There is certainly some trial stock that is not suited for hunting...........Brace hounds run, or rather walk, so slow that they simply arn't suited for hunting.
I started many years ago with cold blooded hounds......had several fairly good ones......the real advantage to pure breads is that they usually produce a consistant offspring, or, the offspring are more likely to have traits similar to there ancestors.
There are many, varied styles of beagle from the slow and close brace hound to the wild and wooly very agressive, over competitive
hounds that simply run for the front, and are easily pushed over the end of the line by honest working hounds.... fast hounds look great when the sent is high but can cause problems when the scent changes..........a good pack hound is one with an honest mouth who cooperates with his running mates to keep the rabbit moving.
When looking for a good hound, don't get caught up in speed......a great hound has gears, and the ability to adjust speed to conditions.......
The nature of field trials is to promote the best individual hound........Often, the best individual isn't the best pack hound.
The most important part of beagling and rabbit hunting IMO is to account for the game. If your having a good chase with little break downs, (called checks) and not running to a loss very often then I'd say you got a good pack of hounds......
If you've got a break down due to loss of the scent trail then you've got at least one hound causing problems, and it won't be the slow hound on the back of the pack.........but will be the hound on the front that took you over the end of the line.
Clearly, not making positive progress on the line is a fault.........to slow and to close is a problem, but running hit or miss without regard to the line is a problem as well.
Credits and demerits from the AKC rule book:
http://www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/RF2404.pdf?SEARCH_BUTTON.X=0\&SEARCH_BUTTON.Y=0
both field trials and hunting purposes.
5-B Definitions—Desirable Qualities
Searching ability is evidenced by an aptitude to
recognize promising cover and eagerness to explore
it, regardless of hazards or discomfor t. Hounds
should search independently of each other, in an
industrious manner, with suf ficient range. In trials
run under Brace or Small Pack Procedures, hounds
should remain within control distance of the handler,
and should be obedient to his commands.
Pursuing ability is shown by a proficiency for
keeping control of the trail while making the best possible
progress. Game should be pursued rather than
merely followed, and actions should indicate a determined
effort to make forward progress in the surest,
most sensible manner by adjusting speed to correspond
to conditions and circumstances.
Actions
should be positive and controlled, portraying sound
judgment and skill. Progress should be proclaimed by
tonguing. No hound can be too fast, provided the trail
is clearly and accurately followed. At a check, hounds
should work industriously, first close to where the
loss occurred, then gradually and thoroughly extending
the search further afield to regain the line.
Accuracy in trailing is the ability to keep consistent
control of the trail while making the best possible
progress. An accurate trailing hound will show a
marked tendency to follow the trail with a minimum of
weaving on and off, and will display an aptness to turn
with the trail and to determine direction of game travel
in a positive manner.
Proper use of voice is proclaiming all finds and
denoting all forward progress by giving tongue, yet
keeping silent when not in contact with scent that can
be progressed. True tongue is honest claiming that
running mates can depend on.
Endurance[/color] is the ability to compete throughout
the duration of the hunt and to go on as long as may be
necessary.
[
color=red]Adaptability means being able to adjust quickly to
changes in scenting conditions and being able to work
harmoniously with a variety of running mates. An
adaptable hound will pursue its quarry as fast as conditions
permit or as slowly as conditions demand. At a
loss, it will first work close, and then, if necessary,
move out gradually to recover the line.[/color]
Patience is a willingness to stay with any problem
encountered as long as there is a possibility of achieving
success in a workmanlike manner, rather than taking
a chance of making the recover y more quickly
through guesswork or gambling. Patience keeps a
hound from bounding off and leaving work undone,
and causes it to apply itself to the surest and safest
methods in difficult situations.
Determination is that quality which causes a hound
to succeed against severe odds. A determined hound
has a purpose in mind and will overcome, through
sheer perseverance, many obstacles that often frustrate
less determined running mates. Determination
and patience are closely related qualities and are generally
found in the same hound. Determination keeps a
hound at its work as long as there is a possibility of
achievement and quite often long after its body has
passed the peak of its endurance. Determination is
desire in its most intense form.
Independence is the ability to be self-reliant and
to refrain from becoming upset or influenced by the
actions of faulty hounds. The proper degree of independence
is displayed by the hound that concentrates
on running its game with no undue concern for its
running mates except to hark to them when they proclaim
a find or indicate progress by tonguing. Tailing,
or watching other hounds, is indication of lack of sufficient
independence. Ignoring other hounds completely
and refusing to hark to or move up with running
mates is indication of too much independence.
Cooperation is the ability to work harmoniously
with other hounds by doing as much of the work as
possible in an honest, ef ficient manner, yet being
aware of and honoring the accomplishments of running
mates without jealousy or disr uption of the
chase.
Competitive spirit is the desire to outdo running
mates. It is a borderline quality that is an asset only to
the hound that is able to keep it under control and to
concentrate on running the game rather than on beating
other hounds. The overly competitive hound lacks
such qualities as adaptability, patience, independence
and cooperation, and in its desire to excel is seldom
accurate.
Intelligence is that quality which influences a
hound to apply its talents efficiently, in the manner of
a skilled craftsman. The intelligent hound learns from
experience and seldom wastes time repeating mistakes.
Intelligence is indicated by ability to adapt to
changes in scenting conditions, to adapt and to control
its work with various types of running mates, and
to apply sound working principles toward accomplishing
the most under a variety of circumstances.
The hound that displays the aforementioned qualities
would be considered the Ideal Beagle for all purposes
afield, capable of ser ving as a field trial hound, a gun
dog or a member of a pack, on either rabbit or hare.
5-C Definitions—Faulty ActionsQuitting is a serious fault deser ving severe penalty
and, in its extreme form, elimination. Quitting indicates
lack of desire to hunt and succeed. It ranges
from refusing to run, to such lesser forms as lack of
perseverance, occasional letup of eagerness, and loafing
or watching other hounds in difficult situations.
Quitting is sometimes due to fatigue. Judges may temper
their distaste when a hound becomes fatigued and
eases off, if such a hound has been required to perform
substantially longer than those with which it is
running. During the running of a class, a hound may
have to face several fresh competitors in succession.
In such instances, a shor t rest period would be in
order. Otherwise, Judges should expect hounds to be
in condition to compete as long as necessar y to prove
their worthiness, and no hound that becomes unable
to go on should place over any immediate running
mate that is still able and willing to run.
Backtracking is the fault of following the trail in
the wrong direction. If persisted in for any substantial
time or distance it dese ves elimination. However,
hounds in competition sometimes take a backline
momentarily, or are led into it by faulty running
mates. Under these circumstances, Judges should
show leniency toward the hound that becomes aware
of its mistakes and makes a creditable correction.
Judges should be ver y cer tain before penalizing a
hound for backtracking and, if there is any doubt, take
sufficient time to prove it to be either right or wrong.
Backtracking indicates lack of ability to determine
direction of game travel.
Ghost trailing is pretending to have contact with a
trail and making progress where no trail exists, by
going through all the actions that indicate true trailing.
Some hounds are able to do this in a ver y convincing
manner and Judges, if suspicious, should make
the hound prove its claim.
Pottering is lack of effort or desire to make forward
progress on the trail. Hesitating, listlessness,
dawdling or lack of intent to make progress are marks
of the potterer.
Babbling is excessive or unnecessary tonguing.
The babbler often tongues the same trail over and
over, or tongues from excitement when casting in
attempting to regain the trail at losses.
Swinging is casting out too far and too soon from
the last point of contact, without first making an
attempt to regain scent near the loss. It is a gambling
action, quite often indicating over-competitiveness or
an attempt to gain unearned advantage over running
mates.
Skirting is purposely leaving the trail in an attempt
to gain a lead or avoid hazardous cover or hard work.
It is cutting out and around true trailing mates in an
attempt to intercept the trail ahead.
Leaving checks is failure to stay in the vicinity of a
loss and attempt to work it out, bounding off in hopes
of encountering the trail or new game. Leaving checks
denotes lack of patience and perseverance.
Running mute is failure to give tongue when making
progress on the line.
Tightness of mouth is a failure to give sufficient
tongue when making progress. This will often be evidenced
by the hound tightening up when pressed or
when going away from a check.
Racing is attempting to outfoot running mates
without regard for the trail. Racing hounds overshoot
the turns and generally spend more time off the trail
than on it.
Running hit or miss is attempting to make
progress without maintaining continuous contact with
the trail, or gambling to hit the trail ahead.
Lack of independence is a common fault that is
shown by watching other hounds and allowing them
to determine the course of action. Any action which
indicates undue concern for other hounds, except
when harking in, is cause for demerit.
Bounding off is rushing ahead when contact with
scent is made, without properly determining direction
of game travel.
5-D Credits
(1) Hounds shall be credited principally for their
positive accomplishments. The extent of any credit
should be governed by the magnitude of the accomplishment
and the manner in which it is achieved.
Credit is earned for searching ability, pursuing ability,
accuracy in trailing, proper use of voice, endurance,
adaptability, patience, determination, proper degree
of independence, cooperation, controlled competitive
spirit, intelligence displayed when searching or in
solving problems encountered along the trail and success
in accounting for game.
(
