Chad Stephens (Wired Up Beagles) For Chad Stephens and his family, raising beagles and running rabbits has been a tradition for generations. From the time he was in grade school, Chad tagged along with his grandpa nearly every weekend on his rabbit hunts. As he grew older, he took over his grandpaβs beagles β who were non-papered at that time β and was looking for ways to keep them busy in the hunting off-season. Thatβs when he decided to branch out and get his first papered female and begin seeking out American Kennel Club (AKC) field champions for her to breed with. Soon, he had four pups to raise βΒ all with AKC field champion bloodlines. Having run them noncompetitively, his friends were impressed and encouraged him to join the beagle club and enter them in field trials. In Chadβs words, this is when he βreally got the itch.β It wasnβt long before he was training twice per week and climbing his way up the competition ladder under his newly formed team βΒ Wired Up Beagles. Today, Chad and his team of Wired Up Beagles are members of three beagle clubs and are well-known on the circuit βΒ competing in roughly 20 field trials per year, as well as in the United Kennel Club (UKC) and AKC Nationals, having raised several field champions, including Sam I Am, Jo-Jo and Honeybun. Now, Jo-Joβs offspring β Wired Up Nutmeg, Cool Hand Lukeβs Hamlet and Wired Up Little Jo β are all competing in field trials, looking to be the next in the family to reach nationals. And in true Stephens fashion, not only are the beagles living out a multi-generational tradition of competing, but so are Chadβs 8-year-old son, Luke, and 12-year-old daughter, Cadence. In fact, while Chad is often tied up judging at a field trial, Cadence will handle the competing dogs. In Chadβs words, βsheβs as tough as the guys running through the briars and thickets.β The switch to Native Over the years, Chad has tried a number of different dog foods, but was never really sold on any one brand. When another member of his beagle club suggested Native, he decided to give it a try. βAs soon as I opened my first bag of Native, I could just tell it was different and that it was a better dog food,β says Chad. He started with the Native Level 2 (26 protein / 16 fat) and saw immediate results. He was also curious, but apprehensive, about moving Jo-Jo to Native Level 3 (30 protein / 20 fat). He had witnessed other brands of 30/20 making beagles too high strung to successfully compete. But after trying out Native Level 3, Jo-Jo handled it incredibly well, maintaining healthy weight and energy. Others are taking notice too. βWhen my dogs are competing, people often ask what I feed them. Iβm proud to tell them Native,β says Chad. With roughly 20 competitions on his schedule each year, be sure to follow along as Wired Up Nutmeg, Cool Hand Lukeβs Hamlet and Wired Up Little Joe vie for their spots in the winnersβ pack. Favorite products of Wired Up Beagles Native Level 2 | Native Level 3 | Native Puppy Connect with Wired Up Beagles Facebook βAfter switching to Native, there hasnβt been a single field trial that we havenβt made it to the winnersβ pack. Weβve always been good, but never this consistent.β