The breed known for its loud, baying howl and rabbit-hunting history is the Beagle.
The Beagle is a British scent hound bred primarily to track rabbits and hares. Its powerful nose, stamina, compact size, and close-working style made it useful for hunters who traveled on foot or horseback. A pack could follow a scent for long periods while staying together in thick undergrowth.
Beagles communicate with several distinctive vocalizations. Alongside ordinary barking, they produce a resonant bay or howl when following a trail, alerting the pack, or becoming excited. This “singing” voice is a hallmark of the breed, though it can make Beagles noisy household companions.
The modern Beagle developed in Great Britain during the 19th century from several earlier hounds, including the North Country Beagle, Southern Hound, Talbot Hound, and possibly the Harrier. Foxhounds and Basset Hounds also have strong hunting traditions, but Foxhounds were developed for larger quarry and Basset Hounds are heavier, lower-slung scent hounds. Beagles remain popular pets and are also used for detection work because of their keen sense of smell.