Beagle: Dog Breed Profile

The Beagle is one of the most popular and recognizable dog breeds. Beagles are active, cheerful, and confident dogs, but they can have a stubborn streak. The Beagle is an ideal breed for active households. The comical and even-tempered demeanor of this breed makes it a great choice for families having children, but remember that not all dogs get along with kids, regardless of breed.

The breed was originally bred in 16th-century England as rabbit-hunting hounds. Beagles are known for their tendency to bark, especially with their signature “bay,” which is much like a howl. Some beagles vocalize out of boredom, but many bays just because they want to, no matter how much activity they get.

Characteristics of Beagle:

Barking Tendency	High
Energy level	High
Intelligence level	High
Affection level	High
Kid-friendly	High
Pet-friendly	Medium
Coat shedding rate	Medium
Trainability	High

History of the Beagle:

Beagles can be traced back to 16th century England, where Englishmen often owned packs of hounds. The smaller hounds were the beagles, which were used in hunting rabbits and other small prey. They were also used as gun dogs, flushing games for hunters.

Over time, the breed was developed in England and, later, in North America. Beagles became more refined and widely recognized in North America by the late 19th century, eventually becoming one of the most popular breeds. Though still used in packs for hunting today, beagles are commonly seen as wonderful companions and family dogs. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1885.

Beagles are scent hounds, tracking their prey by ground-scenting. Their keen sense of smell ranks with bloodhounds and basset hounds. They are used by the United States Department of Agriculture for detecting contraband food items in luggage.

Snoopy from the “Peanuts” cartoon is a beagle, reflecting the breed’s popularity at the time Charles Schulz began to draw the comic strip in 1950. President Lyndon Baines Johnson owned several beagles while in the White House.

Beagle Care and Training:

The following routine care is necessary for your Beagle:

Coat Grooming:

Beagles have short, water-resistant coats with a moderate to high rate of shedding. Routine basic grooming is typically necessary to keep beagles looking their best. Luckily, their coat doesn’t pick up much debris, so you won’t need frequent baths or cleaning up what your dog tracks into the house.

Dental Care:

Washing the teeth once a week is good practice for keeping your dog in good health status.

Bathing:

All Beagles should have a bath when required. Frequently bathing is necessary if there is some skin problem in Beagles and for further protocols make an appointment with a Veterinarian.

Nails Trimming:

Regular Nail trimming is necessary to avoid any discomfort during walking.

Ears Care:

Be sure to keep their floppy ears clean to prevent ear infections.

Training:

Though they may sometimes act lazy on the surface, beagles have loads of energy and need regular exercise to use it up. Otherwise, the dog may release that mischievous nature inside. Walk your dog once or twice daily and give it plenty of chances to run and play. As scent hounds, they enjoy sniffing everything along your walks, which will exercise your dog’s mind as well as his body. However, you will need good leash control and training, so you can control your dog if he gets a scent that he wants to track. Because beagles get along well with other dogs, free running in a properly enclosed dog park can be fun for both of you.

Escape Artists:

A yard with a physical fence is preferred to one with an electronic fence, as a beagle may not stop once he catches the scent of interesting prey. Be sure your dog has an identification collar or microchip—beagles can be escape artists, digging under fences and finding other ways to escape.

These fearless hounds are well-suited to both hunting and companionship, but proper training is an absolute necessity. Without it, beagles can become unruly and defiant due to their strong-willed nature. They are notoriously difficult to train and command, and you have to make it fun and interesting for your dog to pay attention to your wishes.

Beagles can be wonderful companions and great family dogs when properly trained. Having been bred to be in packs, they get along well with other dogs and do well with cats especially if raised together. They are excellent with children as long as the child is old enough to treat a dog with respect and tolerate the high energy the beagle may display. Also note that these dogs are considered to be mouthy, so they may mouth a child’s arm to play, which can be frightening.

Take their barking and baying into consideration. They will bay when they detect an interesting scent, but they may also become problem barkers due to boredom or separation anxiety. Beagles need human companionship or the companionship of other pets throughout the day.

Common Health Problems:

Generally, Responsible breeders are in continuous efforts to maintain the standard health status of the breeds as established by AKC. Dogs bred by these standards are less likely to inherit health conditions. However, some hereditary health problems can occur in the breed. The following are some conditions to be aware of:

• Epilepsy:

A neurological disease that causes seizures.

• Intervertebral Disc Disease:

A condition that occurs when the discs between vertebrae bulge and press on nerves.

• Hypothyroidism:

A condition caused by insufficient thyroid hormones.

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

A genetic disease characterized by the bilateral degeneration of the retina.

Diet and Nutrition:

Beagles love to eat and are notorious for detecting, raiding, and eating anything they can. You should provide two meals a day of up to 3/4 cup of dry dog food per meal. The amount will vary by the dog’s size, age, activity level, and other factors. Keep the dog food and your human food well-secured against this thief. Because of their omnivorous appetites, you will have to monitor your dog’s weight and take action when you see it is becoming overweight. Discuss your dog’s needs with your veterinarian to get recommendations for the right food, feeding schedule, and amount.

Conclusions:

Pros	Cons
Doesn’t need much grooming due to a short coat	Hard to train and socialize
Playful companion and pet friendly too	Howling bark is loud and irritating
Great family Pet	Regularly shedding coat

Where to Adopt or Buy a Beagle:

Check your local animal shelter to see if there’s a beagle in need or a home. Additionally, check state and regional rescue groups, which include but are not limited to:

New Jersey: SOS Beagle Rescue

Midwest: Midwest Beagle Rescue, Education & Welfare

North Carolina: Triangle Beagle

New England: Beagles of New England

Southern California: Beans Beagle Rescue

Pacific Northwest: Cascade Beagle Rescue

The National Beagle Club of America also lists breeders on its website, though the group does not endorse or guarantee any organization or person.