The Beagle dog breed is one of the great family pets because of its friendliness, joyfulness, and loyalty. That’s why most beagles have been the most popular scent hounds in the United States for so long. Before getting this breed to your home, keep reading to find out essential info from Canvas Personalized.
1. Beagle Dog Breed’s Overview Key Traits
The fact is that Beagles are also joyful, humorous, and adorably attractive hunting hounds. The beagle breed of dog was initially developed as scent-hunting hounds, but now they live as companions and furry family members. As a result, the chart below will provide essential information to help you better understand this breed.
| Origin | England | Good With | Families, children, and other dogs |
| Dog Breed Group | Scent Hounds | Temperament | Friendly; gentle; joyful; loyalty; intelligent |
| Common nicknames | English Beagle | Energy Level | Active; High |
| Height | 13–16 in (33–41 cm) | Shedding | Frequent |
| Weight | Dogs 22–25 lb (10.0–11.3 kg) Bitches 20–23 lb (9.1–10.4 kg) | Tendency to Drool | Low |
| Coat | Short-haired, hard coat of medium length | Snore | Low |
| Color | Tricolor or white in combination with black & tan/brown or brown/tan | Bark | Frequent |
| Life span | 12 to 15 years | Easy To Train | Hard |
Overall, the beagle dog breed is a descendant of the English rabbit-hunting beagles with a keen sense of smell. The dogs originally bred their way to America, where they were put to work and adopted into the friendly household we know today.
Dog beagles can be split into two heights: the shorter variety, measuring under 13 inches at the shoulder, and the taller type, topping out at 15 inches. Moreover, the huge brown or hazel eyes and long, houndy ears set low on a broad head made them famous, reputable breeders in the United States for so long. The beagle’s intelligence, small stature, energy, and absence of genetic health issues have long held a special place in their hearts. Today, they are the seventh most reputable breeders.
Appearance
The beagle dog breed is well-recognized among medium-sized hound breeds, with large brown eyes and square and floppy ears. Beagles come in two sizes; females are typically slightly smaller than males. They feature a black (or sometimes liver) gumdrop nose, a medium-length, square-cut muzzle, and a smooth, slightly domed skull.
As the pictures of beagle dogs, they have a broad chest that tapers to the waist and a long, slightly curled tail tipped with white. The hind legs are more muscular and bent at the stifles, whereas the front legs are straight and carried under the torso. Hence, beagles are already on the shorter and stockier side, but a dog at a healthy weight should have a defined waist and straight sides.
Moreover, no matter how tiny or muscular the body, this beagle breed of dog has a short, smooth double coat. The combination of black, tan, and white, or blue, tan, and white, is the feature of their coat. They sometimes shed all year, but their thick coats shed heavily once a year in the spring.
Temperament/ Personalities
Beagles have a well-deserved reputation for being a mild-mannered, friendly, pleading expression, and hilarious. Moreover, one of the reasons beagles have become so common as household dogs are their great demeanor with young children and other dogs.
The instinct to follow one’s nose is a defining characteristic of the beagle dog, so you’ll need a leash when walking with them. Like other dogs, the beagle dog breed often suffers from separation anxiety, which can lead to destructive behavior if the dog is left alone. The beagles benefit significantly from early socialization to learn to play peacefully with other dogs and avoid roughhousing.
Overall, the beagle dog breed is described as “merry,” meaning they are friendly and neither aggressive nor timid, making them popular with furry family members. So that’s why they couldn’t be the best guard dogs, yet they make excellent watchdogs because of their propensity to bark excessively or howl at strangers.
Best For
Beagles thrive in family households and are perfect for energetic pet parents.
2. How To Care For The Dog Beagles?
This comprehensive breed overview below will cover all you need to know about the beagle breed of dog, from their health issues to their ideal living environment, caring tips and training as family pets.
Beagle Health
A beagle dog breed can live for 12–15 years, which is around the average for an adult dog of its size. Although not all dogs are generally healthy, they are still prone to a few specific ailments. Understanding them sincerely can help you make an informed decision about whether or not to adopt a Beagle into your family.
Hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, luxating patellas, and eye diseases are common health issues that adult or young dog beagles can easily suffer from. Hip dysplasia is when the hip joint becomes partially or entirely dislocated because the ball and socket of the joint don’t fit together correctly. So that’s why having a general test done before bringing a dog beagle into your home is an essential condition.
One more noticeable thing is beagle ears infections because the beagle breed of dog has a large size and floppy ears, so it’s best to get your vet’s advice on what you should use and how often you should clean your pet’s ears. Moreover, the beagle dog breed requires regular dental care and weekly ear checks.
The Beagle dog can suffer from various eye disorders, including glaucoma and corneal dystrophy, which are relatively common ophthalmic conditions in beagles. Dry eyes and tears running down the face are symptoms of a faulty nasolacrimal drainage system. Also, while working or roaming freely, the beagle dog breed is susceptible to parasites like fleas, ticks, or mites that can become stuck in the eyes, soft ears, or paws.
Hence, having a current health clearance tested for and found to be free of a specific disease or illness is essential for any puppy’s parents.
Caring
Of course, not all beagles will encounter severe genetic health problems, but it’s essential to be aware of these common caring tips when considering this breed.
Like other dogs, the beagle sheds moderately all year. So brushing your dog beagles once a week with a medium-bristle brush, a rubber grooming mitt or tool, or glove beagles will remove the loose hair and stimulate new hair growth.
If your beagle dog breed gets into anything filthy, it’s best to take them to a professional groomer to deal with the dog’s teeth and nails, express their anal glands, and clean their ears. Moreover, a soothing shampoo bath will be best for dogs, but you shouldn’t wash them too frequently because their skin may get dry and irritated.
>>>Check out more dog caring tips that you can learn to keep your dog healthier and have a happy life!
Nutrition
The beagle dog breed should be fed age-appropriate, complete, and balanced dog food. These important details can be found on the packaging and the claim that it meets the nutritional requirements of the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Or take some advice from your vet or rescue groups, which is still a good idea, depending on the dog’s weight, sex, age, and activity level.
Feed dog beagles twice daily, each meal consisting of up to three-quarters of a cup of dry food. Moreover, it’s essential to keep an eye on their weight because dog beagles are a high potential for weight gain. You can research which everyday human meals can be fed to your dog and which should be avoided, or ask your vet what kind of food, how often, and how much to feed your dog.
>>>Learn more about what kind of healthy dog foods you can feed your dog to maintain their health!
Ideal Living Environment
As previously stated, beagles have boundless energy and stamina, making them ideal hunting companions. So a beagle dog breed thrives best in an active family that can provide them with lots of playtimes and mental stimulation. This popular breed may not make ideal apartment pets because of its high energy levels and propensity for noisy barking and howling.
As the beagles are high-energy, inquisitive canines and are predisposed to wander, they must be restricted to a fenced-in yard. Or you can always prepare a leash when outside to ensure they don’t get lost and stray into dangerous areas.
Hence, it would be best to train the beagle breed of dog to be wonderful companions and great family dogs when properly trained and socialized.
Training
The famous beagle is always intelligent but can sometimes be distracted by anything. So consistent training and mental stimulation should be carried out in serene settings free from distraction. Practicing and rewarding them to mark every good behavior is a great way to improve the overall training quality. So puppies benefit greatly from early exposure to others and formal early training.
As the beagle breed of dog used to be hunting companions, they are easily sidetracked. Treats will therefore be a powerful motivator for them, and they will respond well to positive reinforcement instead of harsh training that might cause them to lose their natural traits.
Moreover, a dog beagle is a strong hunting instinct, so learning to walk loose-leashed can be challenging. So it would be best to check your local animal shelter or rescue groups to start walking. For example, teach them their name or to go potty outside instead of letting them go inside your home. Remember to train beagle dog breeds when they’re calm and comfortable.
>>>Check out the amazing country dog names to make your puppy special!
3. Adopting A Beagle Puppy Breed
Talk to a beagle breeder or rescue group to see if this hound fits your family. Once getting beagle puppies means devoting a significant amount of time to training them in obedience and introducing it to others. Helping the beagle dog breed learns essential dog training tips, such as sit, stay, or roll over, is also necessary.
The demand for the beagle breed of dog significantly impacts their cost. Puppies from reputable beagle breeders can range in price from $600 to $1,200, depending on where you live. Some beagle puppies can go for as much as $6,000 because they are the progeny of champion show dogs.
After getting dog beagles, the first few months will require an investment of $300–$500 for all their basic needs, such as health clearance, tools or any special equipment, high-quality dog food, and many other things you will need to replace years later.
Another important thing is that a beagle dog breed needs sincere and constant attention from its family before adoption.
4. Other Fun Facts About Beagle Breed
- As we already know, Snoopy from the Peanuts cartoons is a beagle, reflecting the breed’s popularity when Charles Schulz began to draw the comic strip in 1950. Snoopy was initially inspired by the Schulz family dog, Spike.
- The most noticeable feature is the white tip on the end of the tail, which serves a practical purpose. This point will make dog beagles easy to spot in the dark.
- During Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, he had three beagles named Him, Her, and Edgar in the White House.
- Several films have included the beagle breed of dog as a character, including Cats & Dogs, Shiloh. Or in the famous John Wick series, the protagonist’s relationship with his beagle puppy, Daisy, is key to the story.
>>>Further Reading:
- Discover Australian Shepherd Dog: Traits, Training & Care
- Border Collie Dogs: The Ultimate Guide to Owning & Training
Beyond the dependable rabbit hunting and trustworthy companion, the beagle dog breed is also intelligent, playful, and energetic. Although known for their warm disposition, dog beagles are notoriously difficult to train. So all the essential info and tips above from Canvas Personalized will assist you in adopting and caring for this breed.
