Beagle Harrier

There are very few breeds that still exist that have as much historical conjecture as the Beagle Harrier, and that's hardly an overstatement. Experts seem to be almost entirely split on several junctures of the breed's historical development. Some say it has been in existence since the Late Middle Ages or Early Renaissance, while others claim it was developed by painter Baron Gerard in the 19th century. Some say the Beagle Harrier is likely a mix of the two breeds while others claim it is the last link in the bloodline before the two became their own separate breeds. The trouble, in part, stems from the fact that both the Harrier and the Beagle also have largely undocumented histories that are open to interpretation. While each was said to have been written about between 1200 and 1400 A.D. in relatively accurate terms, there's no way to be certain that there was no influence from antecedents of breeds like the English Foxhounds, let alone outright replacement, as historically implied. Regardless of its history, confirmed or unconfirmed, what is known is that the Beagle Harrier is still quite a rare breed and has not spread in either use or adoration outside of France, and even there is considered rare enough to be considered in danger of outright extinction. Recognition by both the UKC and CKC since 1996 shows promise of their numbers increasing, but there has yet to be any significant evidence to support that this breed is growing in any significant fashion. They were officially recognized by the FCI in 1974 and by the UKC in 1996.