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Beagle Origins
Beagle facts about the breed's origin, like that of most
breeds are hard to determine. But the beagle has been
around in some way for almost one thousand years.
It is believed the beagle originated in Europe. Starting
back in the 11th century the Talbot hound was crossed with
Greyhounds. Which eventually gave rise to a breed called
the Southern Hound. The beagle is thought be derived from
the Southern Hound.
Beagle Size
It is a medium to small breed dog, and is a member of
the AKC hound group. They stand 13 to 15 inches tall at the
whithers. and weigh 18 to 30 pounds.
Beagle Colors
Tricolor coats are most common. White, black and brown
are the usual colors seen. Although they could be any
color. Different tricolor coats are often referred to as
Classic Tri, Black back, Dark Tri, and Faded Tri.
Beagles actually change color their whole lives. Beagle
puppies are born almost always black and white. After a
couple of months a few black areas fade and turn to brown.
Some older beagle loose almost all their black and are just
brown and white.
Beagle Temperament
Beagles are gentle dogs and are great with children,
which is why they are so popular with families. These dogs
love to be in packs and around other people or dogs. They
do not do well alone and can easily suffer from separation
anxiety.
Beagles are hard to train and are not featured very
often in obedience trails. They are easily distracted by
smells or new people or animals nearby. They can be trained
to work for food rewards though.
Sense of Smell
Beagle have one of the best, if the not the best sense
of smell among all dog breeds. This is why they are such a
popular breed of dog for rabbit hunting. They are great at
ground scenting, but not very good at air scenting which is
why they are not used as much in search and rescue
missions.
Health
The beagle lifespan is about 12 to 15 years. Medical
conditions which the beagle are prone to include:
Hypothyroidism, epilepsy, dwarfism, funny puppy, and back
problems.
Other medical conditions they are prone to include:
immune mediated polygenetic arthritis, ear infections, eye
problems, and obesity.
Hunting
Beagles original purpose was for hunting hares in
England. Due to their great sense of smell and
determination there were great hunters. The popularity of
hunting rabbits using beagles has decline, but some are
still used for this purpose.
Medical Research
Although the number of dogs used in medical research
continues to decline year after year, beagles are still the
most popular breed used in medical research. The make an
ideal breed for this because of their small size and gentle
nature. Beagles have taken part in many ground breaking
preclinical trails that have helped each one of us lead
longer lives. We own them all some gratitude for
this.
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