The Beagle is just one breed of dog and there are no other different breeds available. It is however a noticeable fact that the Beagle falls into two distinct height categories. One is the standard Beagle that grows to between 33 and 41 cm (13 and 16 inches) while the other very rarely even touches 13 inches. Although these are also considered to be Beagles and no distinction placed upon them the American Kennel Club places them in separate categories to be shown separately in shows.
The reason for this is that the Beagle is a very old breed of dog. They have been known to have existed in the Middle ages although their origins are considerably older. Initially they were favored hunters because they were not too fast and a person on foot could easily keep pace with them. As hunting became faster with the hunter following the dogs on horseback, larger dogs that could run faster started being used. The Beagle did not however loose favor immediately and a separate sub breed that was commonly called the pocket Beagle was developed.
The term pocket Beagle was used because they used to ride in the saddle pockets of their owners and once the larger dogs had followed their quarry to ground or into a thicket, they were sent in to finish the job. They were considerably smaller and had a keen sense of smell and could therefore follow prey even in thick brush where sight was a problem.
Records indicate that an even smaller variety called the Glove Beagle was developed and that this breed was so small that it could be carried on a glove. This variety is believed to have died out because such small Beagles are not found any more. The Pocket Beagle is however believed to have been absorbed into the standard breed which is the reason why these two distinct size variations are seen.
What must be kept in mind is that the pocket strain of Beagles is extinct now and even though the American Kennel Club recognizes two different varieties this is not believed to be the pocket variety.
