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Origin: United States |
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Height: 15 inches or
less at the shoulder |
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Weight: 18-25 pounds on
average |
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Exercise Needs: High |
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Grooming Needs: Heavy
shedder |
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Life Expectancy: 15+
years |
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Good With Kids: Yes |
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Trainability: Difficult |
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Yappiness: High level |
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Breed Group: Hound |
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Common Misspellings: Beegle, Beagel,
Beegel |
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Alternate Names |
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Like so many other dogs, the history of the
Beagle has been obscured by the hands of time,
leaving many to speculate and guess as to the
origins of this magnificent canine.
Records of keen sight and scent hounds have been
found to predate even the Roman Empire and it is
believed that the wonderful little Beagle may
have dated as far back or, at the very least, is
descended from these noble dogs. It is
known that this breed was firmly established
prior to the 18th century and, in fact, it was
by cross-breeding the Beagle with a buck hound
that they came by the popular Foxhounds, which
were used for pack hunting. From this
cross, two separate varieties of dog were
developed, one of which was known as the
Southern Hound and the other which became the
North Country Beagle.
Meanwhile, hunters in the United States were
relying upon Dachshunds and Bassets for their
canine needs. While quick and seemingly
tireless, these dogs were not a suitable type
for their job. In 1860, the European dogs
would be introduced to the line and it would
succeed in combining the tenacious qualities of
the American Beagle with the beautiful type and
correctness of the European strain. By
1888, the National Beagle Club was formed and
the Beagles have been an American favorite ever
since.
One of the most distinctive breeds of dog in
the world, the Beagle appears to best resemble a
miniature Foxhound, though he is a solid and
sturdily built dog for his short height.
Shown in two classes, 13-15 inches and the
13 inches and under divisions, he is still a
very big and powerful dog for his little size.
Possessing an incredible amount of stamina and
speed, he is more than capable of driving his
quarry to the trees, the ground, or to the death
if need be.
Beagles come in all the regular hound colors,
which means they can be black and tan, black tan
and blue tick, black tan and white, black tan
and redtick, blue tan and white, tan and white,
black red and white, brown and white, red and
white, lemon and white, black and white, black,
black fawn and white, blue, blue and white,
lemon, brown, red, tan, or even white. In
addition to this diverse color variety, they can
also be ticked, spotted, or can have black,
brown, tan, or white markings. In a nutshell,
the Beagle can come in just about any color and
style you can imagine.
The Beagle is known for his fun-loving and
affectionate nature, as well as for his loyalty
to his family. For centuries, these beautiful
dogs have served both as loving lap pets as well
as reliable hunters, proving their versatility
and desire to be around people. However, it is
important to note that the Beagle was bred as a
hunting dog for centuries and, because of this,
his hunting instinct is very strong. While he
will rarely do more than hassle the cat, many of
these dogs are known for their tendency to run
off after some scent that’s attracted their
attention, often resulting in their winding up
in the “Lost Dog” category of the local paper.
In addition to his love of wandering off, the
Beagle is also notoriously hard-headed and
stubborn. While this determination is a great
bonus in a hunting dog, the same trait can prove
daunting when applied to the pet Beagle. Anyone
considering adopting one of these rebels into
their family had best be prepared to bring a lot
of patience to the plate - chances are, you’re
going to need it.
While most tend to see the hound as a lazy
dog, envisioning old-time Plantation movies with
lazy loafers lounging on the porch, the Beagle
is anything but lazy and inactive. In
fact, quite the opposite is true - a very active
and enthusiastic individual, he will tirelessly
play fetch, tug of war, and 'hound' the cat
until there is no tomorrow. If not kept
busy enough, he will even turn to your shoes or
the furniture as a source of amusement - and
that's never a good thing.
It's very important to remember that this
particular breed has been bred, for centuries,
to hunt down their quarry and chase after them
as long as the prey will run. Even when
not hunting, they are a very active, very high
exercise individual. At the very least,
the Beagle needs several long brisk walks a day
or a chance to run off steam within a fenced-in
area. Never, however, let your Beagle off
the leash unless he's in an enclosure and
supervised - Beagles are notorious for "catching
a scent" and running off, often ignoring cars
and other dangers.
Grooming the Beagle is relatively easy - a
good brushing with a soft bristled brush will
take care of any of those itchy spots, as well
as loosening up any dander or loose fur, and a
bath once or twice a month will keep your
Beagle’s coat simply glowing. Keeping the
toenails trimmed short will help to prevent sore
paws, as well as risking them catching them on
the carpet, and the Beagle, like any
floppy-eared dog, should have his ears checked
regularly for any signs of dirt or infection.
If you are challenged with the task of
training a Beagle, be ready to put your patience
to the test. Fun-loving and stubborn as a bull,
most Beagles simply can’t be bothered with
learning tricks and such mundane tasks as lay
down and roll over. Lay down? Shyeah-right… only
after he’s finished making the cat run for cover
and making sure there isn’t a bird traipsing
about in his back yard. If you want to train a
Beagle, chances are it will all come down to a
battle of wits.
In order to train one of these rebels, you
will want to use a technique known as “positive
reinforcement.” This means that, rather than
scolding your dog when he does something you
don’t like, you simply ignore him and, when he
does something that you want, you reward him
with a treat and lots of excitement, happiness,
and praise. Making a big production of the
desired behavior encourages your Beagle to
continue doing this action in hopes of getting
more goodies and attention.
Beagle Dogs can be prone to
certain hereditary health problems. That is
why choosing a responsible breeder from
which to purchase your Beagle puppy is very
important. Responsible Beagle breeders will
be well educated about the breed and
carefully screen their breeding dogs for
disorders that can affect these dogs.
Some health issues that may
affect the Beagle include, but are not
limited to:
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While films like "Shiloh" endear the Beagle
to us, and he is known as a wonderful family
dog, it doesn't necessarily mean that the Beagle
puppy that you're so fixated on is the right dog
for you. Before considering a pile of cute
Beagle puppies, take a few moments to answer
whether or not that the Beagle is the right
breed for you - notoriously noisy, they can be
extremely vocal and are not well-suited for
apartment living. Additionally, the Beagle
sheds profusely and it's important to know if
you're a "neat freak." Additionally, the
Beagle is a runner and cannot be trusted off the
leash. This can make for a bit of trouble,
particularly for those who do not have the time
or the ability to maintain the Beagles need for
a high activity level.
There are bonuses to the Beagle, however.
They are generally a very healthy and hearty
breed, and have a great friendly love for
children. The Beagle can make the perfect
pet for the right family.
A word of extreme caution about "Pocket
Beagles" and "Teacup
Beagles" though!
Be very wary of what is known as the
Pocket Beagle or
Teacup Beagle, as these can prove to
either be dwarf specimens, the results of
heavy inbreeding (with lots of health
problems) or can be the offspring of Beagles
crossed with toy terriers. Always do your
research and purchase a Beagle only from a
responsible, knowledgeable breeder in whom
you can place your trust.
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Beagle dog breed. We've compiled a list of Beagle
information sites to assist you in quickly locating quality
information about the Beagle dog breed, while avoiding the "garbage"
sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to capitalize on the
popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know of a Beagle
information site that offers unique, quality information and photos
of the Beagle breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief
description so that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our
list below.
Beagles are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at Beagle
pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what these dogs and
puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you decide if you
really want to become a Beagle owner. The following sites below
offer pictures of Beagle dogs, Beagle puppy photos, funny Beagle
photos and more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Beagle is the right breed for
you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible Beagle
breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized puppy. Not all
breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad breeders.
Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Beagle puppy you find at the
cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a responsible Beagle
breeder, you may need to pay more and wait longer. The additional
money and waiting time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste
from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll
likely also purchase a great deal of additional expense and
heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love with a puppy
with health and behavioral problems that will likely need special
care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication - or even
euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible, caring
Beagle breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens
their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee
and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Beagle breed and
is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit, and you can
be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long lived and
affectionate family companion that will provide you and your family
with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.
Pocket
Beagle ALERT!!
Whether you call them Pocket Beagles, Teacup Beagles, Tea Cup
Beagles, Toy Beagles, Miniature Beagles, or Mini Beagles, buying
the smallest Beagle puppy you can find is a sure recipe for a teacup
full of heartache! Responsible breeders occasionally will have a
puppy that is smaller than it's littermates (it's what we once
referred to as the "runt" of the litter). Any breeder that
selectively breeds to create a smaller and smaller puppy is not a
breeder with whom you want to do business. The reason for this is
that smaller puppies usually have a number of health problems. They
can suffer from Hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar), knee and
hip problems, brain defects, kidney problems, heart problems and
more. What's more, these itty bitty dogs are as delicate as flowers,
and can easily be injured or killed by being accidentally stepped on
or kicked, or from something as seemingly innocent as a fall off of
the sofa or bed. Don't buy into this unfortunate trend! Dogs are
pets - not fashion accessories or toys. Be sure to buy your Beagle
puppy only from a responsible, reputable Beagle breeder. Avoid any
breeder who advertises Pocket, Teacup, Miniature, Toy or Mini Beagle
puppies.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Beagle puppies
to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now online
that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy mills and
backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of these
resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the breeders
whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Beagle clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even more
about the Beagle dog breed, help you locate a responsible Beagle
breeder, or help you find a Beagle dog or puppy in need of a second
chance for a loving, forever home. We've compiled the following list
of Beagle clubs and
Beagle rescues web sites
for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Beagle puppy can be a daunting task!
There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot of
thought and research to find just the right name for your Beagle.
Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days or
weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on just
the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A serious
side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange love of
cantaloupe? By observing your new Beagle puppy over the first days
or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what type of name
you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet names web
sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information resources,
while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set up with
the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this popular
subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Beagle puppy. These sites offer inventive, unique,
original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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