A primer on the origins of the Beagle

An old illustration of the Southern Hound,

believed to be an ancestor of the modern Beagle.

The Beagle has been around for quite a while. In fact, centuries ago, back to around the 5th century B.C., there were dogs of similar size and purpose (for hunting, that is). In the 11th century in England, the Talbot, a white, slow, scent hound now extinct, was crossed with the Greyhound to give them speed. Eventually, the Talbot strain gave rise to the Southern Hound, which is believed to be an ancestor of the modern Beagle. It was not until the 19th century that the modern Beagle  was fully developed, after many years of meticulous breeding.