Beagle

The Beagle is a small to medium sized dog that has been around for about 2500 years however the modern day Beagle did not really appear until the mid 1800’s. Beagles are a variety of hound that was initially bred to hunt hare, rabbit and small game. They are lovable dogs that have been the subject of art and even a cartoon or two.

Coat and Grooming

The Beagle has a short haired coat that is easy to maintain. They have an undercoat that can help them navigate the elements when out hunting. Grooming is minimal. They require a good brushing about once a week and can be bathed when necessary.

They love the water so bathing is not a problem for this breed.

Personality and Temperament

The Beagle has a great personality. They are very smart dogs and are always willing to please within limits. Since long term breeding goals have been to breed a dog that is fast and that has endurance they can be rather single minded and willful. They have the perfect balance of personality when it comes to companionship.

They are neither aggressive nor are they timid. They will alert with the familiar hound dog howl when someone approaches that they are not familiar with but are not the best guard dogs because they tend to be overly friendly.

They are noted as being “merry” by most handbooks that describe the breed and merry they are. They are generally a happy dog that is curious and willing to learn new things in the right situation. They have an excellent sense of smell and are often used for tracking and searches.

Beagles are true pack dogs that have been bred to run with the pack and chase game which actually makes them wonderful family pets because they want to get right in with the “pack”. They are respectful of children which is another huge point that makes them wonderful family pets.

Unfortunately all the traits that make them wonderful family pets also make them tend to suffer from separation anxiety. They also get along well with other dogs.

Housing

Beagles range in adult size from 23-25 lbs with the females being the smaller weight. They stand at the withers from about 13-15 inches again the males are taller. There compact size makes them great apartment dwellers. They need a moderate amount of exercise but will keep up if they need to. They can live just about anywhere their human companions live.

They like the outdoors and enjoy being able to run when given the opportunity so apartment dwellers would be wise to find a nearby dog park where they can run free once in awhile. They would be most comfortable in a house with a fenced in backyard that they could have access to regularly.
Appearance

Beagles are squat and short to the ground with long ears. Their tales are typically pointed. They are muscular with broad snouts. They usually have either brown, hazel or dark brown eyes which are round in shape which are very expressive. They have rounded skulls. Their build is usually (or should be if they are not overweight) muscular and firm.

Colors

Beagles run the gamut of the coloring but the most popular combination is the Tri color. The most popular of the tri color varieties are the color combination white,tan and black. They are also popular in the pied or muted color patterns. Almost all Beagles will have white as their base coat with different color markings.

As this breed ages their coloring can change. The black markings may fade and the browns may become deeper over time.

Health Problems

This breed has a long life expectancy when compared to other similar sized dogs. Their life expectancy is up to 15 years but can be exceeded with good health practices. They are generally a robust breed but do have some genetic concerns.

They can suffer from epilepsy which is easily controlled with medication and can be genetically prone to a disease known as “funny puppy”. The birth defects that are associated with this disease include a failure to thrive, curvature of the spine and weakened hind quarters this is a very rare disease that only occurs in a very small population of puppies.

They may also suffer from hip dysplasia as well but it is also a very rare occurrence. Good breeding practices have really kept the incidence of mass genetic disorders down to a minimum.

Overall

Overall the Beagle is an excellent hunting dog and family companion. They are lovable, compact and generally a well rounded breed. They are easy to care for and make an excellent first dog option. This is a long standing breed that has been almost perfected (if breeders could breed out a bit of their willfulness they would be the BEST all around breed).

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