Look before you leap, beagle-wise

Take a look at this picture from the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. (Click it to embiggen for closer inspection.)

With the winner of best in show being a beagle, here come the cautionary — and for good reason — stories about why you should think before rushing out and getting one.

The Boston Globe has an article, as does the Arizona Republic.

From the Globe:

They're nose-to-the-ground howlers. They dig in yards and chew through furniture. And when it comes to cachet at the dog park, well, let's just say you don't usually see them in the trendier precincts. Bred to track rabbits, they're not always the easiest pets.

I've mentioned my neighborhood encounter with the cute as a button, but surprisingly loud, pooch.

When we were living in Manhattan, we used to visit the dog run by the Natural History Museum. There was a woman who came to the run with her beagle. She obviously loved the dog, but freely admitted it wasn't the dog for her or her family.

Forewarned ...

Photo credit: Westminster Kennel Club