About UKC Beagles

The UKC Beagle programs are an excellent way to keep your dogs sharp.

UKC Hunting Beagle Format

UKC's programs strive to keep each hunting breed as it was originally intended. Beagles were originally conceived as a dog to pursue rabbits and bring them around to the gun for hunters. They are excellent hunters and work well together in a pack.

The Hunting Beagle format is designed to reward a dog that can bring a rabbit around to the gun as fast as scenting conditions allow with as few faults as possible. Casts are randomly drawn in packs of four hounds, regardless of sex or size, and are sent to the brush to be run on wild rabbits and judged under simulated hunting conditions. Hounds exceeding 15" in height are denied entry. No wild game is ever taken. They are scored with the lead of the pencil rather than the lead from a shotgun shell.

This format offers the participants a chance to participate in each cast as an active handler. Both the handler and their dog work as a team while attempting to outscore the other dogs in the cast.

UKC Gundog Trials

UKC's programs strive to keep each hunting breed as it was originally intended. Beagles were originally conceived as a dog to pursue rabbits and bring them around to the gun for hunters. They are excellent hunters and work well together in a pack.

Clubs have the option of drawing hounds out in a brace-style format, or a small pack option where they are judged in a pack up to seven hounds in each series. Entries are split up into four classes based on sex and height. 13"and under hounds compete in the same class and 15" hounds compete in the same class. Hounds exceeding 15" are disqualified.

Emphasis is placed on a hounds' ability to capably run the line in a controlled manner and work closely in the check area when attempting to recover a temporary loss. At the conclusion of the running of each pack, judges select their best performers to advance to a subsequent series and ultimately a winners pack, that may include up to nine hounds, where a total five hounds are considered for placement in the trial.

Check out the Beagle Gundog Alliance on Facebook

Performance Pack

In Performance Pack events dogs are drawn to 5 dog casts and sent to the field with a judge who stays with the dogs as they run a track. Judges evaluate each dog in the pack on their ability to accurately run a rabbit. In the end the judge tabulates the scores he has accumulated on each dog and a winner is announced.