Beagle Facts

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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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