This entry was posted on 2014-06-30 by Schalk.

The Beagle is medium in size and is part of the hound-sporting group. Throughout history there have been many different types of this breed in existence. The more modern breed emerged in the early 1800s, England. As the Beagle is medium in size and calm in temperament it’s a popular choice for pet owners. Its sharp sense of smell makes it very useful to hunters.

Traits:

•    Other names: English Beagle
•    Weight: Male: 10–11 kg, Female: 9–10 kg
•    Height: 33-41 cm
•    Coat: Short haired, hard coat of medium length
•    Colour: Tricolour or white in combination with black & tan/brown or brown/tan
•    Litter size: 2-14 puppies, average 7
•    Life span: 12–15 years

Physical Characteristics

The Beagle has a solid structure, which resembles a Foxhound. The tuneful bay of the beagle allows hunters to follow the dog on foot and be able to locate it from a distance. As the dog is medium in size, hunters could carry it to the hunting site. Where it could look for their target, within the dense undergrowth. The coarse and close coat provides it with protection from the elements.

Personality and Temperament

Amongst the hound breeds the Beagle is by far the most friendly, it was created to be a pack hunter. The Beagle loves to explore the outdoor and has a great passion for trailing. This is a very independent breed, which howls, barks, and often runs off the path on its own.

You must start you training early as to prevent them from making a mess and overeating, which are two of their favorite habits. This breed wants to please their owner, but you must be very clear about what you would like them to do, as well as being firm and consistent. If you do not begin your training early this breed can be very hard to housebreak and will bark a lot.

Care

Beagles are social dogs, loving the company of humans and other dogs alike. This breed needs regular exercise such as a run in the garden or park, along with regular leashed walks. This is quite a tough dog being able to live outdoors most seasons as long as you have provided it with a bed and sheltered doghouse. As the Beagle has a short close coat it doesn’t really require much grooming, just a brush and a bath every now and again will keep you Beagle smelling and looking good.

Health

The average life span of the beagle is 12 to 15 years. This breed is generally pretty healthy but here are some ailments that are know to affect the Beagle patellar luxation, epilepsy, distichiasis, cherry eye, central progressive retinal atrophy (CPRA), glaucoma, hypothyroidism, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and chondrodysplasia. Cataract, Deafness, demodicosis, umbilical hernia and hemophilia A are some other health problems that affect the breed. Two other ailments include intervertebral disk disease and primary carnitine deficiency (CUD). The exams that are used to identify these conditions include eye tests, thyroid and hip.

History & Background

“Beagle” is said to have come from old French words which mean open throat, possibly because of the dogs musical bay. There are theories that the dogs name might have come from the Celtic, English, old French words meaning small. During the 1300’s in England hare-hunting was a popular sport and Beagle-like dogs we probably used for this, the term Beagle only came about in 1475. In the 1800s there were lots of different sizes of the Beagle, but the pocket sized ones seemed to be the most popular. These dogs were so small that hunters would often have to help them cross rough terrain. The smaller beagles were slower and therefore easier to follow on foot, which made them a very appealing dog to own, especially for women, the elderly and those who wouldn’t have the strength to keep up with a more active dog.

The first town in the United States to mention a Beagle in their town records was Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1642. People in the South, before the American Civil War used Beagles that didn’t look like the English Beagle. Soon after the war was over they imported English Beagles for crossbreeding, which lead on to developing the American Beagle we know today. In the last part of the 19th century Beagles became popular competitors in exhibitions and on the field. Soon after the breed became the most preferred pet for families in the U.S.

Nutrition

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