Features of hunting with a beagle. Basic qualities of a dog and photos

For centuries, the Beagle, whose origins have British hound roots, has been used as a hunter of a variety of game, from hare to roe deer. In this article you can learn about the universal hunting qualities of the beagle.

History of the Beagle breed.

The first mentions of small hunting dogs that found, pursued and drove prey to the place desired by hunters date back to the 4th-5th centuries AD. It is not difficult to assume that “civilized” hunting was available to citizens of the Roman Empire. A trained hunting dog was very valuable, since hunting game was a dangerous occupation and required great dexterity in detecting and capturing the animal. The small hunting dog - the ancestor of the modern beagle - coped with these tasks perfectly, and as a result of a long “evolution” in 1957, the parameters of the hunting dog breed - the beagle - were officially formed. Currently, the beagle has several varieties based on territorial characteristics, that is, English, Spanish, German, etc. But still, all beagles are related to the Italian hounds.

Who is the dog hunting?

Depending on the specific country, the beagle is used to hunt a wide variety of animals . In Scandinavian countries, they are used to track deer; in Central Europe, beagles are used to hunt hares, pheasants and small ungulates. To hunt large animals, they use not just one dog, but a whole pack. But traditionally, the small beagle is used to hunt hares and rabbits.

Important! The Beagle is a versatile hunting dog, but it also has its own preferences. For successful hunting, it is advisable to specifically train it on a specific animal.

For the hare

Beagles should be prepared for hare hunting from an early age . He needs to be taken out to hunting grounds, walked with him along hare trails, so that the dog gets comfortable and gets used to the smell of the animal. Hare hunting begins in mid-autumn, closer to winter. The soil freezes and it’s difficult for a beagle to take the animal on its own – it’s too slippery.

Sensing prey, the dog raises it with its voice, waits for the hunter to shoot, and only then runs to look for the shot animal. If a live or wounded animal is driven in, the owner may hear a short or prolonged bark, which means that the prey has been caught.

The carcass of the killed animal should be taken away immediately, otherwise the beagle, carried away by the chase, may tear it into pieces.

For a duck

Because of the specific smell, the beagle has difficulty taking the duck . In addition, the duck is a very hardy and tenacious bird; even a seriously wounded individual can go to the depths or climb far into the reeds.

Before you lower your dog onto the duck, you should remove his collar. Otherwise, having gone into the thickets, the beagle may catch its collar on a snag and drown.

Duck hunting differs from hare hunting only in conditions - most often these are lakes, ponds or swampy thickets. Dogs singly or in flocks search for duck nests by smell . Having discovered game, the dog picks it up, notifies the owner, then the hunter takes over.

On the fox

Foxes are very cunning, cautious and secretive animals, so you should start hunting them only after first exploring the area. First you need to scout fox holes. At the same time, having found a hole, there is no need to trample around it, leaving traces - this will only scare away an attentive animal.

You should also take care of camouflage and go hunting in the dark, while the animal is still in its burrows. Foxes have very keen hearing; they can hear a dog barking even from afar , so to hunt them, a beagle needs to be specially trained so that he knows when to remain silent.

On the black grouse

It is best to go out to see black grouse in the spring, when the bird is mating. You should look for it in tall thickets, and go hunting early in the morning, while the bird is feeding, and it is easier for a beagle to take a fresh trail. When a bird is detected, the beagle takes a stance, and after shooting at the raised bird, it goes to look for it.

When hunting grouse it is important to follow safety precautions:

• do not shoot blindly or by ear;
• Do not shoot at a bird when it is at human height.

Otherwise, you can injure the dog itself or hit another hunter.

On the boar

The wild boar is a very large and dangerous animal; it is usually hunted in groups. The appearance, size and smell of the animal can scare away an unusual small beagle, so the dog should first be accustomed to a wild boar in an enclosure .

When hunting wild boars, dogs with a group of hunters drive the animal to a specially prepared area, where other shooters are waiting for it. Sometimes beagles begin to twist a wild boar that has strayed from the herd, i.e. run around him, not letting him leave.

Despite the complex and lengthy training, the beagle is an excellent hunting companion. This is an intelligent and very attentive dog, hunting with him can bring great pleasure.

What does the owner need to know?

Initially, three dogs were taken for the hunt. This allowed the young to follow the example of their elders. And the hunt was more calm and confident. Now newbies are afraid to go alone with a beagle. Not because the dog might not be able to handle it. A group of seasoned hunters with dogs is a clear example and experience for beginners. Weather conditions and hunting grounds do not always allow for hunting at the proper level. However, the beagle's short and thick coat allows it to easily overcome thorny bushes, drive game even out of the water and chase it over rough terrain.

In contrast to all the positive qualities, it is worth noting excessive stubbornness and independence. If you raise a beagle dog incorrectly, you can completely discourage it from hunting. And even genetic predisposition will not help here.

Photo gallery

This breed cannot be called the cheapest, but the price always depends on the presence of champions in the pedigree, the fame of dog breeders and some other factors. Let's look at photos of these natural hunters.

Character

The Beagle is an example of sociability and love of life. A beautiful, cheerful, very active dog that can be a devoted friend. The teacher is required to have strong leadership qualities and self-control. Beagle's willfulness and excessive curiosity can only be overcome by rigor and consistency. If this succeeds, the dog will be happy to follow the owner’s commands. The mood is expressed in everything she does - runs, jumps, plays ball or chews her owner's shoe. An ideal companion for a child - together they are ready to play endlessly. Gets along well with other animals. He achieves everything he wants in roundabout ways - he has a lot of innocent pranks in his arsenal and a very expressive look, which is almost impossible to resist.

Care

It is always important to remember that the Beagle is a small hound dog, so it needs regular exercise, such as running long distances.

Tens of kilometers a day are not a problem for these dogs. A successfully running dog is a guarantee that nothing will be destroyed in your apartment, because the beagle will simply fall asleep upon returning home.

Therefore, it is always worth considering once again whether it is possible to provide the dog with this kind of stress. This is important not only for the safety of your property, but primarily for the health and proper development of your pet.

Some dog owners simply leave their beagles in a crate to limit their access to things.

Of course, this is not recommended, because being limited in terms of mobility, the dog simply quickly accumulates fat.

The spine of these dogs is not designed to bear a lot of weight and begins to sag, causing heart disease and, as a result, the need for veterinary care.

Beagles must have in their diet

• porridge – 30% of the entire menu;
• boiled meat and offal;
• vegetables;
• rarely boiled fish without bones;
• dairy products.

You can simply switch your dog to dry food - a very convenient option, because you don’t have to think about and calculate the norm and sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals.

Beagles are considered to be clean animals by their breed, so you should not bathe them often. Two to three times a year is enough. But at least once a week you need to clean his ears using special means.

Distinctive features

The main signs for the true identification of a Beagle dog:

• The body structure is compact, strong, the bones are well developed, but not coarse, elastic muscles, a straight straight back and front legs, a flexible loin, powerful jumping hocks, a wide, voluminous chest, with well-bent ribs, narrowed closer to the stomach.
• The head from the back of the head to the end of the nose should be evenly divided into two parts, that is, the distance between the forehead and nose should be maximally proportional to the distance from the forehead to the back of the head; elongated shape, without folds, but with a small tubercle, powerful skull.
• The neck is of medium length, with a slight bend, allowing the animal to follow the trail, and has a slight dewlap.
• ears are rounded triangular in shape, long, approximately reaching the nose, set low, thin, velvety.
• The eyes are large, but not bulging, not deep, brown or hazel in color, the look is kind and sincere, inviting, attentive, the distance between the eyes and nose forms a regular triangle.
• The nose in the classic version has a dark black color, but in rare cases it is light in color with white fur; wide shape, open nostrils.
• The jaw is quite strong, powerful, rectangular in shape, the lips are slightly drooping, have a regular scissor bite, the muzzle is not pointed.
• The tail is strong, without bends, set fairly high, of medium length, not curled, with a dense coat of hair.
• The color is found in different versions, the rarest is pure white, more often common in a combination of two or three colors: white, black, red (in shades from fiery red to lemon yellow).
• The coat is dense, short, water-repellent, and completely covers the body.

How to choose a puppy

1. If you decide to get a companion dog, then you should trust your heart. But when choosing a dog for exhibitions or hunting, you should take the issue seriously.
2. The main criteria for selecting a beagle will be the reputation of the breeder and the pedigree of the parent. As well as the presence/absence of deviations from generally accepted standards in the puppy (strong limbs, correct bite, well-groomed beautiful coat, correctly developed reproductive organs).
3. A healthy puppy will be active and playful, have an excellent appetite and meet all the characteristics of the breed. It is important to take into account the color peculiarities of babies - within 12 weeks they may change slightly in color, for example, become lighter.