Good traits abound in the adorable small breed, the Beagle. Some canine historians claim that the Beagle is descended from hounds used by King Arthur and his knights. Others say they came to England with William the Conqueror. Whatever their illustrious history, the Beagle's noble manner makes for a very special companion.

The first well-proportioned beagles were introduced to the United States in the mid 1800s. Rosey and Dolly are two famous Beagles brought to this country by Richard Rowett. Rowett's dogs and others were used in a selective breeding program that produced the superior Beagles we see today.

While the Beagle is a fine dog for hunting, it is also a great city hound. It loves to be outside and will always take you up on an walk or a romp outside. Their natural calm makes them a wonderful street-walking partner, but they are also very sturdy and happy in bad weather or rough terrain. Birds and cats are going to arouse the interest of the Beagle, as well as squirrels and any other small animal that may dart around.

Beagles are also enthusiastic vocalizers, as you may have noticed. When they are excited, they may howl wildly. They seem to get a great deal of pleasure from this loud howling session, and are known to howl when they are left alone. If you can start when they are young, you can significantly reduce the amount of howling they do with careful training. Most owners and even people passing on the street find the howl to be a pleasing, almost musical sound, but of course there is always the neighbor who doesn't want to hear anything but their own television, so be careful when considering the Beagle for your pet.

When making a special spot for your Beagle, it should be free of drafts and moisture, but also not near a central heating vent. They can have problems with earaches if they are too close to a heat outlet. Dogs do generally prefer cooler temperatures than humans. When they are young, they will tend to chew their bed structure, so choose something sturdy. Beagles seem to enjoy a spot up off the floor, where they can see lots of activity. An old reclining chair might be perfect for creating your Beagle's bed or daybed. They also do well with a well-built doghouse.

Bringing your Beagle home for the first time, don't be surprised if he intensely sniffs everything in the environment over and over. After a while, he'll know every nook and cranny and this sniffing will stop. He will then become relaxed and happy as if he has lived there forever. Beagles have a very strong urge to record all the scents of their environment and will take up sniffing again if something changes. My childhood dog was a Beagle, Tippy, and she commanded a large fenced yard with gardens, willow trees, and large honeysuckle bushes along the fences. She also tolerated the presence of two snapping turtles who came up from the creek and decided to live in her yard. One year, however, the turtles moved on to some other place, and Tippy could not stop looking for them. She ran the perimeter of the yard, nose down, sniffing until her black nose wore down to pink! We could never get Tippy to stop until we moved to another house. In the new environment, she took her sniffing inventory and was satisfied that she understood everything that was supposed to be there.

It's always good to learn about your special breed, no matter what it is. If you adopt a mixed-breed dog from the shelter, try to determine the dominant breed and learn those characteristics. And if you have chosen a Beagle mix, you'll have a most intelligent and enjoyable family pet.