Beagles Go Nuts

Beagles from all over Middle Tennessee joined their national colleagues in gathering around televisions last week to root for champion hound Uno in his quest to become the first beagle to win Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

“My beagles Wendall and Betty were riveted to the show,” says Stacey Skelton of Whites Creek. “Unfortunately, when Uno was announced as the winner, things got a little out of hand, celebrationwise.”

Skelton was not alone in her experience. When Uno was named Best in Show, packs of hounds poured from houses and ran through yards and parks, baying with joy, wagging their tails and ignoring the calls of their owners to come back and calm down.

“It was pretty much standard beagle behavior,” Skelton notes. “Except that it went on all night. Some people were upset.”

There were even reports that joyous beagles got a little rowdy.

“We had a report that some beagles were rocking a city bus in the Lipscomb area,” police spokesperson Kristin Mumford says. “But it turned out that there was somebody on it who had bought a bag of Milk Bones, and the dogs were just trying to get some treats.

“We also had an unconfirmed report that some beagles were finding random things to eat on the sidewalk and gulping them down, but however disgusting that is, it’s not criminal.”

Representatives of the local poodle and terrier communities are reluctant to comment regarding the happy-hounds-in-packs behavior but were quick to note that their breeds traditionally have had much more success at Westminster and are accustomed to handling victory in stride.

“You don’t see toy poodles or Scottish terriers out acting this way when they win,” sniffs a local breeder. “It’s just another indication that a beagle isn’t really worthy of such an honor.”