This one was registered as a blue/tn/wh. (His dam was same color and also a Ch.) Genetics He is Lilac/tan/white. (Lilac is the same color as Weimariners. All Weims are bb/dd) His color genes are bb/dd/EE He was also TT for ticked. (Virtually all beagles are ticked, rare one is tt for NO ticking)
This one was registered as Brown/Tan/White. (Her dam was also Brown/Tan/White) This was a very nice 13 inch bitch that finished her Ch very easily. Most would call her a liver, red tri, Warfield Red, Auburn Red or the correct term from genetics a chocolate/tan/white. (AKC are not color experts and certainly know next to nothing about what colors there are and the true genetic make up of same. They use the same miss used terms as most of the general public.) Her color genes were bb/Dd/EE. She was also had ticking and therfore was TT. The lower case d for the second gene in dilution indicates she carried the dilution recessive that produces blue when it dilutes black or lilac when it dilutes the chocolate. Eye color goes with the primary color, thus slight lighter eye for dilutes (blue, lilac) and for the double recessive chocolate.
Of the two beagles the bitch is by far the better of the two although I would like to see a bit more leg and air under both of them. (Hard to get in a 13 inch or under package.) The male was very smooth but was weak in the rear. Narrow between the hip points, short on rump, etc. I do not like the bit of flew covering the lower lip on the bitch and she could have been a bit closer coupled with a bit more shoulder,layback. (None are ever perfect.) Out of the 15 points he got one by beating another male, all the rest came from Best of Winners (in other words he beat the all the girls or in one case specials to get his majors and other points.) In his whole show career only twice was there another 13 inch male entered. Won one, lost one.
Dr.Berndt know s field dogs. LOL He got out of beagles even before the first AKC SPO trial was held. The only field beagles he was probably around would have been AKC Brace (walkie-talies,peanut rollers). He was from Springfield, MO, same place as G. Nixon and Pearson Creek brace stuf.) My wife kenneled Ch and Best in Show Beagle RJB Dierk for awhile in late 70's. Berndt sold to Busch. Busch (Pro handler and at that time bred some beaqles.) Busch GAVE dog away for a Jr Handler dog. He did the breed a favor and died in a Handlers Truck fire in Florida the winter after my wife boarded him in her kennel. There was a reason Berndt, a vet, got out of beagles when he did. My wifw bred a litter from Dierk. Sold them all. Nuff said.
Leah and Cindy are able to pick out what can win in the current AKC Showring, but that is far different than actually knowing or being able to pick out a properly built hound that could fullfill the traditional function of the breed. They both need a bunch more experience, IMHO. (How many show beagles actually have a "slighjt arch over the loin, good length of upper arm, a moderate tail set, a muzzle FREE of FLEWS (you should be able to see both top and bottom lips.), most are over bodied, they do not have any air under them. Lack endurance. Too much bone. Look like little draft animals rather than an elegant thoroghbred built for speed and agility.)
SR Patch and Southern know exactly what I am talking about. A few years ago might have been a different story.
We have had blue and lilac hounds around off and on for over 30 years and I have yet to have one with any skin problrms. Manage is a mite. Effects dogs with poor immune systems. Nothing to do with color. Might be the line or the way they were cared for etc. I've got 3 blues at this time. One I've got a litter out of. I've also got Also have 3 chocolates. They are 7, 8 and 11. Blues are 9, 6 and 4. No problems with any of them. As far as alopecia in beagles. The only one I am aware of is Black Hair Folicle Alopecia. It is a recessive and does show up in some lines. I've got a couple examples, that were given to me by a breeder because the U of Mo Vet School was doing some work and I live about 30 miles from there. They are 8 years old now. Wash State did tests on plugs we sent them at thier canine dermatology lab. Unfortunely they did not tell us anything we did not already know. Just confirmed it but missed the black hair folicle diagnoises and just said alpoecia. All for just 150 dollars or so back in the 90's.
How many blues, blue-ticked, black-ticked, red-ticked, lilac, lilac-ticked, chocolate etc. hounds where there at National Speciality? I was not there but I'll bet the answer is zero. (If I could have gone there would have been at least one blue.) The National is hardly representative of the breed and that is a shame. The colors and patterns I mentioned have been part of the beagle breed as long as records have been kept. Showring fads and the fancy's tastes have done more damage to breeds than virtually anyother activity. (In beagles the AKC Brace trial did a lot more damage than even the showring. But they keep working on it.)
Nationals LOL. I was told a month prior who (not what hound) was going to have Best of Breed. The person that told me had a very good crystlal ball or was good at reading Tea leaves or..........
