The Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle is a small dog that can come in teacup and toy sizes.
In Medieval times, there was a breed of dog called a pocket beagle, which stood at 8 to 9 inches. Small enough to fit in a 'pocket' or saddlebag, they rode along on the hunt. The larger hounds would run the prey to the ground, then the hunters would release the small beagles to continue the chase through the underbrush into their burrows. Queen Elizabeth I often entertained guests at her royal table by letting her pocket beagles cavort amid their plates and cups. This genetic line is now extinct. The modern Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle is a re-creation of that dog.
The Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle was originally started in 2002 by Rebecca VanMeter of Indiana. It was the foundation line for the toy breeds developed by the the Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle Foundation breeders. Only child safe breeds were used that were stable in temperament and were not snappish. In 2011 it was decided that the Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle be re categorized as a 'toy' rather than 'hound' based on its unique genetic heritage, companion dog temperament, and smaller toy dog size.
The body of Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagle is lean with straight foreleg, sloping muscular shoulders and a moderate length tail. The slightly domed head is relatively long with a medium length muzzle, low hung ears, medium sized eyes set well apart and a well proportioned nose. The coat is short to medium in length and comes in a variety of colors including tricolor, solid, harlequin, piebald and brindle patterns.
This breed is still in its development phase and is not recognized by AKC or any other major kennel club.
