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“Ahrooo..” Every morning I am awakened by the sound my beagles make…howling. I associate this trait with wolves as it’s the wolves’ inherent ability to scent and pursue their prey. This is attributed to the fact that beagles are hounds, and their nature or their animal instinct is to do just that. Visualize an image where they are in an open field, the beagles move around searching for its prey. When the slightest scent and movement of such an animal is sensed by a beagle, it is alerted and almost simultaneously pursues its target. Beagles have that distinct character. In another aspect, beagles have a soft expression on their faces that make them so irresistible. It makes me want to hug them and embrace them tightly. But behind those expressive eyes, they are also naughty and full of energy. What I like most is to see them run in packs. I surely would not get tired watching them when they try to tease their companions and provoke them for a race. I like this breed precisely because I feel that this breed has enough character. There are many other breeds with similar good traits. I know that a complete satisfying answer is just impossible to give. |
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People like Marivic Cortes imported beagles during the seventies and Dr. Terence Senewiratne, whom I had the pleasure to meet during the nineties, imported an Australian line beagle to the Philippines. Before this, there were not so many here and that was why I practiced selective breeding, where I chose to mate a pair, with the retention of its offspring having desirable traits for future breeding. While this process entailed a lot of time, it made me wonder, was it just mere coincidence to see.. just how pretty these puppies were. I also realized that different breeds had been developed with their own distinct design for a specific purpose or function in life. The beagle, having its special anatomical design, has its own purpose …that is to hunt. These characteristics are made especially for this breed which sets them apart from the other breeds. I try to breed conscientiously to conform with its breed standard and not to neglect the true essence of a beagle. |
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My puppies, for me, are objectively nice and I would like to be consistent in producing the same type of puppies every time. I like to see and produce an overall impression of a well-proportioned puppy with good bone and correct coat. The head of a puppy should have a lovely soft expression, with the muzzle nicely squared. The neck should be of good length and should be set into well laid shoulders. Elbows should be tight to the chest. A beagle should have a strong topline and its tail set on high. The rear angulations should be perpendicular from the base of the tail and should fall through the front of the hind foot when a line is drawn down. I have shown some of the dogs I have bred in the ring and as a breeder, it’s truly rewarding to see my dogs elevate to Best of Breed. It is also rewarding to see them win Best in Group against dogs that are imported from other countries. I cannot express the feeling I have when I see my dogs being awarded. Often, people ask me if I’ve seen a perfect beagle from what I’ve produced. When I see my beagle standing at the center of the ring with the spectators clapping their hands and rushing near the ring to take pictures of my dog…for that moment, he is just perfect. |
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| Sometimes
when I truly see how nice a puppy is, I decide to keep the puppy
for myself. My
heart and soul goes into
that particular puppy, and my sole conviction is that this puppy could
make a name for itself in the history of beagles at a particular time
or event. But sometimes, because of unforeseen circumstances, the puppy
dies. This is the hardest and most heart-wrenching part about breeding.
My heart sinks from the frustration and desperation. It affects my
entire being to such a degree that sometimes I just want to give up
for I know
there will never be a puppy like that puppy again. I do believe that
even in a repeat breeding one can never get the same individual as
each and every puppy is unique in its own way. But with all the sighs
and
the
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tears, I choose to continue with what I am trying to achieve and move forward . I know with this experience I will always grow in my knowledge of breeding. For what it’s worth, it seems to be a costly learning experience but frankly, I believe that it’s the experience that makes you a true breeder. The epitome of my purpose in the sport of pure bred dogs is to produce a strong line of beagles in the Philippines which could be world- class and excel in the international ring. A friend of mine once told me that winning is awesome, but if we do not know how to play our cards right, there is just no winner in the end. |
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The essence
of being a breeder sums up to only one word….RESPONSIBLE. That’s
my purpose… That’s
a breeder's life.
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