The American Beagler Forum

There was a hot topic on the better beagling board and I wanted to get some feedback on it. AKC is doing away with the official measurements and requiring a dog to measure in 2 out of 3 hunts in order to measure into a class. The dog can only be measured once that day and it is a one shot deal. The folks are raising hell, because of this change and I just don't understand it. Or then again maybe I do. Too many folks are running dogs in classes that they are too big for, I have seen a bunch of 13 1/2 to 14 inch suposedly 13 inch field champions, I have also seen some 15 1/2 to 16 1/2. supposedly 15 inch FCs. What is everyone trying to hide? Well, let's hear everyones thoughts.

Big Dog

Don't look like the AKC is doinnnn any better at rules does it Big Dog????? Now the height rule should be cut and dry, Ya Think????

Crew Chief

PS I think we should have a dew claw class, and a no dew claw class!!!!

Just kidding Patch!!!! But my females tough in the turns guys!!!

I was at a trial once, not saying where, LOL, and saw a well-known beagler who owns a FC have a bitch of his measured for the 13" class. The bar was dropped and the measurer called out "13 1/2" loudly as he was doing for all measured dogs. The owner jumped up and yelled out "NO Way!!....you measured wrong, you measured wrong....re-measure! Guess what.......they re-measured! The next measurment was 12 7/8"!!!!!!!!!!!

Go figure!

I have in the pass seem a few of those same games played, but according to AKC ,,, if its announced its offical, that should of been reported, rules are rules,,,,, As far as the new system, I understand that YOU have the option to choose either the 1 time measure or the average of being measured 3 times, pick your poison.......

Did some measuring & judging at Large pack trials years ago down here. I had some raise h*ll at the stand about thier measurements. Remember one that nearly could'nt get under stand and had two wins! I stood them right and they got what I measured. Even 20 years ago "some" official measurements looked to be a JOKE Never cared to run with small Walker foxhounds in the 15", or should I say about 16.5" It's sad cause I loved Large Pack but hated the crooks who thought they had to cheat to win...

For those who don't run large pack, it's more an issue of being able to compete in the class that you want to run in. In order to run large pack you need a hound as close to the max limit in order to have the endurance to withstand a 7-hour or longer trial of steady running. I'm not saying some little 13" or 15" don't become field champions, but they are the exceptions.
Now, back to the issue of measuring, AKC needs to certify the people who do the measuring at trials and who are official measurers. As for oversize hounds, AKC has a rule in place about spot-checking the official measured hounds and if they fail, they get the 2 out of 3 rule imposed on them. It's then, where the bar falls.
We pay AKC a good amount of money to register our hounds and sizable entry fees field trials. It's up to them to police their rules and do the spot checks and enforce their rules.
As an added note, most people have official measurements for large pack to speed up registering because all hounds are measured prior to being numbered and running. This is not the case in the other Beagle field trial formats unless requested by the handler.
If you think it's easy to run LPH and place go to a trial and see what kind of hound you’ve got. You might be surprised.
I've seen a similar problem in SPO to the other extreme of trying to get 13" hounds to compete in the 15" class.
The bottom line is measuring in accordance to the AKC standard and this can only be done by trained and certified folks and AKC needs to do their part by policing in all formats.

kev
are you saying it's ok to cheat to win or should the 15 inch rule be enforced? what size are your hounds?

Personally I'm glad to see the requested change. Too many dogs slip through the cracks on the one time method. And even better the change with the two out of three ordeal. No two judges should be able to official measure the dog more than once.

If a person had a 12 1/2" dog and didnt want to run it in the 13" class...............is there a rule that says you CANT enter that 12 1/2 in a 15" class? Just curious.

I know a big dog cant run with the small dogs, but can a small dog run with the big dogs?

Thanks!
Randy

Randy,

I think you will get DQ'd just the same if you try running a little hound in the 15s. Someone correct me if I'm wrong

Not that it matters, I run the 13" class and if I measure out so be it. I don't have any Official Measured Hounds at this time. For those who measure know that where the bar is placed and weather a dog is jacked up out of it's normal stance can change the measurement by as much 3/4" high with jacking and 1/8 to a 1/4" low by measuring behind the shoulder blades.
The bottom line if you have a questionable hound in either class, get it premeasured in SPO and decide if you want run if you measure out. The same if you meaure out of the 13" class in LP. In all format's if you are over 15" and get measured over 3 times, I think the hound should disqualified from running in AKC events.
Botton line, AKC needs to police the official measurements.

A 13" hound can't run in 15" Class

lol, Thanks Skip and Kev. It wouldnt have taken me long to mess that up.

Skip, How you guys been doing? Hope all is well with you folks! Tell everyone I said hello!

Randy

Hey Randy,

We are doing good buddy! Looking forward to the cooler weather. I am sure I will see you at a UKC or AKC trial somewhere down the line.

Take care.

A rule is a rule. I know a well known beagler and breeder that told me once that he was going to start running just 15" hounds becuase your going to run against big dogs anyway so why not just get a dog there size and run against them in there class.

When I see an add that says offical measure I have no doubt he is over,why else would you get a friend to offical measure.People travel accross country to get a measurement Good for the AKC and beagling.Those Walker Hounds have always turned me away from large pack.