As with all dogs, the type and amount of food offered is determined by the age of the dog. For the first two months of the beagle’s life, the mother’s milk provides all the nutrients needed. Toward the end of this period, after about five weeks, you can begin to wean the pup from its dependence upon the mother and on to eating solid foods.

The period that begins when your beagle becomes dependent upon solid foods, usually at eight weeks, until about six months of age will be one of rapid growth. During this period proper nutrition is critical. Feeding should be scheduled for three times a day. Scheduled feedings are usually logistically easier for the owner, and provide the dog with a dependable regimen that is a great component of improving behavior. This is also the period during which the time allotted for eating is limited, with the food being available for no more than one half hour at each meal.

After six months, you can begin to reduce the number of feedings per day to two: one in the morning and one in the evening. At the age of one year you can further reduce the meals to one a day supplemented by occasional snacks as rewards for training or good behavior.

The puppy phase, which comes to a close during the second year, should be over by the dog’s second birthday. You’ll then have a healthy, well behaved, and happy adult beagle for your constant and loyal companion. Your feeding routine should now be well established for both you and your dog. For the remainder of your time together, the major concern in feeding the beagle should be not to feed it too much. A fat dog is not a healthy dog.

As an adult, your beagle will not need as much food to grow. Watch your dog’s diet and go easy with the snacks. Back when your beagle was just a pup entering your life, you would have had to make a decision whether to feed the dog a mass produced manufactured dog food or a homemade food from your own kitchen. Either one is acceptable, with a few caveats.

Store bought prepared wet or dry foods vary in quality and in price and the two are generally in direct proportion to one another. If you decide to go with the prepared dog foods, keep in mind that both the lower priced and higher priced foods contain fillers which are empty calories. The major difference is in the percentage of fillers included. Generally the more expensive brands have less filler.

Homemade food does not mean table scraps. There are some foods eaten by humans that can be harmful, even deadly for your dog. If you should decide to feed your beagle with homemade foods check with your veterinarian for advice and go online for recipes tailored for dogs, some specifically for beagles. Generally, the homemade food should be slightly under 50% lean meats, approximately 30% of certain vegetables, and the remainder starchy foods like rice and pasta.

If you should find a nice piece of chicken left over after a family meal, you can give it to your dog as one of his reward snacks, but never do it from the table. Put the food in his eating bowl and present it to him at the usual eating location. Serving snacks to your beagle from the table, even if done only a few times, will create a boldly begging beagle, which you certainly do not want.

As with all dogs, the type and amount of food offered is determined by the age of the dog. For the first two months of the beagle’s life, the mother’s milk provides all the nutrients needed. Toward the end of this period, after about five weeks, you can begin to wean the pup from its dependence upon the mother and on to eating solid foods.

The period that begins when your beagle becomes dependent upon solid foods, usually at eight weeks, until about six months of age will be one of rapid growth. During this period proper nutrition is critical. Feeding should be scheduled for three times a day. Scheduled feedings are usually logistically easier for the owner, and provide the dog with a dependable regimen that is a great component of improving behavior. This is also the period during which the time allotted for eating is limited, with the food being available for no more than one half hour at each meal.

After six months, you can begin to reduce the number of feedings per day to two: one in the morning and one in the evening. At the age of one year you can further reduce the meals to one a day supplemented by occasional snacks as rewards for training or good behavior.

The puppy phase, which comes to a close during the second year, should be over by the dog’s second birthday. You’ll then have a healthy, well behaved, and happy adult beagle for your constant and loyal companion. Your feeding routine should now be well established for both you and your dog. For the remainder of your time together, the major concern in feeding the beagle should be not to feed it too much. A fat dog is not a healthy dog.

As an adult, your beagle will not need as much food to grow. Watch your dog’s diet and go easy with the snacks. Back when your beagle was just a pup entering your life, you would

Most beagles, when properly fed and cared for will live out their expected 12 to 15 years in good health, but, as with all living creatures, they are susceptible to disease, parasites, and accidents that can threaten their health and longevity. One disease, recognized and experienced by humans, is epilepsy. The symptoms of seizures are easy to recognize, but specific diagnosis is difficult because the symptoms are normally gone when the dog is with the veterinarian. Treatment usually consists of the life-long administration of Phenobarbital, an anticonvulsant. Unless the seizures are very long or frequent, your dog’s brain should not be affected.

Hypothyroidism is another disease to which beagles are prone. It is not life threatening, but can affect weight and behavior. Treatment consists of life-long treatment with a synthesized thyroid hormone. The beagle’s long floppy ears are the culprit regarding ear infections. The floppy ears cover the inner ear so efficiently that moisture becomes trapped and infections develop. Once an infection is resident, an antibiotic treatment is necessary. Prevention is a matter of regular grooming during which the ear canals are wipe dry with a clean cotton swab.

Beagles are prone to glaucoma, which acts much as it does in humans causing eventual blindness if not treated. The current treatment involves the administration of anti-glaucoma drugs to reduce inner eye pressure. When drug treatment is ineffective, several surgical techniques are available. Older beagles that are sedentary or overweight can develop hip dysplasia and heart trouble. This can be prevented by providing adequate exercise opportunities. good eating habits, and controlled snack practices.

Some beagles are born with a condition called Pulmonic Stenosis, which is an abnormal stricture of the pulmonary artery. This condition can lead to severe high blood pressure. Treatment involves corrective surgery to reshape the valve. This reshaping can be done in some cases by balloon valvuloplasty, but is not as effective as the surgical approach.

As the beagle ages it becomes more prone to the discomforts of polyarthritis, in which the dog’s own immune system attacks the joints. Cortisone treatment helps to relieve the symptoms. Various cancers become more common in old age, as with all dogs. Standard treatments reflect those used in humans, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Funny Puppy, the name undoubtedly coming from observing a dog’s uncoordinated behavior, causes the beagle to develop weakness in the legs and a crooked back. This condition appears to be unique to beagles. The afflicted animals are normally healthy but do seem prone to frequent illnesses.
Being active field dogs, beagles are always bringing home parasites and exhibiting small cuts and sprains. Most of these problems can be taken care of at home by the owner. Tapeworm, however, would be best treated by a veterinarian.

One final affliction, that is not really an illness, is worth a mention. It’s called reverse sneezing. When the dog experiences this. it sounds like it is choking or gasping for breath. It apparently does no harm to the dog, but it certainly does scare the daylights out of the owner until he gets used to the sound.
These illness and diseases mentioned above are common ones seen in beagles and other dogs. Once recognized, the illness should be addressed as soon as possible to ensure that your beagle enjoys a long and healthy life as your faithful companion.

Grooming – Beagles have a great coat and should be brushed every week or two to get rid of any extra hair that has yet to be shed. Use a rubber brush or comb to remove any of the extra dirt as well as spread the oils to give the coat a nice healthy shine. Moreover, you only need to bath your dog two or three times a year, if you don’t send him to a groomer regularly.

Your Beagle should have short nails so clip them regularly.

At least once a month, check the inside of your Beagles ears to make sure they are clean. You should use a cottonball to clean the ear if it is dirty. Do not use a Q-tip as it will only push wax and dirt inside the ear!

Brushing a Beagle’s Teeth – Brush your Beagle’s teeth frequently. This should be done at least once a week to ensure your beagle as clean teeth. Brushing will help control build up of plaque and tartar. Poor brushing can lead to bad breath and teeth problems that can lead to serious dental issues. Make sure you use a dentabone and have the Vet check his teeth too!

Taking Your Beagle to the Vet – Your beagle should go to the vet once a year to get all his vaccinations and check ups. It’s important that they are seen regularly to make sure there are no problems. Moreover, do not forget to give your dog his heartworm pill. This is a very important pill that should be given to your beagle!

Food and Water– Beagles like to eat. Beagles like to eat anything really. However, it’s important that you train your beagle properly to avoid him eating human food. Your Beagle needs dog food that will provide the nutrition he needs to be healthy and strong. If you give your beagle treats, make sure that it is only once or twice during the day. Overfeeding and human food can lead to weight and other health issues.

Additionally, beagles dehydrate quickly and should have a full bowl of water out for them to drink everyday.

Playing and walking your Beagle– Beagles are very active dogs. They are hunting dogs are were breed to be outside in nature. They like wide open spaces, to play, and to run around. If you leave your beagle cooped up all day, they will start to get antsy and might cause havoc around your house. It is therefore important that you walk your beagle everyday. They should be allowed outside frequently. If you have a large backyard, you can let your beagle out for awhile and let them run around and have fun outside. Play catch with them.

Beagle care is not difficult and simply requires you to be attentive and caring to your pet beagle. If you feed them well, keep a beagle active, groom them, and take them to the vet as appropriate, you will find that beagle care is a rewarding and lovely experience.

Puppyproof your house
You can save yourself and your new puppy a lot of trouble if you take the time to puppyproof your home before you bring him home. Go through your house and put up anything that your new beagle puppy can reach. Put away things that could cause problems such as houseplants. Tape down cords and wires that could be chewed. Consider getting child proof locks for cabinets and trash cans. Look at your home through your new puppy’s eyes and take the appropriate precautions.

Accessorize
Before bringing your new Beagle puppy home you should prepare for him by picking up some of the basic things he will need. All puppies will need a good collar and leash. Nylon is a good choice for a growing puppy. You can choose leather or something fancier (and more expensive) when your puppy is a little older and won’t be outgrowing collars.

Puppies also need toys of their own. Choose a good selection of toys that include both things to chew on and some soft snuggly toys. Beagles aren’t the worst chewers in the world but they are still puppies so they will enjoy some good chew toys. Kongs and Nylabones in various shapes are always popular. Be sure that you don’t get toys that are too small for your puppy. Toys that are too small can be dangerous because your puppy can try to swallow them and may choke. It’s better to get larger toys so there’s no danger of your puppy being able to swallow them.

Rawhides can be problematic. If you do get your puppy a rawhide to chew on look for sterilized rawhides that are made in the United States. Some rawhides imported from other countries have been linked to salmonella. You should also supervise your puppy when he chews on a rawhide. There is always the possibility that he may chew off some pieces and get them stuck in his throat. Puppies (and dogs) don’t need to swallow a lot of rawhide and have it sitting in their tummies. It’s not easily digestible.

Don’t forget to get your beagle puppy a soft bed or mat, especially if you don’t plan on letting him sleep on your bed or on the furniture. A puppy needs a good place to sleep and call his own.

Remember to choose some bowls for your puppy. He will need a water bowl and a dinner bowl. Some people like to get extra bowls so they can always have clean ones if they have one set in the dishwasher. Avoid plastic dishes. Some dogs can have an allergic reaction to plastic pans. Choose metal food dishes or ceramic.

Finally, pick up some of the same food that your puppy is currently eating, whether it’s kibble or canned. It’s not important whether you approve of the food. You need to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach for the first few days by changing food too quickly. If you want to change his diet you can do so gradually after your puppy has been living with you for a few days.

Plan a trip to the vet
Whether you’re getting a Beagle puppy from a breeder or from a rescue or shelter you should plan a trip to the vet within a couple of days of bringing your new puppy home. If you’re getting your puppy from a breeder they may have a contract that asks you to take your puppy to a vet to confirm that the puppy is in good health when you receive him and to follow up with his ongoing vaccinations. If you get your puppy from a rescue or shelter your puppy may have been housed with other dogs who could have been carrying diseases. It’s important for your vet to see your puppy and make sure that he’s in good health. In either case, you can schedule your puppy’s future vaccinations and check-ups.

Go slow
Once you bring your new Beagle puppy home try to take things slow. It’s very exciting to bring a new puppy home. If you have children, especially, it will be hard to contain the excitement. Kids plus puppy equals a wild time! But your puppy is just a baby and his new home can be a little overwhelming. Take him outside often to help him in learning his housetraining. Give him time to explore his parts of the house with you beside him. And, most importantly, let him have lots of time for some sleep. Puppies go all out in play but they also do plenty of sleeping. Your puppy will soon adjust to your home and he’ll be one of the family.

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.

• 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!

There are two reasons why training Beagles can be hard:

• Beagles can be independent to the point of stubbornness.
• Beagles have great noses — they can be distracted by scents and ignore your commands.

That doesn’t mean that Beagles can’t be trained. Far from it. If you are consistent with your training and find good ways to motivate your dog then Beagles can excel in many kinds of training. Beagles are very intelligent.

Training Classes or Training at Home?
Can you train a Beagle better in a class setting or at home? You may be wondering which approach would work better for your Beagle. It may depend on the kind of class and on your dog’s age.

If you have a beagle puppy then puppy kindergarten classes or puppy preschool are an excellent way of getting your puppy out and socializing him. The whole purpose of these classes is to introduce your puppy to other puppies and people. Socialization is one of the most important things a dog learns. It helps him fully adapt and adjust to living in the human world. He learns the manners he needs for interacting with non-threatening strangers. He learns to be a pleasant, friendly dog and to act without fear. These classes help to build your dog’s confidence.

Beagles puppies usually have a wonderful time in these classes. Beagles were bred to live in packs for so many centuries that they enjoy being “part of the gang” in a class setting and get along very well with groups of other puppies. Classes such as these are highly recommended. You can often find out information about puppy preschool and puppy kindergarten classes at your veterinarian’s office, pet supply stores, pet shops, animal shelters, kennel clubs and training centers.

When it comes to more serious beagle training classes, you may wish to continue training your Beagle in a class setting. Beagles can do well learning obedience in classes. Small classes are usually better than large ones and training situations with fewer distractions are recommended. If you have a choice between long classes and short ones, the shorter classes are are better for most dogs. A dog’s attention span usually begins to wander after a short while. Several shorter beagle training classes are better than one long one.

Beagle Training at Home
You can also train your Beagle quite well at home yourself. Like other dogs, Beagles respond to positive reinforcement very well. Consistency is very important but so is getting and keeping your dog’s attention and making training fun for your dog.

Beagles usually respond very well to food rewards. You can also use a favorite toy or playtime as a reward when training your dog.

Commands such as “Sit,” “Come,” “Lie Down,” “Heel,” and “Stay” are considered basic obedience commands. Your Beagle can easily learn them in either a training class or at home. There are several ways to teach your dog to sit on command but they all involve a little positive reinforcement. Some people like to use a clicker to “mark” the behavior but it’s not strictly necessary.

Have some treats in your pocket. Hold a treat near your dog’s nose and move it back over his head and downward. He should move into a sitting position to try to reach the treat. Praise him and give him the treat. Do this several times. Do it again and and give the command, “Sit.” Give him the treat when he sits. Don’t forget to praise him lots. Keep repeating until your dog is associating the word “Sit” with the behavior. Beagles like to eat and beagle training always goes better when their is food involved.

You can also teach sit by using a clicker. Clickers a small clicker devices that you can buy for about $2 at a pet supply store. When you see your dog doing something that you like “CLICK!” the clicker. It gets your dog’s attention and tells him that you like what he’s doing. Follow up with some treats right away. Your dog may not know what he did but he knows the clicker means something good. You can keep going until you have fine-tuned what your dog did and he knows what it was. Say your dog sits and you click. You give him treats. He has no clue why you’re giving him treats. Next time he lies down beside you. No treats. Then he sits down again. “CLICK!” and treats. Your dog starts to figure it out. All you have to do is put the command to the behavior.

You can teach your dog to do anything a dog can do using a clicker. It works particularly well with Beagles since there’s food involved.

There are many good ways to train your beagle. Following the rules above and you will find that beagle training isn’t that are of a process despite the dog’s stubborn streak. Training just takes time and patience.

Beagle Puppy Training
You and your Beagle will forge a strong mutual bond throughout the training process.
Beagles don’t lack anything in intelligence but can be a little stubborn during training sessions. Some people say that they have a mind of their own.

For this reason it is important to get straight into your Beagle puppy training as early as possible. Doing so will ensure that your Beagle puppy establishes good habits right from the start and will prevent many undesirable behaviors from ever developing.

Beagle puppies respond best to positive, non violent training methods which are based on consistency, repetition and rewards (food is a great motivator to Beagles!). There is no place or reason for harsh “old school” training techniques which rely on intimidation and punishment.

You’ll find your Beagle puppy to be a capable, enthusiastic training partner and also a quick learner. All the basic obedience training commands such as sit, down, stay, fetch, heel and many more are easily mastered by Beagle puppies.

There are a few specific training issues that Beagle owners need to pay close attention to:
• Many people get frustrated with the Beagle Potty Training Process. It doesn’t need to be such a big problem. Most Beagle breeders recommend crate training during the puppy house training period. This method relies on sticking to a proven schedule, confinement and supervision.
• Another Beagle training issue which needs to be addressed is to train your Beagle to walk nicely on a loose leash. Beagles are strong and will pull very hard on the leash if allowed to get away with it. They get their nose down to the ground and just go go go with no regard to what they are pulling along behind them! Hopefully you and your Beagle will be spending a lot of time out and about enjoying a walk so it’s a good behavior to work on.
• Beagles can never be fully trusted off leash. If your Beagle is off lead they are often easily distracted and can wander off on a scent trail. For situations like this you will need to call on the obedience training “come command” (sometimes called recall). This command should be taught early and practiced regularly – it may even save your Beagles life one day.

Beagle puppies are very energetic and training a puppy beagle is a lot of hard work. Training dogs is a lot of hard work and this breed is no exception but if you follow the tips above then training your dog shouldn’t be that problematic.