James Baquet

    Becky is chatting with her classmate Lily in the common room of their dorm.

    Becky: Hi, Lily. What are you laughing at?

    Lily: Oh, I was just reading some cartoons with Snoopy in them. He’s so cute!

    Becky: Yeah, real beagles are pretty cute, too.

    Lily: What’s a beagle?

    Becky: It’s the breed of dog that Snoopy’s supposed to be.

    Lily: What do you mean, breed? Is it like a species?

    Becky: No, all dogs are the same species. But over the years they’ve been bred for different purposes. “Bred” is a form of the verb “breed,” and the resulting type is called “a breed.”

    Lily: So, “to be bred” means...?

    Becky: It means the owners of the dogs chose a male and a female with certain traits to have babies together.

    Lily: I still don’t quite get it.

    Becky: Believe it or not, most of the dog breeds we know today were bred for some useful purpose.

    Lily: Oh, like shepherds were bred to herd sheep.

    Becky: Yes. Cows, too, though we don’t call them “cowherds.”

    Lily: Some dogs are called “retrievers.” They were used to bring back dead birds when people shot them.

    Becky: To “retrieve” them, yes.

    Lily: Okay, so how is a breed different from a species?

    Becky: Essentially, different species can’t breed with each other, though there are lots of exceptions. But all dog breeds — being the same species — can breed with each other.

    Lily: Okay. So Snoopy is a beagle. What were they bred for?

    Becky: They were originally used for hunting rabbits, foxes, deer, and other wild animals. They’re what are called “scent hounds.”

    Lily: Meaning they hunt using their noses?

    Becky: That’s right. And their long ears help them stay on the track.

    Lily: Cool! And what does “beagle” mean?

    Becky: It may mean “whining,” referring to the fact that when they’re following a scent, they use their voices in excitement.

    Lily: That’s funny! What are some other scent hounds?

    Becky: The basset hound is one. It looks a little like a beagle, but has a long, low body.

    Lily: They’re kind of funny looking.

    Becky: Yes, the name “basset” comes from a word meaning “low,” because they’re built low to the ground.

    Lily: What else?

    Becky: The dachshund is another.

    Lily: That’s the one that looks like a sausage, right?

    Becky: Yes. The German word “dachs” means “badger.” So they were bred to track badgers and chase them out of their holes.

    Lily: That explains the shape! “Hund” means “hound,” another word for dog, right?

    Becky: Right.