Beagles | Beagles

Registered Name	Call Name	Birth	Death
	Sport¹	1978	1981
Road Runner of Raintree CD²	Runner	1981-11-20
Lone Ranger of Raintree CD³	Ranger	1981-11-20
Ch. Harnetts Playwright CD⁴	Writer
Ch. Sureluvs Little Rebecca CD⁵	Becky
Densom Playing Possum⁶	Possom
Lynmax Apache Warrior⁷	Patton
Lynmax Apache Princess⁸	Princess
Lynmax King of the Road⁹	Trucker
Lynmax Born A Travelin’ Man¹⁰	Traveler
Lee’s Lady in Red of Holihouse¹¹	Lady
Harnetts Centerfold¹²	Jill
Harnetts Blockade Runner¹³	Rebel
Harnetts Storm Chaser¹⁴	Chaser
Lynmax Wherefore Bark Thou¹⁵	Romeo	2001-12-10
Lynmax Heart and Soul¹⁶	Sweetheart	2001-12-10	2016-01-29
Lynmax Athena¹⁷	Athena	2009-01-14	2020-11-30
Lynmax Zeus¹⁸	Zeus	2009-01-14	2020-10-27
Encore River of Dreams at Lynmax¹⁹	River	2016-07-05	2023-06-14
GCH CH Ornre One’s Don’t Mess With Texas BCAT²⁰	Austin	2011-10-26

Athena, Zeus, and River

Zeus is the male with his tail half white. Athena is his sister and her tail has a flame tip of white. River is the younger Beagle with the large swath of white on her right shoulder.


Treeing Squirrels April 21, 2022	Treeing Squirrels June 2, 2020	River Climbs a Tree June 3, 2020

Different cancers cut Zeus’ and Athena’s life far too short in spite of our best efforts to provide vetinary care and cancer specialists with surgery, radiation, and chemo.

For Zeus’ last day, we also took Athena and River with us. Since Paula and I held Zeus as the drugs were given, there was no interaction with Athena or River.

On Athena’s last day, she was laid down on a towel on the floor. What River did next was touching. She laid down next to Athena back touching back as Athena received the drugs.

We knew that River has separation anxiety without Zeus and Athena. When it became apparent that Athena was not going to survive cancer, Paula put the wheels in motion to adop an adult. River was morning the loss of Athena.

River and Austin

Austin’s owner/breeder has passed away in Illinois. A foster home was provided for him in Arizona. We drove up to the Raleigh Airport to pick him up. River was not the gracious hostess for Austin’s first day. But they were playing together on his second day. River’s identification hasn’t changed. Austin is the older male.


River and Austin Playing December 10, 2020	River and Austin Playing February 28, 2021

Obituaries

I start writing obituaries for our Beagles with Sweetheart.

Beagle	Birth	Death	Obituary
Lynmax Heart and Soul (Sweetheart)	2001-12-10	2016-01-29	Lynmax Heart and Soul (Sweetheart) crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on January 29th, 2016. She was born on December 10th, 2001 to Harnett’s Centerfold (Jill). She was lovingly raised from birth by Ralph and Paula Hightower along with her littermate Lynmax Wherefore Bark Thou (Romeo). She follows her mom, Jill, and her brother, Romeo, to Rainbow Bridge. She is survived by her two sons, Ch. Lynmax Apollo (Pauly), Lynmax Zeus (Zeus), and daughter, Lynmax Athena (Athena). Sweetheart enjoyed chasing rabbits and treeing squirrels and passed her talent onto Athena and Zeus, although they haven’t mastered her knack for climbing trees after squirrels (four feet off the ground in a tree). She was also a talented escape artist, able to open doors of kennel crates if it wasn’t bungeed shut. After enduring a seven month battle of oral melanoma and lymphoma, Sweetie went to sleep in Paula’s lap with Ralph stroking her head, assisted by her co-owner, Dr. Davida Roof DVM. Sweetheart joins the other members of the Hightower Beagle pack over 38 years, who have gone on before her (not listed in chronological order): Ranger and Runner, Writer, Rebecca (Becky), Patton and Princess, Traveler and Trucker (notice a pattern here), Sport, Lady, Jill, Chaser, Rebel, and Romeo. Her pain and suffering from cancer gone, restored to new youth and vigor at Rainbow Bridge, she is enjoying life once again, while anticipating her owners Ralph and Paula, with the current and future members of the pack, to join her.
Lynmax Zeus (Zeus)	2009-01-14	2020-10-27	Lynmax Zeus (Zeus) crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on October 27, 220. He was born on January 14, 2009 to Lynmax Heart and Soul (Sweetheart); his birth date is the birthday of his maternal grandmother, Ch. Harnett’s Centerfold (Jill). He was lovingly raised from birth by Ralph and Paula Hightower along with his littermate Lynmax Athena (Athena). He follows his mom, Sweetheart, and his maternal grandmother, Jill, to Rainbow Bridge. He is survived by two littermates, brother, Ch. Lynmax Apollo (Pauly) owned by Dr. Davida Roof DVM, and sister, Athena and four-year old Encore River of Dreams (River) from Encore Beagles of Anniston, Alabama. He had a great, happy attitude in a small package and a great voice. Zeus enjoyed treeing squirrels, a talent passed onto him from his mother. Zeus was in the lead photograph of the article “Tips on Training a Squirrel Dog” published by Alabama Wildlife magazine. Zeus was punctual about dinnertime and bedtime, letting Ralph and Paula know what time it was; although the yearly time changes tripped him up for a few days. Zeus had a knack for calling the girls, Sweetheart, Athena, and River, to dinnertime and bedtime. After enduring a six-month battle of oral melanoma with surgery, radiation, and chemo, Zeus went to sleep in Ralph and Paula’s lap, assisted by his co-owner, Dr. Davida Roof DVM; Athena and River were also there to say goodbye. Ralph and Paula thank the staff at Blythewood Animal Hospital in Blythewood, SC, Upstate Vet in Greenville, SC, and South Carolina Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care for their treatment of Zeus and his cancer Zeus joins the other members of the Hightower Beagle pack over 43 years, who have gone on before him (not listed in chronological order): Ranger and Runner, Writer, Rebecca (Becky), Patton and Princess, Traveler and Trucker (notice a pattern here), Sport, Lady, Jill, Chaser, Rebel, Romeo and Sweetheart. His pain and suffering from cancer gone, restored to new youth and vigor at Rainbow Bridge, he is enjoying life once again, while anticipating his owners Ralph and Paula, with the current and future members of the pack, to join him.
Lynmax Athena (Athena)	2009-01-14	2020-11-30	Lynmax Athena (Athena) crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on November 30, 2020. She was born on January 14, 2009 to Lynmax Heart and Soul (Sweetheart); her birth date is also the birthday of her maternal grandmother, Ch. Harnett’s Centerfold (Jill). She was lovingly raised from birth by Ralph and Paula Hightower along with her littermate Lynmax Zeus (Zeus). She follows her brother, Zeus, her mom, Sweetheart, and her maternal grandmother, Jill, to Rainbow Bridge. She is survived by one littermate, brother, Ch. Lynmax Apollo (Paul) owned by Dr. Davida Roof DVM and four-year old Encore River of Dreams (River) from Encore Beagles of Anniston, Alabama. Athena demanded attention; she didn’t mind one paying attention to another dog as long as you had one hand on her. Athena enjoyed treeing squirrels; a talent passed onto her from her mother. Although Athena is the spitting image of her mother in build, she never got the hang of getting in a tree after a squirrel like her mother. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in June 2019; treatment included surgery for removal, followed by chemotherapy. In August 2020, Athena was due to end chemo, but developed inflammatory digestive disease along with liver cancer. Medications and chemo failed to restore a normal Beagle appetite and she gradually lost weight. Athena went to sleep with Ralph and Paula stroking her and River laying by her side, assisted by her co-owner, Dr. Davida Roof DVM. Ralph and Paula thank the staff at Blythewood Animal Hospital in Blythewood, SC for her regular veterinary care, and South Carolina Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care in Columbia, SC for their treatment of Athena and her cancers and digestive diseases. Athena joins the other members of the Hightower Beagle pack over 43 years, who have gone on before her (not listed in chronological order): Ranger and Runner, Writer, Rebecca (Becky), Patton and Princess, Traveler and Trucker (notice a pattern here), Sport, Lady, Jill, Chaser, Rebel, Romeo and Sweetheart, and Zeus. Her pain and suffering from disease gone, restored to new youth and vigor at Rainbow Bridge, she is enjoying life once again, while anticipating her owners Ralph and Paula, with the current and future members of the pack, to join her.
Encore River of Dreams at Lynmax (River)	2016-07-05	2023-06-14	Encore River of Dreams crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on June 14ᵗʰ, 2023 to rejoin with Zeus and Athena, who led the way. She was bred by Teresa Nesmith of Encore Beagles near Anniston, Alabama. She was sired by Sumrdreams Heart-N-Soul and birthed by Ch Encore Hidden Dream on July 5ᵗʰ, 2016. Her breeder wanted “dream” to be part of her registered name, so we named her after Billy Joel’s song, River of Dreams. She was welcomed to her furever home of Ralph and Paula Hightower in Chapin, South Carolina, and enthusiastically welcomed by her senior pack members, seven year old siblings, Zeus and Athena, who we raised from birth. She, in return, adored Zeus and Athena. As a young pup, she would howl with the sirens of firetrucks and ambulances when they passed by our house. After she got older, she would just give her mournful howl to ambulances. Veterans Day weekend 2016, she competed in the National Beagle Club Specialty held in Ocala, Florida, in the four month old puppy sweepstakes. During downtime, she, along with Ralph, watched in fascination of dogs competing in FastCAT (Coursing Ability Test), which involves a timed 100-yard dash chasing a white bag pulled by a pulley. Being four months old, she was too young to compete. On the sideline watching with Ralph, she learned to anticipate the bag approach by the sound and would wait for the bag; she would follow the bag as far as her leash would go. After all the dogs had run, the course operators let her have a fun run. Without rabbits in what woods were left (too much growth in what used to be considered “country”), being game hunters with no prey, our beagles turned to squirrels to hunt and tree. She would climb a tree in the backyard after a squirrel. River was destructive with her toys, among other items. Whoever said that a dog toy was *“indestructible”* had never tested the toy with a Beagle. She managed to destroy a Tonka toy that had rubber wheels molded together at a 90° angle to get to the bell. Once on Facebook, Ralph posted that River had severed the head of a duck; one of his friends replied “OMG! You better clean that mess up!”; to which he replied “Don’t worry. It’s a stuffed toy.” She loved to skin tennis balls and had fun doing so. She also ripped the stuffing out of lounge chair cushions, so Zeus and Athena wouldn’t have anything comfy to lay on. She had fun “attacking the water spray” from a lawn sprinkler, often grabbing it by the sprinkler head and moving it. Funny girl. In the first weekend of November 2019, she was entered in FastCAT trials hosted by the Piedmont Kennel Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Waiting in line to run, she was patient, peaceful and calm, even laying down while we were at the back of the line while the Dobes and German Shepherds were hyper, wanting to run. One person ahead of us commented that she was “chilling out and laid back.” She was, until we got to third or fourth next to run; then she started barking and surging towards the starting gate. That same person asked, “What woke you up?” She did outstanding in her four runs, two runs per day, with times of 11:35 seconds 18.02 MPH 27.03 points and 11:13 MPH: 17.02 points: 27.57 points for Saturday, and 10:92 seconds MPH: 18.73 points: 28.10 and 13:18 seconds MPH: 15.52 points: 23.28 for a weekend total of 105.98, needing just two good runs totalling 44.02 points to earn her first title of BCAT. At another trial, at the same place, just a different month, she decided that she was finished. For Athena’s last day, Athena was laid on a towel on the floor of Blythewood Animal Hospital. What River did next was touching and moving; she laid down next to Athena back touching back while the drugs were given to Athena. When it became apparent that Athena was not going to recover from her cancer(s), Paula put the wheels in motion to adopt an adult. GCH CH Ornre One’s Don’t Mess With Texas BCAT, Austin, was adopted in December 2020, after his breeder/owner had passed away. River was not the gracious hostess for Austin’s first day, but they were playing on his second day. She had been diagnosed with diabetes, which had been under control until she experienced a severe, and prolonged diabetic seizure (unknown to us, that diabetes was the cause) on Sunday, June 11, 2023, and passed away at the emergency clinic. River joins the other members of the Hightower Beagle pack over 45 years, who have gone on before her, in particular, members of her pack that welcomed her, Zeus and Athena. Her diabetes is gone, restored to new youth and vigor at Rainbow Bridge, she is enjoying life once again, while anticipating her owners Ralph and Paula, with the current and future members of the pack, to join her.

Beagle Haiku

“RalphHightower” / ChatGPT
“Good morning Assistant. How are you doing today?”
Good morning! I’m an AI language model, so I don’t have feelings, but I’m here and ready to assist you. How can I help you today?
“How familiar are you with the dog breed of Beagles?”
I’m quite familiar with the dog breed of Beagles. Beagles are a small to medium-sized breed known for their friendly and gentle nature. They are scent hounds and were originally bred for hunting purposes, particularly for tracking small game like rabbits. Beagles are known for their keen sense of smell, intelligence, and loyalty. In terms of appearance, Beagles typically have a short coat that comes in a variety of colors, including tricolor (black, tan, and white), bicolor, and lemon. They have a muscular build, a slightly domed skull, and long, droopy ears that help enhance their sense of smell. Beagles are known to be sociable and good with families and children. They are generally happy, curious, and outgoing dogs. However, they do have a strong prey drive and may chase small animals if not properly trained or supervised. Beagles are also known for their vocal nature and can be quite vocal when they want attention or are on the scent of something interesting. If you have any specific questions about Beagles or need more information, feel free to ask!
“Could you create five Haiku verses about Beagles?”
Certainly! Here are five Haiku verses about Beagles:
Nose to the damp earth, Tracking scents through woods and fields, Beagle’s quest unfolds.
Floppy ears perk up, Melody of baying sounds, Beagle’s song of joy.
Loyal, gentle friend, Playful eyes with wagging tail, Beagle’s love runs deep.
Curious sniffer, Scent trails guide adventurous paws, Beagle’s quest for fun.
Soulful eyes that gleam, Beagle’s heart full of mischief, Pure love, forever.
I hope you enjoy these Haiku verses about Beagles
“Thank you. I think that you captured the essence, personality, and spirit of Beagles.”
You’re welcome! I’m glad you feel that way. Beagles are wonderful dogs with unique personalities, and I’m glad I could capture their essence through the Haiku verses. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.
“Yes, I agree. Beagles have provided joy and companionship to my wife and me since 1978.”
That’s truly wonderful to hear! Beagles have a special way of bringing joy, companionship, and love to their owners’ lives. It’s incredible that you’ve had the pleasure of experiencing their wonderful presence for such a long time. Their loyalty and playful nature make them cherished family members for many people. If you have any more stories or questions about Beagles or anything else, feel free to share. I’m here to listen and assist you!
“Thank you. Goodbye.”
You’re welcome! If you have any more questions in the future, don’t hesitate to ask. Goodbye and have a great day!

Beagle Stories

Becky

Yesterday was the seventeenth anniversary of the passing away of Ch. Sureluv’s Little Rebecca CD. Becky was our second show Beagle. She had some recent problems so we took her to the vet. Later the veterinarian said her prognosis was not that great. Friday night, Paula Hightower and I decided to end her suffering. She passed away that night. Becky was two months shy of crossing eighteen. Some funny moments from Becky’s life: 1) Becky was just a pup when we brought a watermelon home from the grocery store and laid it on the kitchen floor. Becky saw this big green monster and started barking at it. 2) Becky qualified for her CD obedience title. However, there was a runoff for high scoring hound with a Borzoi. Becky sat and watched Paula do the runoff. 3) Becky believed in exercise. While she could not run in her later years, she would walk along the fence every day. Acupuncture and herbal medicine helped her keep her mobility.

Becky gave birth to two sons, Trucker and Traveler. The origins of their names is another story.

Beagle Links / Articles

Beagle Links / Articles
National Beagle Club Specialty
Show Beagles Worldwide Magazine
Beagle Hunting Performance Test

Sport - Someone dropped Sport off in our neighborhood. Paula named Sport after a poodle that she had while growing up. ↩
Runner - When we first saw the litter, Runner was the first that was trying to run, so he was named Road Runner ↩
Ranger - On our second visit, Ranger has black around his eyes like a mask, so ↩
Writer - Writer was already named, he was named after a racehorse, but a playwright is a writer. ↩
Becky - She was named after a character in a Dickens novel. Our dogs’ named were confusing to members of the Greater Columbia Obedience Club, all beginning with an R sound (Ranger, Runner, and Writer); we kept it up, but gave the a break. ↩
Possom - She was already named. ↩
Patton - We named this litter honoring their sire, who had Apache in his registered name. ↩
Princess - We named this litter honoring their sire, who had Apache in his registered name. ↩
Trucker - Less than 24 hours old, they had crawled away from their mom, so they were given songs of the road. ↩
Traveler - Less than 24 hours old, they had crawled away from their mom, so they were given songs of the road. But I was wrong about the Allman Brothers Song. It’s “Called a Rambling Man”. But Trucker and Traveler fits with the theme of naming litters beginning with one letter of the alphabet. ↩
Lady - Named by breeder. ↩
Jill - She was already named by the breeder. ↩
Rebel - He was already named by the breeder. ↩
Chaser - He was already named by the breeder. ↩
Romeo - Paula wanted the Romeo name, so it’s a play off “Wherefore art thou?” ↩
Sweetheart - She was named after the T’Pau song, Heart and Soul. ↩
Athena - Paula wanted the name after Greek mythology. ↩
Zeus - Paula wanted the name after Greek mythology. ↩
River - The breeder wanted Dream as part of her registered name, so we named her after the Billy Joel song. ↩
Austin - He was already named by the breeder. ↩