Beagle | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

The Beagle is a sturdy and daring and friendly, compact and sporty little dog. These dogs have a short, dense, weather-resistant coat, available in a wide variety of colors and patterns.

This is one of the medium sized dogs that has been a popular choice of companion dogs for decades. The Beagle was also a basic favorite in the ring with the judges and the crowds. Although he has retained a strong hunting instinct, the Beagle is renowned for being a relaxed and happy dog ​​in a home environment, and nothing puts these little dogs in sync no matter where they are.

Dog-sheet-Beagle

Beagle photos

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Physical characteristics

The beagle is a medium-sized dog with springy muscles and strong bones – as befits hunters. According to the FCI standard, the height of an adult animal at the withers reaches 33-40 cm, and the average weight of a beagle is 8-18 kg. Remember that males are mostly larger than females.

Dog-characteristics-Beagle

Distinctive features

  • Head: The skull is powerful. The head is elongated, there is a small tubercle. The distance between the forehead and the back of the head should be proportional to the distance between the forehead and the nose. The muzzle is not pointed.
  • Teeth: Scissor bite. The jaw is slightly rectangular, rather powerful. The teeth are straight and white. The dog’s grip is not strong.
  • Ears: The ears are long and reach level with the nose. Set low. Triangular shape with rounded corners.
  • Eyes: The eyes are large, oval. Not sunken, but not protruding either. Equal triangles form between the eyes and the nose. Hazel and brown eye color. Sincerity and friendliness can be read in the eyes.
  • Frame: The body is compact. The chest is wide, tapering towards the belly. The back is straight. The kidney is flexible and solid. The belly is slightly upturned.
  • Limbs: The limbs of the dog are straight, parallel to each other. The hocks are well developed. The toes of the paws are gathered in dense masses.
  • Coat: The coat is thick and water repellent. The color may be different. Most often, beagles are painted in three colors: white, red, black. Bicolors are less common, with pure white beagles being the rarest.

Beagle nose

One of the most characteristic features of the breed is its sense of smell. The Beagle has one of the most developed noses of any dog ​​breed. According to some studies, it has been proven that a Beagle is able to locate a mouse in a 4000 square meter field in less than a minute, followed by specimens of fox terriers, which took about 15 minutes to complete. . This is because their spotting ability is primarily demonstrated by sniffing on land than by air, where other races are much more capable. The Beagle’s large ears and lips are also believed to help retain odors near the nose.

Character and behavior

The Beagle is a very active dog, who will feel better in a big house, because he can run freely and thus release a good part of his energy. This does not mean that he is incompatible with apartment living, but if he lives in an apartment, he has to go out at least three times a day, two of which are long term.

This dog has a good character and, bred to be a pet. Dogs of this breed will get along with most dogs.

They love children, but they need to be in contact with cats in order to be able to build a good relationship with big cats.

The Beagle is an excellent guard dog who will bark for anything unusual. Although once the thief enters, the Beagle will surely prefer to play with him.

Note

Beagles love to bark, for good reason or not. This fact should be taken into account when planning to keep a dog in an apartment building.

Health

The Beagle is a breed of dog that is prone to many diseases, but it is not a fact that your pet will have them all. Additionally, many dogs, when properly cared for, live their entire lives with little or no visits to the vet. So:

  • Intervertebral disc disease;
  • Hip dysplasia;
  • Cherry eye;
  • Glaucoma;
  • Progressive retinal atrophy;
  • Distichiasis;
  • Epilepsy;
  • Hypothyroidism ;
  • “Beagle dwarfism” is a condition in which the dog is smaller than usual. May be accompanied by other physical abnormalities such as extremely short legs;
  • Dislocation of the knee.

Life expectancy

With the right care, the beagle can live 12 to 15 years.

Care

The Beagle dog breed has a short coat that needs to be combed once a week. Always keep your dog’s ears clean by inspecting them for mites and insects after a walk, as well as cleaning the eyes daily of deposits. They bathe the animal at least once a week, cut the claws 3 times a month.

This dog lives best outdoors, in an enclosed yard where he can roam freely. The Beagle is also suitable for an apartment if there is an active owner nearby, but this requires long daily walks and work with the dog.

Important

The Beagle tends to become obese, just like the Labrador Retriever, if food intake is not controlled.

Interesting facts

  • There are many representations of the Beagle in popular culture, literature, painting, comics, television, and film. One of the most popular, or perhaps the most popular, is Snoopy, one of the protagonists of Peanuts, known around the world. Other famous specimens are also known as the protagonist of the Underdog series and other animated dogs.
  • Before being known only as the Beagle, this breed had several names, especially in the 17th century, although they were all quite similar to each other. They were known as the Northern and Southern Hounds, Hard Coated Beagle, and Smooth Coated Beagle. Although at first the names could respond to different varieties of the breed, eventually they were all unified as the Beagle.
  • Queen Elizabeth I had a famous pack of beagle dogs in ancient times. These animals were similar to the breed standard, but had a significant difference in size. All were under 25 centimeters and could even be carried in the jacket pocket. This area was so well known and famous that it is even believed that dogs were allowed to play between the plates on the table at the banquets they hosted.
  • Former US President Lyndon B. Johnson’s beagles were also known, although he had a disastrous moment grabbing one of his dogs by the ears during an official presentation to the White House.
  • Currently, the Beagle has almost the same popularity as a pet as a working dog, and this is because this breed is part of a brigade specializing in customs detection, due to its unique sense of smell in the area. canine world.
  • The fame of the Beagle is currently used to be crossed with other breeds, so that new characteristics are obtained to obtain an animal adapted to city life. One of the best known is the puggle, the mix between the Beagle and the Pug, which has a lower energy level than the Beagle and less need for exercise.
  • These animals have been used frequently in pet therapy, visiting the elderly and sick in hospitals because of their user-friendliness and ease of treatment, improving the lives of many patients.

History of the breed

Officially, this breed of dog dates back to the 14th century in the UK. Externally, the beagle is somewhat similar to a dog breed such as a harier, as well as other dog breeds. Initially, beagles were bred and intended for use in hunting hares and stalking deer. Thanks to this, they became staunch helpers to the misty nobles of Albion, who could not imagine their lives without hunting.

Regarding the origin of the word “beagle”, that is to say several versions. One of the most popular says it is taken from the French language and is similar to the word “begueule”, which translates to “open throat”. Apparently, representatives of the breed received such a name due to their unique voice. But, there is another version, which says that the Beagle breed got its name from a word in the Gaelic language, which is an adverb from the Scottish Celts.

Tracing with precision the history of the emergence and development of the breed is not easy. The reason lies in the fact that until the 19th century almost nothing was known about her. In the Greek writings of the fourth century BC e. it is mentioned that the ancient Romans had dogs that looked a lot like beagles.

It is believed that it was the Romans who brought to the territory of modern Britain the first ancestors of modern beagles specifically to hunt small rodents, especially rabbits. And already in England began the continuous development of the breed by crossing it with other local breeds of dogs.

In addition, there is historical evidence that indicates that the appearance of Beagles in the UK took place thanks to William the Conqueror. It was he who brought the Beagles back to England from his campaign in Normandy. This was in 1066. These dogs are also believed to be the ancestors of Foxhound.

Beagles gained popularity among the local aristocracy during the reigns of Edward II and Henry VII (14th-15th centuries). Surprisingly, these dogs were so small that they were the size of a regular glove. Elizabeth I even had a real packet of “pocket” beagles. We can judge the exterior of dogs from this era from paintings in which beagles are often captured by artists – small dogs with pointy muzzles and short legs are surprisingly small.

In the 18th century, fox hunting became particularly popular. Too small beagles could no longer compete with these animals on an equal footing. However, thanks to the efforts of farmers in Ireland, England and Wales, the breed did not fade into oblivion and was able to save it. They continued to take advantage of the beagles while hunting hares and rabbits. The dogs coped with this task perfectly.

The 19th century was marked by attempts at reproduction, but it was successful. Thomas Johnson was responsible for the process of breeding hunting dogs. It was around this time that the so-called “beagle” breed was formed as we know it today.