Beagle Breed Information

Beagles are a brilliant family companion dog breed. They have a wonderful gentle nature, a real zest for life and are happy, affectionate characters. They are the type of dog who the entire family can form a very special and close bond with.

Beagles have a lovely soft expression about them, with their big floppy ears and intelligent dark eyes. It’s hard not to fall in love with them!

Beagle’s Origins and History
The origin of the word “beagle” is uncertain. Possibly it comes from the French begueule (meaning “open throat”, or “loudmouth”) or from an Old English, French, or Welsh term beag, meaning “small.” Other possibilities: the French beugler (meaning “to bellow”) and the German begele (meaning “to scold”).
Historical notes: Edward III had a pack of up to 120 hare hounds with him on the battlefield during the Hundred Years’ War. It is thought that these were likely either beagles or ancestors of beagles.

The Beagle dog breed is a medium-sized hound. Beagles are scent hounds used primarily for hunting rabbits to larger hares. Friendly and lovable, the beagle has been the dog breed of choice for everyone from President Lyndon Johnson to Charlie Brown. Their non-threatening demeanor has led the USDA, along with its counterparts in Australia and New Zealand, to use beagles to search airplane passengers for contraband. Sadly, their trusting, gentle temperament means beagles are also the most commonly used dog breed in animal experiments in the US.

Beagle’s Physical Characteristics
Here are the characteristics of the Beagle breed as determined by the American Kennel Club’s published breed standard.
beagle dog well trained

• Size: 13-15 inches
• Coat: medium-length hound dog-style coat
• Color: The American Kennel Club's breed standard does not make a big deal of color, saying any "true hound color" is acceptable. According to Wikipedia, the most common beagle coat types are: tricolor (white with large black and light brown spots), Two-color varieties (white with lemon, red,), Tick-Varieties (white or black with different color spots).
• Eyes: large, brown or hazel.
• Ears: long, fairly broad.
• Skull: fairly long and slightly domed.
• Muzzle: squared and medium-long
• Nose: nostrils large and open
• Tail: slightly curved and shorter than most hound tails

Beagle Health Concerns
The Beagle dog breed is generally a hardy specimen with a healthy constitution. They typically live an active 12-15 years. As with all dog breeds they do have a few health problems which can worry them.

Your Veterinarian and Beagle breeder can offer you more specialized Beagle health care advice, but you should at least be aware of some of the potential health problems listed below.
• The long floppy ears of your Beagle can present a few problems. The shape of the ears means that they are susceptible to a build up of yeast and other infections. Management is the key to preventing this problem. Regular inspection of the ear every couple of days is required and a clean out when necessary.
• Beagles love their food! This is a good thing really but you must feed the right food in the right amount to avoid obesity - don't rely on your Beagle to tell you when he/she is hungry! Your Beagle breeder will give you a good feeding plan - try to stick with it. Overweight Beagles are much more likely to suffer from a wide range of serious health problems.
• Beagles are one of the breeds most likely to suffer from canine epilepsy. This is usually an inherited condition which results in repeated seizures. Your Veterinarian can help with a suitable treatment.
• Like most dog breeds the Beagle does suffer from some skin conditions and also arthritis when they get older.

The Beagle's Behavior
According to Wikipedia, Beagles tend to be gentle-tempered and friendly. Still, some people think they can be stubborn and hard to train. Beagles are generally not aggressive and work well with children. Remember that the Beagle breed only provides a general clue as to any individual dog's actual behavior. Make sure to get to know dogs well before bringing them into your home.

Along with the Beagles obvious good looks it is their lovely gentle temperament that wins over dog lovers worldwide.

At their best when they have been well bred, socialized and trained Beagles have a beautiful even temperament and merry disposition. Beagle owners also know them to be cheeky, mischievous but above all, friendly. They are great with children (love to play games!) and get along well with other pets.

Beagles actually crave human company. They hate to be separated from their "human pack" for long periods. Beagles who are left alone and frustrated each day often suffer from separation anxiety which can lead to various destructive behaviors (digging, barking and even self mutilation). If you and your family are required to be away from home for hours and hours on end then a Beagle puppy is probably not for you.

If you are planning to bring a Beagle puppy into your household be sure that you have sufficient fencing around your property. Not having a secure area for your Beagle is a recipe for disaster. They are notorious for roaming when given half a chance and unfortunately it often ends badly.

You'll find your Beagle to be ever alert, inquisitive, and of course have an acute sense of smell. They do make good watchdogs, with their distinctive deep bark enough to raise the alarm. They are not what you would call good guard dogs though - they are far too friendly!

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