I got a Beagle late last year.
She's about 10 months old now, and graduating 'intermediate obedience' next week. another 10 weeks of advanced, and we'll be starting in on the search & rescue training, which is a preface for her ultimate purpose: Cadaver recovery.
My wife worked with a cadaver dog team as part of her forensic anthropologic training in Florida and enjoyed it, so we thought it would be a nice hobby to get into ourselves.
Beagles aren't big dogs, but I think ours still falls into the 'useful working' category.
-Ruski
And as for cops and doughnuts, we aren't really picky at 4AM on a Sunday morning. If the doughnut shop is open, we'll eat there. If all that's open are gas-stations, then it's pre-packaged Twinkies for everyone!!!