“Be yourself, ” they said when we were growing up. “Be an individual.”
When is it not only okay, but preferred when you look and act like everyone around you?
When you are a dog, and you are a Beagle, English Foxhound, or Basset Hound.
And what do these hound breeds have in common?
They share a pack hunting heritage.
These breeds were (and are) among those traditionally used for hunting in packs because, in addition to their scenting skills, these hounds are highly social dogs who work well as a team. While several AKC breed standards mention a hound’s function as a pack dog (the Harrier, Portuguese Podengo Pequeno and Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, to name three), only one AKC hound breed mentions “levelness of pack” in its standard, and that breed is the Beagle.
That said, there are field trials for groups of hounds governed by separate AKC and UKC (United Kennel Club) rules that require judges to evaluate packs as a cohesive unit. They implicitly emphasize uniformity in movement and teamwork, key aspects of “levelness of pack.” Indeed, the Basset Hound Club of America’s materials reference pack judging and state: “A level pack is a group of hounds similar in size and structure, working well together, in part due to like conformation.”
Forgive us for stating what is obvious to dog fanciers (but not so much for people not in the show world – or even non-hound owners), but levelness of pack is a term that refers to the degree to which a group of dogs (the pack) presents a unified, consistent appearance and function as a harmonious unit. In Beagles, “General Levelness of Pack” is so valued, it accounts for 40% of a total score in pack judging. This means that all the dogs in the pack should look as similar as possible in terms of height, weight, body structure, and color. Uniformity is considered the first and most important aspect when evaluating a pack. They should also work together smoothly, and act like a team and not as disjointed individuals.
By now, you may be thinking, “Ok, we get it. Why does it matter?”
Functionality, for starters. When all the hounds in a pack are similar in structure and temperament, they are more apt to maintain the same pace, stamina, and work style. “Sameness” keeps slower or weaker dogs from falling behind, and stronger or faster dogs from outpacing the group. It ensures that the pack operates as a cohesive unit and not as a ragtag bunch of individuals confused about who does what, and how. In a judging scenario, cohesiveness also demonstrates to a judge the breeder’s skill in choosing and maintaining a group of dogs that work in harmony because of genetic consistency and effective training.
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