The Beagle is a cheerful, sweet, and faithful companion widely famous for its top-notch hunting dog skills. This dog breed’s cute charisma melts the hearts of many! Pet owners enjoy hearing them slink and stomp on the floor but praise their flashy speed in the woods too. Beagles are used to hunting in packs, so they’re pretty friendly and a great family dog! Who wouldn’t like an adorably-faced, hazel-eyed, houndy-eared friend, right?
But their happy compassionate nature isn’t due only to their ability to sniff out the rabbit in the bush. The most popular hound dog has a merry little heart! This is actually one of the reasons why their owners love snuggling with them night and day. Being from 13 to 15 inches tall, these pups have coats as colorful as their personality. Now let’s check some small dog breed facts!
Beagle Dog Breed Pictures
Appearance
What Does A Beagle Look Like
So how much should Beagles weigh, and how tall do they get? The doggos from this popular hound breed weigh from 20 to 30 pounds. They can be from 13 to 15 inches tall, which helps with their adorable character. Of course, their baby eyes, wet-looking nose, and Dumbo ears help with it too!
Funny and jolly, these pooches make the best of their playtime. They’re like medium-sized, double-coated bouncing balls! Their smooth coat usually has three colors sprinkled across, like in the tricolored Beagle. The three colors are usually black, white, and tan or white, blue, and tan. Red-and-white, tan-and-white, chocolate-and-white, and lemon-and-white Beagles also exist!
But a Beagle’s coat is not for jaw-dropping impressions only. Thick and short, these doggos’ double coat is there to surprise you with an extra carpet layer during springtime! Aside from shedding heavily in the spring, these doggies only shed moderately year-round. That said, your sweet little Super Beagle is pretty much low-maintenance.
Temperament
Beagles are 100% friendly and playful! This great companion gets along well with kids and would probably rather play fetch with cats than bark at them. When a Beagle’s howling, though, you can hear that loud sound! That’s part of their hound dog personality, and so is their sharp sense of smell.
Apart from being top-notch goofballs, these doggos are also smart and curious. When a Beagle is lonely or bored, they can howl nonstop. Being so social, they simply can’t spend hours inside, going in circles and chasing their tail alone. They love waving it after alarming you that your neighbor is coming by, though!
Living Needs
You can actually see your Beagle hunting even at home! These puppies will always be sniffing around, drawn by the different smells at your house. It may even seem like their nose is glued to the floor! While that’s not the case, your pet may jump over or squeeze through your fence.
If you’re interested in this type of dog, properly securing and reinforcing your fence is a great idea. That nose of theirs can take them places! The pooch can become committed to following some intricate aroma and get out of the house. Because of that, get them microchipped and supervise them when outside!
A Beagle can smell different things, and they really love that! They enjoy competitions that bring out their inner tracker, long hikes, neighborhood tours, and a lovely human beside them. Although not overly dependent, Beagles hate being alone! These dogs can even start behaving poorly if loneliness strikes them.
Care
How to Take Care of a Beagle
Do Beagles shed? Like we mentioned earlier, they do moderately. You’ll still need to brush them two or three times each week, though! The only time of the year these adorable pups shed a lot is in the spring. This is all due to their double coat, and they need more brushing then.
These puppers’ coats are easy to maintain, though, and they don’t need a lot of baths. Still, they shouldn’t have mud and leaves everywhere on their fur! Regular grooming is a must and a good time to check their Beagle ears and their pretty teeth. Checking the nails is important too!
Once the puppy’s nails start touching the floor, you need to clip them because they’re already too long. But do this very carefully! Likewise, learn how to properly clean their floppy, droopy ears and be gentle when doing it. Your vet can help you with that, so talk to them.
How to Train a Beagle
The Beagle brain is highly responsive to creative puppy training approaches. Start socializing and shaping their behavior early! Treats can help you do this easily because a full tummy makes a happy puppy. Be patient, don’t punish the dog, and it’ll all be fine!
How Much Exercise Does a Beagle Need
Don’t let a cute newborn Beagle fool you that it’ll grow into a chubby, clumsy pup because they won’t. Beagles are energetic dogs! They need to spend a minimum of one hour a day exercising with their owners. They’ll gladly form a pack with you because they don’t like being lonely!
However, make sure that your yard is Beagle-escape-proof. If the fence isn’t at least five feet tall and stretching into the ground, you’ll see your Beagle running away! Beagles can also escape if you walk them without a leash. Interesting smells seduce them, so always use a leash when taking them for a walk.
Feeding
How Much Should a Beagle Eat
Your Beagle needs 3/4 to 1.5 cups of dry, top-quality food every day, split into two meals.
Health
A healthy Beagle is a happy one as well! These dogs don’t generally suffer from diseases. They live long and have a lifespan of 10-15 years! However, there are some health issues that they may experience.
There are Begles with the Musladin-Leuke Syndrome – a genetic condition that affects the structure and development of connective tissue. The disease affects the skin, bones, muscles, and other organs. These pups have reduced mobility of the joints, enlarged skull, and slanted, wide-set eyes. Taut, thick skin, and tip-toe walking may be present too.
Still, for the regular Beagle, health problems usually aren’t an issue. Not serious ones, at least! Learning about the common conditions they’re are prone to is necessary, though. Reputable breeders can always tell you more about the dog’s parents and medical history.
History
There’s an ongoing debate about the cute Beagle’s origin. Some, like the NBCA, claim that these dogs’ history started in England in 200 A.D. Others name Greece as the land that gave birth to Beagles! But things get a different twist once you take a look into this canine’s name.
The Gaelic word for little is ‘beag,’ and the French one for the hound dogs’ hunting howls is ‘be’geule.’ Now that’s something! However, Beagle breeders have been supporting the mating between British and European hound pups for centuries. What does this tell us? That modern Beagles are a product of this practice.
These famous pups probably have the same ancestors as foxhounds and Southern hounds! Cool, right? Englishmen used to look for hares and rabbits with these dogs from the past. Suddenly, everybody wanted Beagles for trackers! Even Queen Elizabeth I fell in love with the pocket Beagle, and had packs of this little doggy!
Modern Beagles got their looks in the 1800s when breeders from the USA started bringing the floppy-eared puppies from England. They quickly put other pups in the shade and became the most popular dogs! In 1885, the American Kennel Club finally put Beagles on their dog breeds list.
Fun Facts About Beagle
- Snoopy, one of the most popular dogs in the world, is a Beagle. Schulz got the inspiration for the Peanuts character from Spike, his family dog.
- Being white, a Beagle’s tail can help hunters track the dog. This makes hunting in the grass and the woods a lot easier.
- Beagles have starred in famous movies like “Shiloh” and “Cats & Dogs.” The movie “John Wick” tells the story of John and his Beagle puppy Daisy.