The term “Beagle” is believed to have been derived from the old French word “becquele”, which means “noisy person” or “open throat”. This term was probably used because of the breed’s loud baying. Baying is like a loud howling, which alerts the hunter that his pack has located the prey. It is the scent hound’s way to say, “over here” and the hunter can then follow the baying. The term “Beagle” was not used until 1475. However, Beagle-like dogs were bred in England for rabbit hunting since the 1300’s. The original Beagle was a pocket-size dog. Beagles were imported into United States in the 1860s. The Beagle was accepted as a breed by the American Kennel Club in 1885. As of 2017, the American Kennel Club ranks the Beagle breed in the top ten of popular breeds. The Beagle has been featured in movies such as Cats & Dogs, Shiloh, John Wick and Wonderdog. There are famous cartoon Beagles, which include Snoopy, Underdog, Mr. Peabody and Gromit. Beagles are not only great companions and celebrities, they are also working dogs. The United States government has trained Beagles since 1984 to patrol airports, cargo facilities, and sea and border entry points. The Beagle uses his keen sense of smell to stop illegal drugs, contraband foods, and plants from entering the United States. The German Shepherd originated in Germany in the 1800’s and was initially bred as a herding dog. They were protective and vigilant over the flock. The German Shepherd would not only bring back a lost sheep; they would also fight off predators. In 1891 The Phylax Society was formed to create set standards for the breed. Unfortunately, they could not agree if the German Shepherd should be bred to be solely a working dog or should the breeding also focus on his appearance. The Phylax Society disbanded after three years. In 1899, an ex-member of The Phylax Society, Max von Stephanitz, attended a dog show. In the show was a dog named Hektor Linksrhein, who was the result of selective breeding. Mr. Stephanitz was impressed by Hektor’s appearance, intelligence and strength. He purchased Hektor and renamed him Horand von Grafrath. Mr. Stephanitz then established the Society for the German Shepherd Dog. His dog Horand was the first German Shepherd added to the society's breed register. Horand was then bred with other German Shepherds that had the appropriate traits. The German Shepherd grew in popularity throughout Europe. Over 80,000 German Shepherd were recruited by the Germans during World War l and World War ll. In 1993, they became the third most popular breed in the United States. As of 2017, the German Shepherd is the second most popular dog in the United States. They are currently used for police work, military work, search-and-rescue, watchdogs, narcotic detection, therapy dogs, and guide dogs. The breed is highly intelligent and loyal. German Shepherds have made devoted companions to President Kennedy, Elvis, Chuck Norris, Amy Grant, Diane Keaton, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck and Tom Hanks.
