What does Uno's win mean for all of us?

[Bev]

A Beagle has just won Westminster for the first time in it's 132-year history. This one single event will change things for every Beagle breeder everywhere - hunt or show. We are most definitely on the doggy world's radar now. We also know how the general public reacts to events such as this, and how the "fad buying" will begin. It has already begun, and even the rescue shelters expect their numbers of Beagle residents to disappear into the hands of adoptive families. I bet "beagle breeder" has been in Google's top ten searches over the last couple of days. I can remember when everyone HAD to have a Dalmation when the movie 101 Dalmations came out. Chihuahuas were suddenly in great demand when Taco Bell ran it's advertising campaign using the breed. If you haven't been approached by buyers yet, prepare yourself for the onslaught...it will come.

I just tonight read this excerpt from a very old book, and how well it applies:

"No fact is isolated. No event is solitary. No force works alone. No life exists but as a part of all other lives. We cannot separate our fortunes, or arrest the influences by which we touch each other. Society is a ship on which all are passengers, and what affects one affects all."

With this in mind, we, as beagle owners, will do the breed a great injustice if we do not field the request for beagle puppies by educating the inquirers on the difficulties and true nature of the Beagle breed. The general public has NO IDEA that Beagles are one of the greatest kenneling challenges we know. They do not know that there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between "show" and "field" Beagles. A great many think all Beagles are going to be just like Uno - outgoing, bold, cuddly, and gorgeous in his Westminster-worthy way.

Here is my portend. The shelters will be void of Beagles for a while, but when the proud new owners of your hunting-bred beagle realize they have a dog that's a little on the timid side at times, finer-boned with a longer body and a sparser tail, and digs out of the yard 3 times daily, or bolts out the front door after squirrels...the shelters will fill back up. Hopefully these poor, unsuspecting, experimenting "bandwagon" folks will not put two or three indescriminately-bred litters on the ground in an effort to cash in on Uno's ride before they get a clue that their beagles are not fit to be show, field, or the housepets they expected.

Again, what affects one affects all.

So, I beseech you all to be good stewards of the breed on the hunting side. Resist the urge of supply and demand. We get a bad enough rap as it is (with our hunting ways) from the tree-huggers. The serious show breeders/competitors are much fewer in numbers than we field trialers/hunters are...and even at that, they will have their hands full as well...saying "no, I don't have any puppies that will be born 6 weeks before Christmas..." but I feel like the show folks are better equipped to screen new buyers and put restrictions on sales because they've been stringent all along. We tend to think most folks will want to hunt with our Beagles, when all they really want in 2008-2010 is to show their neighbors that they now own a "Westminster" dog.

These are just my feelings right now. I know that it won't apply to most of us, and some of you will get offended by my words, but if it reaches 1% of the readers here who haven't considered the possible ramifications, then it's worth saying. We don't want to hurt the breed in the long run for a quick buck today. My wish is that we keep to our goals -- to produce the best show Beagles we can, the best hunting Beagles we can, and support those who are carefully trying to get the BEST of both in producing a "total Beagle." We are mostly breeders on this board -- be it one litter every few years, or on a bigger scale, but we are breeders nonetheless. I hope we all keep to our missions in a serious manner.

Thanks for reading, and again, Congrats to Team Uno!

[channellkat]

Bev that was very well written and needs to be posted on several of the other sights.

[Bev]

Thank you. I really, really don't want to sound preachy, so I will refrain, but if anyone else wishes to cross-post, they certainly have my permission.

[Windkist]

Thank you so much Bev for that post! Its our JOB now as stewards of our breed to take care of education! The demand for an "uno" is going to be crazy right now! I have had 100's of email inquiries in one day! We need to make sure that if we are selling pets to people that we tell them up front what the demands and needs are with our breed. I have no desire to start breeding MORE to sell. I will be sending out information to each and every inquiry I get and hope that they listen.

Leah

[Beagled1]

A Beagle has just won Westminster for the first time in it's 132-year history. This one single event will change things for every Beagle breeder everywhere - hunt or show. We are most definitely on the doggy world's radar now. We also know how the general public reacts to events such as this, and how the "fad buying" will begin. It has already begun, and even the rescue shelters expect their numbers of Beagle residents to disappear into the hands of adoptive families. I bet "beagle breeder" has been in Google's top ten searches over the last couple of days. I can remember when everyone HAD to have a Dalmation when the movie 101 Dalmations came out. Chihuahuas were suddenly in great demand when Taco Bell ran it's advertising campaign using the breed. If you haven't been approached by buyers yet, prepare yourself for the onslaught...it will come.

First, wanted to again say CONGRATS to Leah - I'm sure you know this has been one of the greatest achievements in breed history! It seems to have brought together everyone involved in the breed, from field to show. WTG on this remarkable accomplishment!!!

Bev, thanks for posting this! I was actually just speaking to a friend in the breed today about none other than what happened with the Dalmatians, Dobermans, etc. when their breed was popularized basically overnight. I don't think even the most ethical of breeders wasn't caught off guard or could have ever expected the ensuing nightmare that affected their breed(s). Just the fact that we're opening up dailogue about this so soon after is the most positive sign to me! As it stands, there are too many unsiutable people that own Beagles, and almost all of them were either in over their head, just couldn't handle the energy - or they bought genetic junk from a puppy mill or BYB. I'm worried about hounds ending up in shelters and the breed getting an underserved bad reputation all over again, but even more worried about unethical breeders getting their hands on our breed. The breeders will ultimately have the greatest impact on the future of the breed, and idiot pet owners are only the tip of the iceberg. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm going to treat every inquiry with almost paranoid caution for a very, very long time. Bev is so right in that it starts with us - we have to all make a conscious effort to keep the breed out of the hands of unscrupulous people!!!

[TC]

Good post All!!!!!
I cannot even begin to Add more to what has already been said...
PLEASE PLEASE ONE and ALL Screen ANY and ALL inquirys Carefully!!! EDUCATE!!!!! make all Aware that this is NOT the Yuppie Breed that Some will try to make it...think about the Hounds....
Also Congrats again Leah and Uno......... Well Done....

[bluemouse]

first off con grad to Uno and his camp for the acommplishment off being the best. Next I would like to say even though I do not personally know Bev, I want to thank her for all she does for the beagling community. I can say that as long as I have been apart of some of these beagle sites Bev has always been greatful enough to share her knowledge with others and try to help other with questions and problems.She never lashes back when being bashed by others and this I admire. What most people do not understand about Beagles is that they are pack animals and most do not do well alone, or being left alone to get into troube. We all as beagle owners know what drives a beagle its his nose, whether its trailing the neigbors cat or just to wondering off in search of animal to chase and bay at. I am not a breeder but own three hounds that know their job and give it all in the field when hunting, at the house they are well mannered and do good at their house keeping chores. but the manners and knowing their job comes with a price, the price is time, the time to train them and the time it takes to build a bond with these merry little hounds. We as a beagling community do it because we love it not because its a fade, lets keep it that way. may the music play on, get him up boys a girls lets hear a race.

[sav]

Bev, fantastic post, well written and bang on the money in my opinion.

I love debate, and please do not view my questions as aggressive or of a taunting nature at all.... but doesn't all you have said, which again I agree with 100%, make Uno's win the worst thing to ever happen to the breed? Maybe primarily the field lines?

[sanfordssj]

Great post Bev!

[Bev]

Bev, fantastic post, well written and bang on the money in my opinion.

I love debate, and please do not view my questions as aggressive or of a taunting nature at all.... but doesn't all you have said, which again I agree with 100%, make Uno's win the worst thing to ever happen to the breed? Maybe primarily the field lines?

Not in my opinion, sav. It makes it the best thing to happen to the breed because it gives us, the breeders, the opportunity to educate people on the Beagle breed while the focus is on them. I'm not only thrilled it was a beagle that won, but a hunting breed, period, and not a lap dog under a fountain of hair. IMO, it's all good. Now it's up to us to educate the fad buyers while they are our audience.

[crewchf]

We're already geting calls from folks who want an Uno in their Lexus's down here in Ole Atlanta Ga.... Its funny but we've been telling them it's like this, there's movie star breeders out here and then there's the rest of us beagle breeders out here!!!! My pups ain't gonna cost you 12 hundred bucks with restricted breeding papers I might add,,, they'll cost you $350.00 and will run rabbits and you'll have fun!!!! The beagle's #5 on the AKC list of popular dogs so we'll see if that changes.. Of the litters we've sold so far,, O folks have taken us up on helping them get started in the field!!! Must Be The Snake Thing!!!!!! Or maybe their scared of the dark!!!!! Oh well, we'll see in the next year what happens.....

Pine Valley Beagles Ga.