Beagle: A Complete Guided Information
Beagle is a breed that is similar in appearance to the foxhound. There are two varieties of it available. They differ in terms of size. So you will find them with at the shoulder size of 13 inches and between 13 inches and 15 inches. One you look at the Beagle puppy you won’t be able to resist this breed. They look lovely with their dark brown eyes with hazel appearance. The beagle characteristics are that of a loving and happy dog.
The dog has strong smelling power that’s why it is a scent hound. This breed was primarily developed for the purpose of hunting. In fact, these dogs have smelling power so strong that they are employed as detection dogs. It is an intelligent dog and is one of the most popular dogs due to the beagle size, appearance, and other factors.
Beagles facts claim that the dog bonds really well with everyone in the family. The bond even stronger with children. However, it is good to take some precautions if the children are too young.
The dog has the habit of grabbing things so it may grab your child’s hand in a fun way. You can teach both your dog and children how to handle each other. For example, teach your children not to approach the dog while he is eating or sleeping. If the dog is disturbed then it will automatically react in a negative manner.
If you’re thinking about getting a beagle then definitely check out our article: 7 Things To Consider Before Buying A Beagle
How Beagle got its name?
Talking about the first mention of the beagle it was in “The Squire of Low Degree”. This was around C.1475. The derivation of the word comes from the French word “begueule”.
According to some writers, the scenting ability of this dog is the result of cross-breeding some of the breeds of an earlier time with Kerry Beagle. Kerry Beagle is the dog that is black and tan in color and is mainly present in Ireland.
History
There are multiple beagle information and facts that can be derived from history. The history goes back to the era of ancient Greece. Xenophon, one of the historians claimed that there was a hound that hunted hares by scent. If the claim is true then obviously there were dogs like beagle who were present in England before 1016.
During the medieval, the term beagle was used for the smaller hounds. There are some miniature breeds of beagle-type dogs that are known from the times of Edward II and Henry VII. It was only in 1901 that the standards were set for the Pocket beagle although their genetic line is extinct now.
There was the development of two breeds by the 18th century namely North Country Beagle and Southern Hound. These were developed for hunting rabbits. Beginning with the South Hound, it is a tall and heavy dog with soft wars that commonly found from the south section of the River Trent.
The scenting ability of the dog was excellent. It was mainly bred in Yorkshire. The breed was smaller in size as compared to the Southern Hound. The Southern ones are known to be less heavy with a pointed muzzle.
The development of the modern breed’s credit goes to Honeywood. He was the one who bred dogs for hunting. Later, Thomas Johnson went on to refine the breed to produce dogs that were attractive.
Now, the dogs that were developed were of rough and smooth coat varieties. The rough one is extinct and were last recorded to be seen in a dog show in late 1969.
Beagle Personality and Temperament
Beagle dogs are loving in nature. In multiple breed standards, these are described as merry. These are not one of those aggressive dogs that are harmful. Initially, it will take a bit of time to get along with them. These are a bit mischievous when it comes to getting things that they love like food. So it is better if you start training them at an early age.
With little time even a stranger can win over this dog. That’s why these are considered poor guard dogs. They are rated high in excitability. So they will howl or bark on seeing something unusual so you can consider them good watchdogs. The beagle behavior may also depend on the environment you them in.
Beagle temperament highly revolves around his nose. It will become difficult for you to recall them if they have picked a certain scent. If you use this ability in a good way then you can use the dog to detect termites or anything else.
They belong to the category of pack animals. These types of animals are prone to separation anxiety. By separation anxiety, we mean to say that if you leave them unattended of the long period of time then they will start destroying things.
Your beagle dog’s personality will also depend on the breeder. If you are going to buy the dog from the breeder who trains dogs for hunting then the dog would demand a lot of exercises.
They are not apt for lying around the house. If the breeder is one who shows dogs in conformation then the dog would be of laid type. So you have to consider which personality you are interested in while going for beagles for adoption.
Beagle Coat
Unlike German Shepherd where the white colored dog is not acceptable, this breed doesn’t come with such standards. There is a popular saying that any hound color is acceptable in Beagles. The most common colors in which the Beagles are found is the combination of white, black, and tan.
Irrespective of the color combination the tip of their tail is in white color. This is another breed that with a double coat that is dense. The double layer protects the dog from rain. Just like any other dog this breed also sheds. The benefit you get with this breed is that the hair is short so it isn’t much of a problem. Beagle health problems may result in over shedding.
Final Verdict
Beagle is a lovely dog. We have covered a lot of information about this dog breed in the article. Still, you must read things you should know before buying a Beagle dog. If you are going to serve him proper Beagle food then the dog will stay healthy and won’t pose problems for you.
The dog is scenthound so you will have to take extra care. He loves to wander around and scents attract him. They are full of energy so you are going to love playing with him. With proper exercise, the dog will prove to be an excellent companion. You will be able to keep him in a small apartment with much ease.
