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BeagleEnglish Beagle

Family: Canidae

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Canis lupus familiarisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Justin Brough

    The short stocky Beagle, originally bred to track rabbits, is active indoors but does not require a lot of space making it a good pet even in an apartment.

    Beagles are gentle, sociable and happy dogs. They are good with people and other dogs, and they get along well with children. Beagles are quite intelligent and brave. When selecting a Beagle, look for eye and back problems. Bloodlines should also be checked for history of heart disease and epilepsy.

Common Name(s)     Beagle, English Beagle

Breed Type     The Beagle is a hound breed. It is good at tracking rabbits and other small game.

Background     Beagle-like dogs have existed fof more than 2,000 years, but the modern Beagle was developed in the 1830s. English in origin, the Beagle is thought to be a product of crossbreeding of the Talbot Hound, North Country Beagle, Southern Hound, and Harrier.
    A popular strain of Beagle is the Patch Hound, which is known for its skill at rabbit hunting. Popular hybrids include the Puggle, a cross between a Pug and a Beagle.

Description     The Beagle has a short coat, and can be tri-color, black and tan, or red, orange, or lemon with white. The dog's muzzle is straight and boxy, and it has long, wide ears. Females are usually 13-15 inches tall and weigh 20-23 pounds, and males are 14-16 inches tall and weigh 22-25 pounds.
    The AKC and CKC separate Beagles into two varieties: Under 13 inches and 13-15 inches.

Care and Feeding     The Beagle needs a diet high in carbohydrates, with a high fat to protein ratio. Foods that contain potatoes, mutton, rabbit, poultry, wheat and corn satisfy these requirements. Food intake should be carefully controlled to avoid obesity. Beagles need regular brushing, and should be given baths only as needed. It is important to keep their nails trimmed and keep an eye on their ears, as their design makes them prone to infection.
    Annual checkups are sufficient for Beagles. Vaccinations are scheduled as follows:

• 6-8 weeks: Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo, and Corona virus (DHLPPC)
• 10-12 weeks: Second DHLPPC
• 14-16 weeks: Third DHLPPC and rabies
• Annually: DHLPPC and rabies booster
  

    Beagles are average shedders, so regular vacuuming is a must. They also have a typical hound scent, so it will be necessary to shampoo the carpet and clean the furniture regularly.

Housing Your Dog     Beagles can live outdoors or inside. Although they are active indoors, they do not require a lot of space. They can do well in apartments, but they need somewhere to exercise outdoors.

Social Behaviors     Beagles are very friendly dogs, and they get along well with adults, children and other dogs. They can do well with other pets, but it is preferable to introduce non-canine pets to them while they are young. The Beagle is happiest when he has company, so if you won't be home much consider a pair.

Handling and Training     Beagles are often difficult to housebreak, and they can be stubborn and easily distracted during training. But with patience and consistency, they can learn a great deal.

Activities     Beagles are energetic dogs, and they need plenty of exercise to stay fit. They will need to be on a leash for their daily walk, because they tend to take off after the scent of small animals. Beagles enjoy playing in the yard, but it is important to keep it fenced in.

Breeding/Reproduction     When considering a mate for your Beagle, check the potential sire or dam's bloodlines for a history of heart disease, epilepsy, and eye problems. Litters consist of an average of seven puppies.

Common Health Problems     Beagles sometimes have epilepsy, but it is usually controllable with medication. Other problems include hypothyroidism and developmental disorders. Eye problems are also common in the breed.
There are a couple of conditions that can show up in this breed. 'Funny Puppy' is a condition unique to beagles that results in slow development, weak legs, and a crooked back. 'Chinese Beagle Syndrome' is another condition in which the dog has slanted eyes and under-developed outer toes.

Availability     The Beagle's popularity makes it fairly easy to find them. Breeders are abundant. Prices average from $400 to $600, and may be higher depending on lineage.

References "Beagle", Wikipedia, Copyright 2008
"Beagles", Dog Breed Info Center, Copyright 1998-2008
Cusick, William D., "What to Feed a Beagle", Referenced online, 2008
Welton, Michelle, "Beagles: What's Good About ‘Em? What's Bad About ‘Em?", Copyright 2000-2008
"Beagle Puppies for Sale", Copyright PuppyFind.com, LLC, Referenced online, 2008

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Latest Comments
We've had 2 beagles for years...the first one, a female, we got in december 2005 and the other one, a male, we got in september 2006. At first the female didn't really accept her new pal, for he was tiny, and she was growing and was used to being the only pup, but it didn't take long for the pair to become best buddies. They often play together, or with us, or with our 21 months old son, although the female seems to be kind of scared of him! They don't like when we go out and leave them alone, even though they are together. the male still pees in the house sometimes, and it just aggravates us! but mister needs to mark territories! The female is vicious when she eats, and we're teaching our son that when the dogs eat, he's not to go near them or worse, touch them (anyways, they have their meal once he's in bed). We don't give them bones when our son is playing around them, cuz they can get quite possessive of their bone and we don't want to risk accidental biting of our child. In the end, they are great, happy dogs and we just adore them! Julie 2009-10-25
I just got a beagle. She is 8 mounths and already im pulling my hair out. But it is okay because I love and would let no harm come to this very dog. I recommend a beagle if they want to have fun, have kids. They are really goood with kids. Also if you want a good dog, these dogs are very pertective. My beagle will not even let me walk in my son's room, she would sit outside of the door. I LOVE MY DOG! emma 2009-08-25
I adopted a 2 year old beagle from the county animal shelter, she was one of three beagles there at the time. That is a warning to all beagle owners or those interested in the breed. They are runners. Beyond that...what I found is the sweetest dog you could ever ask for. She's very good with my kids and is always two steps behind me. I highly recommend a beagle to anybody looking for a family dog. You'd be missing out if you looked else where. Just invest in a fence. Erin 2009-08-05
My son had a beagle and it cam from a poodle family, which was weird. So it would hurt a lot of people, so we sold it. Taylor 2009-04-27
One should also check for hernia. My son had a beautiful little Beagle and the family loved her dearly. She began showing some indications of severe pain in her little belly and when the vet checked her, she had a hernia that was very aggressive. It had to be removed; then, it grew back. The poor little thing had to be put down as hers was the type of hernia that would come back over and over and wrap around her intestine. According to the people that sold the dog to my son, this was not something that was known to be on either side of her parents. Denni Wentzell 2008-10-28

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