The American Beagler Forum

How many of you prefer 15" dogs to 13" dogs and why?

I have 13" that ourun 15" & 15" that out jump 13, so both are good. Size doesn't matter as long as they are good, true rabbit dogs. JMO

I prefer a 13" dog. To me they seems to have a lot easier time getting through brushpiles, fences and briars. Thats just what I like though.

I think it depends mainly on the game and the country you hunt. I've seen the little hounds do a bang-up job on fencerows and thicket, the grass fields give them no problems.
The big hounds have the advantage in the plow or swamp with it's deadfallen trees and deep marsh grass. Big hounds may leap a creek or climb a bank where the little hounds are in fear of drowning.
A good hound is a good hound no matter his inches...

Most of my hounds range between 13-14 1/2, but inches don't matter to me. I measure them by their heart. I have a male that is 17 lb. of pure heart. Don't know how the good lord shoe horned it in to that little body!

My personal preference is to have dogs that are right at 14" and bitches about 13 1/2". I am not a field trialer so I'm not concerned w/ right at 13" or right at 15"

That being said, I have owned dogs that went from 12" to 15 1/2".

I prefer the 15" hounds but mine vary from a 10" jump dog to a full 15" female. Most are around 14". I'm like most though, it's the size of the heart that counts.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

Pretty is as pretty does...if they can do it.doesn't matter but I do seem to keep more 15 inch hounds.

Bigger the better for me. If I could get all mine between 15 and 17 or so inches I'd be right pleased. I like the bigger hounds for getting thru snow and the rough terrain around here.

I was brought up around gents who would give away anything that went big no matter how good. They would also pay more for a good small bitch than one will bring now, and that was 50 years ago. If she had papers they would throw them away, they knew the local blood and didn't need papers. They ran bitches but believed the bitches would do better with a couple of males in the pack and they always had 2 males and 8-10 females. There was no brush stomping, the gyps tore up the thickets and most of the time the rabbit was holed or run down in under an hour. A dog that gave false mouth was shot and left in a ditch, and one that wouldn't search had better be a hell of a track dog.

So, it's kind of hard to impress me with dogs that walk along in paths, babble like damfools and lose their rabbit.

i used to aleways want only big hounds,but i have done more winning in trialing and enjoy my 13 in hounds more,so,i guess size is of no importance to me,brains and ability wins ya trials.

When I had Foxhounds, I always felt if all things were equal a god big hound would beat a good little hounds. But with Beagles it not the same. Brains seem to be what is needed, but without hunt ............. A good one ia good one , no matter the size, or color.

i likem 13 that run like a 17.....

I think 14" is a good size. The fastest dog I own is also my smallest. Birdie out of P.M. Chester is a little over 13" and on good days she can get away from her larger pack mates without cheating. She is always the most torn up at the end of a hunt "no skirting". Big hearts can come in little bodies. My leading jumper this young season is a 15" female. She pounced on one in the bed and had it in her mouth before he wriggled away and went to a hole. The size of their brain is more important than their brawn.