Houndsman Spotlight By, Jim Lane

An “in-depth” Beagler Interview is an open ended, discovery oriented method to obtain detailed information

about a Beagler, his hounds and beagling in general. Our goal is to explore “in-depth” a respondent’s point

of view, experiences, feelings, perspectives and get relevant answers to questions that people really want to

know within the sport of Beagling …

Enjoy the 12 Take Spotlight Interview of: Larry Perry

Name: Larry Perry Home Town: Branchland, West Virginia

Phone: 304-778-7217 Kennel Name: Perry’s Kennels

Bloodlines: Mt. Zion Pete

1) When did you get introduced to the sport of Beagling and what were the circumstances surrounding that?

“In the 1940’s, our family as far back as I can remember had dogs. Back then we had grade dogs, part beagle

and part fox hound also part beagle and part feist.”

2) Once you decided to pursue Beagling, who “personally” influenced you within the sport of Beagling the most?

“The beagler who influenced me back then was Kermin Bryant, he ran a little different style dog than I have

today, but they were good dogs. Some of Kermin’s blood line were in the foundation of the Gay Hounds of

Frank Reese’s kennel.”

3) What were the “foundation” dogs of your kennel and exactly why did you choose them.

“The Foundation dogs of my current dogs and kennel were Deep Creek Jake and

Clover Field Ginger. Jake was one of the smoothest running dogs I have ever

seen, and Ginger was the hardest hunting dog I have ever seen… no exceptions!

Ginger also had a big nose. I liked the “Dingus MacRae” dogs for their hunt. I

have held to the Mt. Zion Pete bloodline as I liked their running style and their

great running ability!”

4) What is the average size of your hounds, speed and general hunting style?

“The size of my dogs range from 13” to 15”. They are very aggressive with

extreme hunt. Speed is not a big concern, as I expect them to go as fast as their

nose and brains will allow them to, they are expected to do it right. They

generally are between a 7 & 9, on my scale of 1-10.

5) What is your process/method and reasoning behind choosing “keeper” pups?

“My #1 reason for keeping a pup is it’s aggressiveness in hunting and in its overall personality. Sex,

intelligence, nose, speed, and size also play a role in determining what pups I keep.”

6) Explain your training techniques and the methods you use to start, train and develop your hounds.

“At around 6 months old I begin taking my pups with an older dog that is slower so that the pups can get a lot

of work. When I get a sense that they are well started I begin soloing the pups to see their individual traits”

7) What are the top 5 characteristics and traits that you expect and demand from your hounds?

“1- Of course is extreme hunt. I demand lots of hunt in my dogs! If a

dog won’t hunt it is useless! 2- Nose, I like a really big nose on dogs. I

don’t want to hole rabbits on top of the ground. 3- Brains, Dogs are

like people some are smarter than others. I like dogs that know where

to look for rabbits and which way to go once they have jumped. 4-

Stamina I like a really tough hound one that can run all day regardless

of weather and terrain, and do it day after day. 5- Behavior dogs that

do not bark, fight, etc. in the kennel.”

8) What would you say your hound’s greatest “strengths” are and

if you could wave a magic wand and add to, take away or change any

one particular thing within your hounds, what would it be.

“My dog’s greatest strengths are their desire to hunt. The one thing to

add to my dogs to compliment their great hunt, is a really big nose

and the ability to use it the right way.”

9) What was the absolute best male and female that you have ever “personally” seen run?

“Deep Creek Jake was the smoothest dog with the speed he ran. Clover field Ginger was the best hunting

female I ever saw. ”

Pedigree of Jake:

FC Indian Hills Majer

Little Rowdy VI

Playfair Cadet CH Confer's Speck Of Dynamite

Showfield Winkie

Wells Vickey Famous Amos VII

Doolan's Princess

FC New City Crystal

Lord Buckingham VI Bell Mouth Tony

Allmand's Fancy Girl

New City Tammy Oxcreek Rex

Northwood's Blackie

Donna Ray Macrae

FC Dingus Macrae

FC Lar-May Huntmaster IFC Lar-May Toastmaster

High Peak Babbling Pebbles

IFC Cunningham's Annie IFC Wally of Floline

IFC Cunningham's Janie

Gibson's Hustling Peggy Jane

Galen Pates Boogie FC Pate's Creek Limbo

Pate's Reba

Clifty Creek Boots FC Pryor's Tony

Caney Fork Red Head

Pedigree of Ginger:

Indian Hills Tonto

FC Indian Hills Majer

Little Rowdy VI Playfair Cadet

Wells Vickey

FC New City Crystal Lord Buckingham VI

New City Tammy

Julie's Hustling Sally Mae

FC Dingus Macrae FC Lar-May Huntmaster

IFC Cunningham's Annie

Gibson's Hustling Peggy Jane Galen Pates Boogie

Clifty Creek Boots

Roys Midnight Suzie

FC Andy's Clover Patches

Black Diamond Rudy Smith Black Oak

Terry's Smokey Mountain Patty

Eversons Patches Coldwater Billy Jack

Miss Mickey

Carrolls White Lady

FC Indian Hills Majer Little Rowdy VI

FC New City Crystal

Carroll S Bonnie Blue Damron Colonel Redman

King Jacks Little Queen

10) Who is/was the most knowledgeable trainer/handler and the most knowledgeable breeder that you have ever

known?

“Mr. Kermin Bryant”

11) If you had to start over today with a total different bloodline, what bloodline would you choose and why?

“To start over with a different bloodline would be very difficult for me I have refined my lines for 40+ years

and I really love my dogs. If I had to start over with different lines I would like to have some of the very old

yellow creek dogs or some of the very old fish creek dogs. I think that these dogs would most fit the criteria of

what I look for in a dog.”

12) What is your advice to the individual that is just beginning their journey in the sport of beagling?

“To young beaglers I would say try to watch as many dogs run as possible. Then figure out exactly what YOU

want in a dog and go out and get it. Then try to improve upon them with selective breeding. I would also urge

people not to get caught up in the “trends” go with a line of dogs that have stood the test of time the dogs

that are the same day after day every time you take them out.”

More concerning FC Dingus Macrae, IFC MT Zion Pete and the bloodline that Larry Perry’s hounds derived from…

The Dingus Macrae story begins in May of

1973 when Lewis & Sandra Wormuth took

their female; IFC Cunningham's Annie to

breed to a very potent stud that was a

proven producer, which was Homer

Larmay’s 2006 Better Beagling HOF

Inductee, FC Lar-May Huntmaster. On July

25, 1973 Dingus Macrae was whelped along with Catskill Mountain Darby and Juniper Swamp Tess. This “cross” was so

successful it was repeated in November of 1974. On January 20, 1975 the second cross was whelped and included Dutch

Fork Huntmaster, Hatfield's Prissy, Juniper Swamp Poly and 1980 Better Beagling Award 13" Bitch, IFC Hunter's Little

Annie.

FC Lar-May Huntmaster was from a long line of Homer Larmay favorites. It included dogs such as IFC Lar-May

Toastmaster, IFC MT Zion Pete, FTCH Model Swampy Toastie II, IFC Lehigh Abe and 4 crosses of FC Dagwood's Labaan in

4 generations. Most all of these dogs went back to Yellow Creek, but a particular dog was FC Trigger XVIII. Trigger was a

favorite of Mr. Larmay and was used many times. He went back to Sutton’s and Sheik of Shady Shores breeding.

A look at Lar-May Huntmaster’s {Dingus’ Sire} pedigree:

IFC Lar-May Toastmaster

IFC MT Zion Pete

FC Dagwood's Labaan FC Trigger XVIII

Dewey Lake Clipper

FC Baronet Darkness FC Dark Knight Butch

Baronet Belle

FTCH Model Swampy Toastie II

IFC Lehigh Abe FC Concord Sindy

FC Yellow Creek Abigail

Model Swampy Floreen IFC Pleasant Run Diplomat

FC Model Swampy Toastie

High Peak Babbling Pebbles

Rekkabed's Danny

FC Dagwood's Labaan FC Trigger XVIII

Dewey Lake Clipper

Don's Little Lady IV FC Dagwood's Labaan

Pewabic Hot Penny

Ed's Suzette

FC Horner's Happy Tone Buck FC Happy Tone Buck

Happy Tone Tot

Clyde's Miss Midge FC Dagwood's Labaan

Jim's Floa

IFC Cunningham's Annie & her littermate IFC J-Wal of Roxline were out of IFC Wally of Floline and Cunningham's Janie,

which was out of a host of dogs that derived from Yellow Creek and Fish Creek, dogs like Fish Creek Andy, Fish Creek

Butch and leading back to Fish Creek Farmer who also derived from Yellow Creek.

A look at Cunningham's Annie’s {Dingus’ Dam} pedigree:

IFC Wally of Floline

IFC Mon Chien Wally

FC Katmir's High Speed Billy FC Concord Spot II

Dot's Chin Chopper

FC Mon Chien Pat FC Pastime Playful

Orchard Farm Streak

IFC La Reine Des Bois

FC Flat Shoal's Buck FC Fish Creek Andy

Pine Hill Polly

Windy Hill Lassie FC Ohio Diamond

FC Swingalong Lassie

IFC Cunningham's Janie

Otsdawa's Mohawk

IFC Bealwood Mister Clipper FC Shaw's Clipper

FC Hayes' Hi Queen

Otsdawa's Sandra Otsdawa's Smokey Joe

Otsdawa's Two Spot

Otsdawa Stormie

FC Fish Creek Andy FC Bear Creek Baldy

FC Hunter's Pollyann

Fish Creek Duchess FC Fish Creek Butch

Tinker Girl

Dingus Macrae was acquired by Bob Nicoll of Scotia, New York. Mr. Nicoll campaigned Dingus with great success. Over

the years many trialers and breeders from many different formats have campaigned their dogs and have placed stud ads

offering to the general public an opportunity to partake of a their male that “proudly” finished their championship.

However, as great as that achievement was, very few could compare to the accomplishments of Dingus Macrae. Where

some hounds take 30, 40, 50 and even up to 70 trials or more to achieve their Field Champion status,

Dingus Macrae was only entered in 14 Large Pack trials in 14 months. He placed in every trial that he was entered in and

finished 1st place 6 times. He was a Field Champion at the age of 3 yrs and 1 month. Dingus was a 13” well balanced and

solid rabbit dog that was trained on cottontail but was trialed on hare. Those that ran against him in trials nicknamed

him “The rabbit machine they couldn’t stop” and the judges that judged him also nicknamed him “Mr. Consistency”.

Soon after he achieved “Field Champion” status, Dingus’ owner Bob Nicoll was asked the question “will Dingus produce

good hounds?” Bob Nicoll answered; “Only time will answer that question, and over the years that has been the name of

the game. With a trial record second to none and some of the greatest producing strains in Large Pack history behind

him, there is ample reason to bet on the future of Dingus as a producer.” And for those that did indeed “bet on the

future of Dingus”, it paid off. Dingus was bred over 50 times producing dogs such as; FC Maggie M III, FTCH Wabasso

Sherri Lou, FTCH Mitches Roy Of Stratford, FTCH Branko's Close Call Girl, FTCH Branko's White Blizzard, FC Cane Country

Jennie, FC Smokey Macrae, FC Perch River Little Colonel, FC Bungalow Hill Gert, FC Dygert's Duke, FC Dingus' Big Shot, FC

Macrae Little Pete… just to name a few. Dingus Macrae was used to establish the very foundation of many beagle

kennels, and is still the main focus and backbone of many breeders today. Dingus was “known” for his jumping ability,

extreme hunt and “grit”. But Dingus became “legendary” by being a consistent reproducer of these traits in his offspring.

Mr. Perry has enjoyed the trickling effect of the consistency of the reproducing power that stemmed from Homer

Larmay’s best for many years. When Clover Field Ginger was bred to FC Macrae Little Pete they produced “Perrys Sam”,

who produced FC Chapman’s Hunter… and the list goes on and on.

Pedigree of Sam:

FC Macrae Little Pete

FC Dingus Macrae

FC Lar-May Huntmaster IFC Lar-May Toastmaster

High Peak Babbling Pebbles

IFC Cunningham's Annie IFC Wally of Floline

IFC Cunningham's Janie

New City Perkin Panda

New City Bear CH Valar's Gruesome Grizz

New City Lonesome Lisa

New City Perkin Sandy Homer Bill

Princes-Angie

Cloverfield Ginger

Indian Hills Tonto

FC Indian Hills Majer Little Rowdy VI

FC New City Crystal

Julie's Hustling Sally Mae FC Dingus Macrae

Gibson's Hustling Peggy Jane

Roys Midnight Suzie

FC Andy's Clover Patches Black Diamond Rudy

Eversons Patches

Carrolls White Lady FC Indian Hills Majer

Carroll S Bonnie Blue

From FC Trigger XVIII to FC Dagwood's Labaan to IFC MT Zion Pete to IFC Lar-May Toastmaster to FC Lar-May

Huntmaster to FC Dingus Macrae to FC Macrae Little Pete to Perrys Sam to FC Chapman’s Hunter… an example of a

complete model of consistency from Sire to son over and over again for 8 generations, within this particular cross.

However, Mr. Perry has several branches {selective crosses} of this tree all going back to Trigger, Labaan, Pete… etc.