits and hares. If a beagle sees or smells a rabbit, it will literally go berserk. Max has caught and killed at least three rabbits that were foolish enough to enter his yard. Because they are hunting dogs, beagles have an inbred instinct to chase things, not only rabbits, but any small animal, and even cars. If you take your beagle for a walk, you have to have a strong leash and a firm hold, or it may see something that needs chasing and break away. The white tip on a beagle's tail is said to have been developed to allow hunters to spot the dogs when they were chasing game in heavy cover. When a beagle gets excited, its ears stand out straight from its head, and its tail points upwards.

Beagles make good watch dogs because they will get very excited and bay loudly if a stranger approaches what they consider their territory. They make poor guard dogs, however, because they are one of the breeds least likely to bite a human. If a burglar broke into your house, your beagle might try to lick him to death. Beagles have no herding instincts.

Answer: Scent hound

Beagles are a type of hound. Hounds are divided into two groups. Sight hounds, such as greyhounds and salukis, rely on their keen eyesight to follow their prey. Scent hounds, like beagles and bloodhounds, rely on their keen sense of smell. Beagles have a very well-developed sense of smell; if you watch a beagle closely, you will see his nose is constantly twitching as he sniffs the world around him. Beagles track prey with their noses close to the ground, and once a beagle is on a scent, almost nothing will distract him from concentrating on it. Beagles are sometimes employed at border crossings and airports to sniff out contraband.

Answer: One of the most difficult of all breeds to train

Beagles are extremely independent and stubborn dogs. The difficulty in training beagles is legendary in the canine world. Beagles simply do not possess the eagerness to please their owners that many breeds have. Sometimes bribing them with food helps, but even this doesn't always work. A beagle is going to do what he wants to do, not what you want him to do.

Max is a good example. When he was about one year old, my sister enrolled Max in Dog Obedience School. After three sessions, Max had learned absolutely nothing, and the instructor asked my sister to remove him from the class, because he was "a bad influence on the other dogs." Now, at age eight and a half, Max has learned to do three things. First of all, he is housebroken, Well, sort of. Second, he has learned to scratch on the door with his paw when he wants in or out. If the door is not opened immediately, he will begin baying loud enough to awaken the dead. Finally, he will obey the command "sit." He will only do this, however, when offered a treat as a reward for his obedience. If I am holding a treat and say, "Sit, Max!" he will usually comply on the third, fourth, or fifth repetition of the command. He does this reluctantly, with a disgusted look on his face to let me know that he considers performing tricks an affront to his beagle dignity. If I tell him to sit and have no food in my hand, he looks at me like I'm daft, and trots away.

Answer: Beagles love to dig

Beagles, particularly young beagles, simply love to dig. They have strong legs and sturdy claws, and can dig a hole very quickly. If a beagle sees or smells something on the other side of your fence that attracts his attention, he will try to dig under the fence and get to it. If he escapes from your yard, you may never see him again. Beagles love to chase cars, and many end up as road kill. Or he may follow a scent for miles and get lost; unlike many dogs, Beagles don't seem to be good at finding their way back home.

Max has escaped from my sister's yard twice, both times when a meter reader did not shut the gate properly. Fortunately, his absence was quickly noticed, and he was retrieved before he could disappear or get into mischief. He still digs holes by the fence attempting to get into the neighbor's yard, but the fence extends at least a foot under the ground, so he has not managed to escape yet via that route. When Max starts a new hole, my brother-in-law fills it in and puts a bag of concrete mix over it to discourage him.

Answer: Among the very least intelligent dogs

Please do not regale me with tales about your incredibly intelligent beagle. I am certain there are some beagles who are very bright, just as there are some Border collies (the most intelligent breed in the Coren study) who are as dumb as a box of rocks. But of the 131 breeds that Coren studied, only seven were rated as less intelligent than your average beagle: Pekingese, bloodhound, borzoi, chow chow, bulldog, basenji, and Afghan hound.

Beagle owners protested, with some justification, that Coren's study was based on the ability of dogs to learn and respond to commands. Beagles, they insisted, were not stupid, just stubborn. Other studies have been performed since Coren's, however, and beagles have not done well on any of them, except one which involved learning how to run in a maze. One can only conclude, however reluctantly, that beagles, in general, just aren't very smart. Max certainly doesn't seem to be.

Answer: Obesity

Beagles are a fairly healthy breed of dog. They are prone to epilepsy, lymphoma, and a few other breed-specific conditions, but beagles generally have fewer health problems than most dogs. One problem that many beagles suffer from is obesity. Beagles are obsessed with food. I once saw a program about beagles on television, and the lady who was narrating it said that "a beagle's best friend is whoever fed him last." It is important to limit your beagle's food intake and make sure he gets plenty of exercise.

Max is not obese, but during his last visit to the vet, my sister was told he was three pounds overweight. I was given strict orders not to give Max many treats and feed him only his "Weight Watchers" dog food. This is easier said than done. Beagles are expert beggars. They do not want dry dog food; they want treats and people food. Max is convinced that he is absolutely entitled to a portion of any food that a human may be eating in his domain. He will watch me intently while I am eating, sometimes making little whimpering sounds. A stranger would think he had not eaten for a week. My nephew told me he will eat anything "except gum drops and Jell-O." His favorite food is tuna, and his favorite treat is Beggin' Strips. I have been trying hard to limit his treats, but beagles can be very persistent. I fear my sister may return to find a fat, happy dog.

Answer: Height

The American Kennel Club recognizes two types of beagles, those who measure 13 inches or less at the shoulder, and those who stand between 13 inches and 15 inches. Max is a 15 inch beagle. In the history of the Westminster Kennel Club, it took 101 years for a beagle to take home the coveted "Best In Show" award.

In 2008, a male 15 inch beagle named Uno was the winner. The Canadian Kennel Club recognizes a single variety, not to exceed 15 inches. In the United Kingdom, the Kennel Club has a standard of between 13 and 16 inches.

Answer: True

Beagles are the most common breed of dog used in medical and scientific research in both the United States and the United Kingdom. They are preferred because of their small size and relatively docile temperament. Most beagles used in research are specifically bred for that purpose.

These poor dogs spend their entire lives in cages or crates, and seldom have any opportunity to romp and play like normal dogs. It is estimated that as many as 70,000 beagles die each year in the United States alone as the result of medical experiments.

While there are some groups that try to save "laboratory beagles," most are simply put to sleep when they outlive their usefulness as experimental animals. It is a very sad situation.

Answer: They are are extremely affectionate and loving dogs

Despite their shortcomings, beagles have many good points that make them good family pets. They are usually tolerant of other pets and children, and tolerate having their tails and ears pulled; beagles seldom bite. They don't require special care or grooming tools (although they do need to be brushed frequently).

They are small dogs, and usually healthy dogs, that live between 12 and 15 years on average. But most of all, beagles are very loving dogs. A beagle loves to show affection for members of his human family. Max will frequently jump in my lap and give me sloppy dog kisses; he also likes to go to sleep with his head on my lap while I'm watching TV. Even when he's naughty, it's hard to stay mad at a beagle when he looks at you with his big, brown soulful eyes.

In 2014, beagles were the fourth most popular breed in the United States.