Our infatuation & love for this cheeky breed began back in 1985. Then it was sunny Queensland we called home - today it is sandy Perth, Western Australia.
Funny thing is - Since marrying, a Beagle was not the first pure bred dog we owned. We were the proud owners of a gorgeous male German Shepherd by the name of "Kye". Unfortunately for Kye, he endured some unnecessary and unwanted attention from a gang of cruel and unsociable youths that resided in our neighborhood, which was hillside Gracemere (Just outside of Rockhampton), Queensland. This harassment saw Kye become obsessively protective of us both. After some long deliberations and help from some Shepherd breeders, we broken heartedly, rehoused him. Short story: Thanks to a good friend, Kye became a security dog and we are so pleased that his life ended with meaningful purpose and one that he thoroughly enjoyed until his retirement and passing. However, this left us devastated and longing for canine companionship.
We often walked past a yard where a rather cute and friendly little Tan & White coloured puppy, raced around, always happy and always wanting a pat from anyone passing by. Finally we inquired into what breed it was. Beagle, their son proudly announced, but their knowledge of the breed was only from what they had learned themselves in the several weeks of owning this puppy. This put us in research mode and after numerous chats with breeders of many different breeds, we finally did settle on a Beagle. As there were not many Breeders in Rockhampton, we were lucky to track down one litter at the time of our inquiry into a puppy. Still hesitant to rush into the uncertainty and unknown, we went to look at the litter several times, asking endless questions each visit we made. We also took the opportunity to check out various other breed litters at this time, so we would hopefully be happy with our final decision. However, the BEAGLE litter kept coming up in our conversations over the decision of where our new family member would come from. You guessed it, 4 weeks later we were the proud owners of a little girl "Medoka Angel Dust - Jancy". 1985 seemed like a life-time ago.
What a bundle of activity, more than we ever anticipated. We certainly had a huge learning curve ahead of us. This breed was far more head strong and definitely less responsive than that of a Shepherd. One thing is for certain Jancy needed a playmate. Both of us were under Jancy’s spell and truth be told, the real reason for us wanting another Beagle was because we were hooked. So the search was on again. We thought this time, an older Beagle might be best (truthfully we weren't prepared for another dose of puppy hood). Having now moved due to Neil’s work, to a small mining town just west of Rockhampton named "Blackwater", we found our second bundle of joy: "Shirnelbi Tiny Tot - Tiny". Tiny was 18 months old and thankfully much quieter than Jancy, and the two of them became inseparable in no time at all.
It was during our search for our second Beagle that saw the showing aspect of purebred dogs unveiled to us. The couple that bred Tiny ( Shirley & Bill Howard), were entrenched in this hobby of dog showing and spent numerous weekends with their dogs and friends that shared the same passion. When we visited them at their home, we were so amazed at just how wonderful all of their dogs got on together and how much fun a pack of beagles could be. With little else to do in this small remote town, being newcomers and knowing very few people, visiting them became our favourite social activity. From this, Shirley & Bill quickly saw the potential for us to get hooked into this dog showing racket and well that is where and how our involvement escalated.
The natural progression of showing and then breeding took hold . This all happened late 1986. We applied for and got our prefix in 1987. It has been some 22 years since that fateful first show and we are still as involved now as we were then. Of course Jancy and Tiny have gone to Rainbow Bridge, Bill has gone to that big dog show in the sky, Shirley remains a Queenslander (retired from showing), but our memories of them all, have never left us.
We continue to exhibit in WA since our move in 2001. We have made numerous friends (nationally and internationally) due to our hobby and treasure every single one of them - those both past and present. We respect and admire each and every one of them for their contributions to both our successes in the show-ring and personally.
The dogs may have changed since our beginnings, naturally showing and breeding has had its highs and lows, but all these experiences have provided an endless source of invaluable education for us both. However, one thing never changes. The lovingness, loyalty and satisfaction we get from this breed, never diminishes from one dog or litter to the next. This is why we look towards the next 20 years and beyond. Excited with the knowledge, we get to share it all with our progressive Beagle family.
OUR LITTLE DOGS WITH BIG HEARTS
