Our beagles are raised on our 6 acre homestead in the South Dakota countryside three miles from the Missouri River. Our "Lonesome Grove" is the remnant of a previously abandoned farmplace. Our home was built in 1893 as the Cooley ranch house, which we saved from demolition and moved to the grove in 2004.
The loving and care of our beagle pack involves our entire family. All four kids are constantly working and playing with our dogs. One of the great benefits of raising puppies is that it allows you to have a ton more pets.
We are committed to the breed, our pack, and our extended Beagle family. We simply love Beagles and genuinely think they make the very best companions, especially ours (of course we could be a little biased). We breed for the beautiful, healthy, good-natured, and intelligent Beagle. We strive to bring together beautiful Beagle looks and great Beagle personality in all our puppies. They are truly a joy to raise and to share with others.
I believe there is a very important place in our world, in the lives of families, children, and individuals, for the companionship and enrichment that can only come from life shared with a Beagle. These floppy, bouncing little hounds can transform the worse day into something better, the most selfish child into a loving care-giver, and give a hectic and chaotic life some moments of real sanity and peace. I know that sounds a bit over the top; how can a little dog do all that? I can’t explain it, but I know it to be true. Maybe our long-eared, white-tipped-tail-wagging friends are our chance to get back the connection with our fellow creatures that we post-modern, post-traditional, post-everything humans need.
At any rate, it’s what I need. I can’t imagine life without our pack. They are fuzzy, funny, faithful and most of all-- they are family. Now I would be the first to remind you that dogs are not people; they are dogs. They need what dogs need. They love what dogs love. They do what dogs do. But they are still family; in fact, often more human than many two-legged relatives can be. To many, it may seem quite odd to choose a life filled with so many canine companions. Some may worry about mental health issues, animal hoarding, puppy milling or other such unscrupulous motivations. I don’t think I am crazy; just crazy about my Beagles. My whole life, I have lived as part of a large family and a huge extended family. It is no stretch that our pack would be large too. There is always enough to go around. Everyone has their place, their strengths and weaknesses, their needs and their abilities. Together, life as a pack is the right life for us.
It is simple really. When you have something that you love, naturally, you will want to share it. You will want others to have the opportunity to experience and cherish it like you do. We love Beagles and we want you to know a Beagle’s love too. That’s why we do what we do here at Lonesome Grove.