Everyone is still talking about the adorable winner of the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Show. Uno, who has an official name of “Ch K-Run’s Park Me In First”, is a beautiful male with fine form and good game, who stole the hearts of the crowd in New York’s packed Madison Square Garden. While that might not seem any different from winners in previous years, one thing does stand apart in Uno’s case. He’s a beagle. Yep, the good old trusty Beagle, a perennial on the list of America’s most popular dog breeds for almost a century, has now validated that role by nabbing the title of America’s Top Dog.
To say this was an upset is putting it mildly. A beagle almost seems out of place in a group of shaved, powdered, and poofed-to-perfection poochies. Even in his own group, the hounds, Uno had to compete against breeds ranging from the graceful Afghan to the sweet Dachshund. And he did it well, taking the group win as the first title given in a competition of 2,500 dogs from 169 breeds and varieties. Uno then went on to beat out two poodles, a Sealyham terrier, an Australian shepherd, a Weimaraner, and an impressive Akita for the top spot by adding a high dose of charm and charisma to his exceptional dog-next-door looks.
Uno’s new life in the limelight has brought even more interest to a breed that has long been a family favorite. As “mom” to one-and-a-half beagles (Oscar is half Border Collie), I completely understand why people fall in love with that particular type of dog. I also have first-hand experience with the negative aspects of beagle ownership. This all is thanks to Sam, my rescue beagle who has been a part of our family for more than a year now.
When Sammy first came to live at 714, it was as a foster for the local rescue. At that time, Sam was at the other end of the spectrum from Uno. Sammy was a mess physically and emotionally. Now, I’m not a violent person, but when I saw that dog for the first time, I would have gladly thrashed those responsible for his condition. I knew that we had a great deal of work ahead of us to try to turn his life around, especially as there was very little information available about his past. I also knew that I was going to fail as a foster because there was no way that little dog was going to live anywhere else once I adopted him.
Taking care of Sam’s physical problems took some time, and he eventually got healthy and strong, looking every inch as fine as the champion Uno, with the exception of a few additional pounds. First lesson learned in Beagle 101, they eat - a lot. And they don’t stop eating until everything in sight is gone. It took some time to stop feeling guilty when I cut him off and had to ration his intake to proper portions each day, but we’re doing fairly well now. Exercise is another lesson learned, beagles are active and like to get into everything. Word of caution, keep beagles in a fenced-in yard or on a sturdy leash because they’ll start following their noses and forget about coming back. And say good-bye to quiet. Beagles bark, bay, and howl - frequently, but never without good reason. At least it’s a good reason to them, even if you don’t agree.
Dealing with Sam’s emotional problems was another thing. Sam must have been used as a hunting dog at some point in his life. I suspect it was in his younger years and he is excellent at catching or cornering backyard things like voles and snakes. Mice and lizards are goners when they face Sammy in the house (see my “Mousecapades” post). Sometime after the hunting experience and before his new life with me (a non-hunter), he was abused. There were many long nights of talking softly to him when he was crying in his sleep, lots of work on stopping growls when a toy was taken away or one of the other pets in the house invaded Sam’s large personal space. The worst was when when Sam flinched if you moved anywhere near him. But the little guy had spunk underneath that sad expression and I knew that if he had enough unconditional love, we would eventually break through - I just didn’t know how long that would take.
Sammy celebrated his first year with my family on 15 October 2007. Parts of that year were tough on all of us. There were a few times when I wondered if I did the right thing by bringing Sam into the lives of my well-adjusted pets. But we hung in there and Sammy has blossomed into a friendly, lovable little guy with the greatest personality ever. He’s a different dog these days, the one he should have been all along. Still, every now and then he’ll whimper in his sleep or flinch when you reach over him. Fortunately, those moments are now few and far between, and Sammy takes the honors as one of three Top Dogs in our home. It wouldn’t be the same without him.
© 2008 Barbara Dolny
Photo of Sam by Barbara Dolny
*** If you are considering adding a furry member to your family and thinking of a Beagle, please read information on these dogs before you make that final decision. Beagles are one of America’s favorite breeds to own but are also one of the top breeds lost or given up for adoption because their needs don’t match those of their owners. If you do your research and find a Beagle is the dog for you, then please consider adopting a dog in need from your local shelter or rescue group.***
***If you can’t take on a pet right now but want to help, please donate time, supplies, food, money, or whatever you can give, to your local animal shelter or rescue group.***
