The origins of this ancient breed have been the subject of conjecture for centuries. Even the breed name is a shrouded in mystery. Some experts say it derives from the Gaelic word beag (‘little’), while others point to the French term for the sound hounds make while hunting: be’geule.
There are reports of small pack-hounds employed to hunt rabbit and hare in England long before the Roman legions arrived in 55 B.C. An English authority called the Beagle the ‘foothound of our country, indigenous to the soil.’ By the 1500s, most English gentlemen had packs of large hounds that tracked deer, and smaller hounds that tracked hares. The smaller, more compact hounds were ancestors of our modern Beagle.
The phrase ‘foot hound’ is vital to understanding the Beagle’s broad appeal for hunters in England, the Continent, and North America. Unlike larger pack hunters like foxhounds or Harriers, the Beagle could be hunted on foot’ no horse was necessary. Those who couldn’t afford to feed and stable a mount, and ladies and gentlemen too old spend a hard day thundering across the countryside on horseback, could easily keep up with a pack of Beagles on foot.
Beagles imports began arriving in America in the years after the Civil War, and their popularity among U.S. rabbit hunters was immediate. The AKC registered its first Beagle, named Blunder, in 1885. To this day, ‘beaglers’ in woodsy areas of North America still swear by their breed’s great nose, musical voice, and enthusiastic approach to rabbit hunting.
Beagles have a gentle disposition and an even temper. Often described as merry, Beagles are affectionate, courageous and rarely aggressive. Beagles love company and do not typically enjoy being alone. Beagles are not good dog guards and are more likely to welcome than ward off an intruder.
Beagles are intelligent but also excitable, with a tendency to bark and howl. These are characteristics that make it great at tracking down game but are not always desirable to new owners. As hounds, Beagles are characteristically stubborn, determined and single-minded which can result in a difficult training process.
Beagles are easily bored and distracted and amongst the lower degrees of canine intelligence. Beagles are phenomenal with children and terrific family pets; however, they are prone to separation anxiety.
Beagles are generally considered a healthy breed; however, they are susceptible to a number of common canine health problems. Prospective Beagle owners should be aware of the common health issues and know how to care for and prevent the diseases of their pet.
The best way to ensure a long, happy and healthy life for your Beagle is by providing a safe environment, regular exercise, mental stimulation, and a nutritious diet. With a healthy diet, a loving family, and a safe environment to live and play owners can expect their Beagle to live approximately 12 – 15 years on average.
Compared to some dog breeds, the beagle is a relatively low maintenance pooch. However, like all dogs, Beagles possess a number of breed specific characteristics that can make caring for one a challenging experience for first time dog owners.
Barking and Howling – Beagles are game hounds, bred to track game and signal their handlers once they have found the scent. They are also bred to live amongst other beagles who communicate via howling and barking. Therefore, it is very common for Beagles to howl and bark at just about anything that comes its way.
Avoid Injury – Smaller dogs, such as the Beagle are susceptible to back, hip and joint issues which can cause pain, bladder and bowel control problems, and even partial paralysis. To avoid future spinal issues, it’s best to prevent your Beagle from leaping off furniture or stairs. Baby gates and small ramps are a great way to keep a Beagle from needlessly over exerting itself.
All dogs have incredibly powerful noses and an acute sense of smell that they use to find food. However, the Beagle’s nose is the best of the best. For this reason, Beagles are not very discerning when it comes to food. To a Beagle; if it smells like food, it is food.
Therefore, it is very important that new Beagle owners keep a close eye on what their Beagle eats and make efforts to ensure their Beagle is not literally sniffing out food that it shouldn’t eat. However, your Beagles nose can also lead it to a lot fun.
A great way to entertain your Beagles brain and ensure its’ sniffing out the right food is by hiding a bowl of dry food in new places to sniff out. You will be amazed at your Beagles accuracy.
Beagles are also prone to obesity, which has a detrimental effect on the dog’s overall health.
A canine diet rich in healthy proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins will ensure your Beagle remains healthy and full, and therefore less likely to overeat. Vets recommend a diet consisting of 22% protein, a healthy fat content of 5%-8% and foods rich in healthy, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
However, the best way to avoid obesity is by declining to feed your Beagle human food. Puppies rarely shy away from a snack, so it’s best to avoid feeding your Beagle from the table. Instead, implement a feeding schedule.
Weaning Age Puppies (4-7 weeks) should be free-fed through the entire weaning process until they reach the appropriate weight to be fed a structured diet. Free-feeding refers to the practice of leaving food out and available for your Beagle puppy to eat whenever they get hungry.
Starting at 6 to 8 weeks, gradually transition your Beagle to solid food over a period of 3 weeks. From 8 weeks on, it’s essential that Beagle puppies learn that food will no longer be provided constantly throughout the day.
Start your Beagle on moistened dry puppy food, 3 to 5 times per day for no longer than 10 minutes per feeding. After 10 minutes remove their food even if they haven’t finished. Puppies between the ages of 3 months and 1 year should be fed according to a structured diet, consisting of 3-4 meals of high-quality dog food, free of artificial ingredients.
Proper grooming is essential to the health of every dog. Beagles however, with their long floppy ears and tendency to sniff their way into dirty places stand to benefit the most from a regular grooming schedule.
As with most things puppy related, we recommend implementing a grooming regime from an early age. Beagles shed their coat twice a year, in the Spring and the Fall, luckily the Beagle’s coat is short and not hard to clean off of furniture or to groom.
Bathing – To bathe your Beagle simply lather up their coat using lukewarm water and dog shampoo. Rinse their coat thoroughly and repeat. We recommend applying dog conditioner after the second wash.
Brushing – Once your Beagle is clean use a blow-dryer to thoroughly dry their coat. Use a soft brush to gently remove tangles and clumps. Repeat this process until your Beagle is entirely dry and their coat lays straight.
Nails – Beagles who receive frequent outdoor exercise wear down their nails on hard surfaces like sidewalks. Beagles who are primarily indoor dogs will require regular nail clippings to prevent pain, discomfort, and possible infection.
Teeth- Beagles need their teeth brushed often to prevent tartar build up and painful decay. We recommend brushing your Beagles teeth once per day.
Ears – Beagle ears are floppy, and hang low to the ground, which makes them a potential breeding ground for a bacterial infection. For this reason, it is important for owners to regularly clean their Beagles ears.
Simply groom away any dirt or debris that has been caught up in/on its ears. Beagles also commonly grow hair in the inner ear which can cause discomfort. These hairs should be plucked, never cut.
Dog ear-cleaning solution should be used to clean the inside of the ear. Gently use a cotton ball to wipe the ear-cleaning solution into the inside ear to remove any waxy-build up. Don’t forget to look for signs of infection.
Beagles need regular exercise if they are to remain healthy, active and energetic. The three types of exercise that will maintain and improve your Beagles health, and quality of life are moderate physical, cardio exercise and mental exercise.
Moderate Physical Exercise – Beagles require at least 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise every day. A simple walk, or romp around the dog park for 30 minutes to an hour is enough to sate your beagles need for physical exercise and reduce the likelihood of obesity.
Cardiac Exercise – Beagles are bred to chase down scents and the game producing those scents. They have a broad, muscular chest powered by a powerful heart and lungs that require at least one round of vigorous cardio exercise to remain healthy.
A jog around town to the park to play fetch is a great way to ensure your Beagle gets its cardio, and also a great opportunity for your beagle to learn commands and familiarize itself with its environment.
Mental Exercise – To say Beagles are born to track is the literal truth. Beagles love nothing more than to track down a scent and see where it leads. Scent tracking is also a great way to expand your Beagles mind and mental capability. Scent games like “find the treat” and “track the ball” are great ways to play with your Beagle and provide mental stimulation.
When exercising your puppy outdoors remember that Beagles will always need a leash. Beagles have a very strong prey drive. They will chase after anything that catches their interest with surprising speed and are likely not to return unless you catch them.
Beagles are affectionate, loyal and intelligent; capable of incredible feats of obedience, athleticism and skill. However, they are also hounds, which means they are characteristically stubborn, if not single-minded.
The stubborn nature of the Hound breed group is a result of selective breeding. They are bred to pursue their quarry wherever it may run, and to the death if they must. This determination can lead to a challenging training process.
Not to worry. Training a new Beagle puppy is easy if you remember to be consistent, positive and have a little more determination than they do.
When housebreaking a Beagle puppy, the most important thing to remember when housebreaking is that beagles operate based on their instincts. Their instincts are influenced by the emotions of their owners.
Therefore, to ensure a smooth and successful housebreaking process, owners should be patient, and consistent. Use the same words and phrases to indicate when, where and how you want your puppy to do its business.
Start by walking the puppy to the area where in you would like it to do its business. Consistency is key, so bring the puppy to the same spot every time it shows sign that it needs to go.
Crate Training – Training your Beagle puppy to sleep in a crate at night ensures it won’t find trouble while you sleep, or when you are away from the house. Crate training should be done in conjunction with potty training and other housebreaking lessons.
Don’t forget, it can take up to 6 months to fully housebreak a puppy.
Beagles are incredibly social pack animals who require regular socialization to ward off a undesired behaviors. In addition to regular walks, it’s important that a Beagle socialize so that it can experience positive social interactions with other pets, new family members and strangers.
The key to socializing any dog is ensuring it feels safe in its environment. If a puppy does not feel safe it will be prone to defensive behavior when presented with new situations, people, or pets.
We recommend assembling the family on the floor and letting the puppy come up to them. Treats ensure a positive experience for the puppy, but it’s best to introduce any other pets, quietly and slowly.
The optimal time to obedience train a Beagle puppy is between 1 and 2 months. Beagles are incredibly affectionate, social and friendly, and puppies respond to calm confidence. So, stay calm and firm in your commands with your Beagle, and they will be obeying you in no time.
Use basic reward-based training principles like “sit” and “stay.” Every time your Beagle correctly executes a command reward them with a treat to reinforce the behavior. Do not punish your Beagle if, and when they fail a command. Simply regain their focus and try again until they are successful.
Do Beagle dogs bark a lot? Yes. Beagles bark a lot because they are scent hounds, bred to track game and signal their handlers once they have found the scent. Beagles are also known to frequently howl at passing sirens and other dogs.
Are Beagles aggressive? No. Beagles are not generally aggressive and are very friendly with kids and strangers. ting with any dog. As with all dogs, it is important the young children know and practice dog safety when interacting with any dog.
Are Beagles protective of their owners? Beagles are known to be protective of their environments, without being aggressive toward strangers. They are known to bark and bark, but rarely will a Beagle show aggression, which makes them fantastic watch dogs.
Do Beagles like to cuddle? Yes. Beagles are very affectionate.
Can Beagles be left alone? Beagle puppies are prone to separation anxiety and may chew furniture or break excessively if left alone and not adequately exercised. They are very social and should not be away from their family for too long. If you must leave your Beagle home alone it should not be more than a couple of hours.
What is the oldest Beagle? The oldest Beagle that we know of was Butch, who died at the ripe old age of 27 in 2009.
Do Beagles get cancer easily? Beagles are generally considered a healthy breed and less susceptible to disease than most. Unfortunately, cancer affects all canines, and Beagles are no more immune than any other breed.
Are Beagles loyal? Yes. Beagles are known to develop very strong bonds with their families.
How do you train a stubborn Beagle? To train a stubborn Beagle, owners need to be consistent with their commands, conduct regular training sessions, and have a positive attitude. Remember the goal of training is to gain the puppies obedience through positive reinforcement, not fear punishment.
Are Beagles better in pairs? We are yet to meet a Beagle that doesn’t like a friend. Beagles are pack animals and do well very with other dogs.
Is a Beagle a good family pet? Yes. Beagles are incredibly affectionate, friendly and gentle with family members, especially children.
Do Beagles need a lot of attention? Yes. Beagles are energetic, instinctual and inquisitive by nature. A bored Beagle will literally sniff out trouble, which means regular attention from their families is essential.
Why do Beagles sniff so much? Your Beagle sniffs so much because it has one of the most powerful noses in the animal kingdom, capable of tracking small game over incredible distances, and with surprising accuracy. When your Beagles sniffs, it is smelling you, your family and everything in it environment, even the termites in the walls, and the soap on your skin.
