13" -VS- 15" Which do you prefer and why?

[Richard]

I have ran dogs for 50 yrs. or so and had beagles for many years. I see little differance in the 13 and the 15 beagles. I have seen slow 15 inch and fast 15 in. and the same with the 13s'. I like and own the 13 inch because I just like a smaller dog. My 13 in dogs can run with a 15 in all day.

[Steve C.]

This is purely a matter of preference. Both sizes have advantages at times. Few good 13's can run all day with good 15's, but I've seen a few 13's who could not only run with the bigger dogs but LEAD them all day. On average though, here in snow country, the big dogs will have an advantage once snow lays deep; but there are many, many days when a crust develops on the snow that the little guys will stay on top while the big dogs break through. My personal preference is for 13's. I can feed and house more dogs in the same space at the same cost as 15's, they seem to handle better, and I've had less trouble with them wanting to chase off game. As always, "results may vary".

[snowshoehareguide]

somethin about little dogs that i cant explain. i like them alot..for their size ive seen some with more guts than any dog. i would never keep a dog or get rid of it based on its height. have had some 12 inches - a few half coonhound close to 20.. a 20 inch dog is perfect in 2 feet of powder snow. a 12 inch dog is great on bare ground or crust if it will hold them up.in deep powder snow bigger is better . ive seen times i could have used a giraffe ... pete

[NSB]

To Power , conformation and height are two different things. Also why can't a small hound have stamina? I would think the smaller the dog the better the stamina. The smaller, lighter the mass to be moved the less energy needed to move it.

[KH]

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[bluegrass]

I have noticed that my bigger hounds come back bloodier and more scratched and cut up than my smaller hounds when hunting in thick briars but their overall speed is about the same...Tony

[Robert W. Mccoy Jr]

I like them big.

Full 15" 30 lbs full of heart.

From the hounds that I have owned I see (my Opinion)
That the 15's hold up better when running in deep snow.

[mybeagles]

I have found with the faster lines of hounds that the 15" dogs have a tougher time running within there nose/ability. I run 13" dogs but judge the 15" class. It doesnt get much rougher than a 15" male class. As for the thick stuff, I attended a UKC hunt last winter with an 11" female. All three of her pack mates were full 15" males. We showed up to the running spot which happened to be a cow pasture with long strips of muliflower rose. Heavy snow had the branches bent down to the ground with only 6" clearance. To make long story short, my dog got all 5 jumps that day and those big males never did get underneath the brush. I dont beleive they could have, they just met her at the end. I think there is a point where 13" are better for tight bruch etc. All that said I prefer 15" for hare and 13" for cottontail. I have access to both cottontail and hare, and I just prefer the 13". Easier to handle 13" in the kennel clipping nails, loading in box. One advantage of 15" is the ability to load them up with tracking and shocking collar without weighing them down to the ground.

I have run hare with that same 11" female with ten 16" LPH hounds and she run for 11 hours one day and was with them all the way. Not in the front but always in contact with the pack. Dont think you can say she doesnt have enough stamina, but you could say her heart is too big for her body!
The size does make a difference when pushing for the front of the pack. A 12 or 13" dog doesnt have a chance of pushing a 15" male out of the way to get to the front. In LP and midwest trials if you cant get to the front you wont win, so I cant imagine many would run 13" dogs if they all run together.

[Steve C.]

I agree with you completely, Dave. I've got an 11 1/2" female that's got as much heart as anything I've ever seen. Always busy, always hunting and can keep up with most packs. In fact, when Rob K. was down hunting with me we were laughing because he accused her of shouldering his big male off the line! In reality though she'll never finish in trials because she just isn't big enough to lead the pack. Just like in your area, a dog must lead at times if it's going to win and finish. She has a win and her points, but I doubt she'll ever get the other two wins. That's OK though, a good 13" hound is still every bit as good as a 15". A few have finished in both classes.

[SMITTY1233]

I can verify the mybeagles story because I was there one night we ran all night long 8-9 hours went met a guy with some huge beagles 16-17"'s all the way and she hung right in there. So as far as size, stanmania I think it has more to do with the individual dog. Heart will go a long way in a little hound.

[Phil Housden]

I once owned a female 13 in. she could and would put it on most 15 in. dogs. The heart is where the action is, an that comes from breeding.

[JR]

my first and only beagle is a 13 inch and i have seen 15 run and i just dont really see any difference in the 2 but maybe the really deep snow the larger would be better but we dont have any snow to try this so im no treally sure i personally think im gonna stay with 13 inch

[Bob Wiest]

The only thing I would add to what has been said is that my best bitch is 13" or maybe a 1/4" less. Now at just under six years of age she doesn't run with my pack as much due to two shoulder injuries. I guess she turned with the rabbit a few too many times in front of a hard charging big dog that didn't turn as fast. She's not the same dog anymore, and while she handles the cottontail o.k., her days of running in our large-pack on hare are over. I'll still keep a bitch from my breeding under 13, I'm trying to get them a little bigger. Best Wishes...................Bob