The Beagle is an old breed, whose first mention in English literature dates back to 1475. It is suggested that the term Beagle could have come from several different sources: the French beguele which means "open throat," the Welsh beag which means small, or possibly from the German word begele meaning "to scold."

The Beagle was bred specifically for rabbit hunting, and King Edward III is known to have used the dog for just that purpose. Hunting with Beagles is done on foot, rather than horseback and has been called "beagling." The Beagle did not become as popular in America as it was in England for quite some time. It was not until 1885 that the American Kennel Club registered its very first Beagle. In 1888 both the National Beagle Club and the breed standard was established in the States. These days, the Beagle is occasionally used for practical purposes, for example, sniffing out out contraband at airports and locating traces of flame accelerants at disaster sites where arson is suspected. Generations of breeding specifically for loyalty and obedience have also made the Beagle a fantastic companion, which is why so many families today have welcomed the Beagle into their homes. The most famous Beagle in the world is Snoopy, from the popular syndicated comic strip Peanuts.

History courtesy BreedRetriever.com