Beagles are the most adorable dogs, which are classified under hound dogs and are anywhere between small to medium in size. It is interesting to note that though dogs similar to the Beagle in type have existed in the world for over 2000 years, even during the Ancient Greek era, the modern Beagle has been in existence since the 1830's. Beagles are basically hound dogs, known for their tracking abilities and unique sense of smell, which have been exploited by using Beagles for tracking rabbits, hare and other game.

Description

Beagle is a short, well-built and robust hound, which is often said to resemble the Foxhound. It has an evenly built body, with a long and slightly domed skull and a square muzzle, which is straight and of medium length. The eyes of the Beagle are large, well apart from each other and either brown or hazel in color. The ears are wide, long, pendant shaped and low while the nose is black and broad with wide nostrils. The feet of the Beagle are firm and round while its tail is straight and not too high, and does not curl over the back. It is pertinent to note that these dogs have a broad head, short muzzle and its legs are shorter when compared to the entire length of the body. This is because these dogs are essentially tracking dogs and having their noses closer to the ground helps in tracking. The front legs of the Beagle are straight while the hind legs are bent at the stifles. Height of these dogs is anywhere between 13 and 16 inches while they are anywhere between 9 to 11 kilograms or 18 to 35 pounds in weight, with the females being less heavy than males. Life expectancy of a Beagle is anywhere between 12 and 15 years of age.

Coat

The coat of the Beagle is close to its body and is medium in length, sleek and hard. Beagle coats are of different colors, most common being the tricolor variety, which includes the classic combination of white, black and brown. Two color coats are also common in Beagles, with combinations like orange and white, tan and black, tan and white, lemon, red, reddish orange, brown and liver, or dark brown and black. It is pertinent to note that in most of these two colored varieties, the base color is white on which the other color is merged. However, colors like liver are not really common.

History

As mentioned earlier, dogs similar to Beagle were found in the early 5th century BC during the time of the Ancient Greeks. These dogs were popularized by Xenophon in his early works, where he mentioned the hound dogs that used the sense of smell to find things. It is suspected that these dogs were taken to Rome and then to Roman Britain because there is mention of such dogs in the Forest laws of Canute.

Britain saw its first hound when William the Conqueror brought the Talbot to the country during the 11th century. These were dogs that were developed from the St. Hubert hound and had a keen sense of smell. These Talbots were then cross bred with the Greyhounds in order to increase their speed of movement. It is pertinent to note that this breed of Talbots soon became extinct but their gene strain was found in the Southern Hound, which according to experts is the true ancestor of the modern day Beagles. Two hunting breeds, the Southern Hound and the North Country Beagle were increasingly popular for hunting hare and rabbit during the 1700s and these dogs were then cross bred with Stag hounds to create Foxhounds.

It was only later in 1830 that the modern day Beagle came into existence in Essex, which is supposed to have the strains of Southern hounds, north country Beagle and harriers.

Temperament

Beagles are the most lovable and adorable dogs, which have an even temper and sweet disposition. These dogs are absolutely friendly and love mixing with people. It is possible that these dogs are aloof during the first meeting with a stranger but they can soon become friends. Their friendly nature does not make them good as guard dogs. However, these dogs are highly intelligent, determined and single minded in their intention, which makes them great hunting dogs.

Despite their intelligence, their single mindedness makes this breed very difficult for training. It is interesting to note that while they will learn your commands and obey them almost always, obedience can take second place if the dog has found a familiar or interesting scent. Their sense of smell is so keen that once intrigued, they refuse to stop following it till they have found its origin.

Given their easy temperament and friendly nature, they are excellent playmates for children. Perhaps this is why they are one of the most popular family dogs these days. However, it has to be added that these are also pack dogs. There are chances of your dog facing anxiety caused by separation. Therefore, it is important to become the pack leader for your Beagle, especially during training so that you can have a well trained dog. Although they do not require much attention and can easily find ways to distract themselves, it is important to note that these dogs are easily bored, which is why you should refrain from too much of the same thing. Additionally, these dogs are prone to putting on excess weight very easily. So, regular exercise is advisable, although they may not really be interested in it or require it for easy sleep. The keen sense of smell that these dogs have ensures that they are alert to all kinds of danger. While some bay and most of them bark, you can even find Beagles that only howl when faced with unfamiliar situations.

Health issues and concerns

As mentioned earlier, Beagles have a life span of anywhere between 12 to 15 years of age, which is pretty normal for a dog of their size. While this breed is mostly healthy, there may be some dogs that are prone to epilepsy, which can be controlled and cured with the help of medicines.

Beagles are also prone to disk diseases, hypothyroidism, arthritis and even dwarfism. It is pertinent to note that arthritis of a particular kind can occur even when the Beagles are of a young age. Another common problem with Beagles is where the dog does not develop at the normal rate and has a crooked back and weak legs. While such dogs are otherwise healthy, they can be afflicted by various diseases. Trigeminal Neuropathy is another common condition in Beagles, which is a kind of paralysis where the dog is unable to close its mouth.
Ear infections and eye problems are also very common with Beagles. Ear infections normally occur when there is moist air in the inner ear lobe or when the ear does not receive proper circulation of air. Retinal atrophy, corneal dystrophy, glaucoma, distichiasis, cherry eye are some of the common eye problems faced by Beagles. Other eye problems include when the eyes leak too much of water or where there is a problem of dry eye, both of these situations being common in Beagles.

Other common problems like cuts, fleas, ticks, sprains and the like are present in Beagles and should be treated accordingly. Beagles are normally prone to obesity. So, proper exercise and diet is an absolute must to ensure that they do not succumb to this problem.

Grooming

By nature, Beagles are low maintenance dogs, which do not require much in terms of grooming. The coat of the Beagle is very easy to look after as it is short, stuck to the body and very sleek in nature. Regular brushing with a bristle brush that is firm along with baths with a mild soap is enough to ensure a well groomed coat. Dry shampoo can be used occasionally. It is relevant to note that this breed is a medium shedder of hair. So, you will not face much of a shedding problem. Ears should be kept absolutely clean and should be checked regularly for infections, given that this breed is prone to ear infections. Moreover, nails should be trimmed and kept neat at all times. It is also important to check for ticks and other insects and keep your pet clean and away from them.

Exercise and Training

These dogs are highly intelligent. So, they respond to training very easily and almost immediately. However, it is important that you have patience and start training early. This is because once these dogs get into a habit, it can be very difficult to break them out of it. So, it is best that you start training your Beagle as early as when it is only six to eight weeks of age. It is pertinent to note that an average Beagle responds to all kinds of training methods, which makes training very simple.

It is important to note that these dogs have a short attention span. So, the time for each session should not be more than 15 minutes, and the same cannot be repeated for more than thrice a day. It is important that you provide instant feedback to your dog while training it, and be consistent in your feedback. Additionally, given the fact that a Beagle is a friendly dog, socialization skills can be taught in the early stages, which will help it during its growth.