Beagles - Characteristics and personality of the Beagle dog breed

Characteristics and personality of the Beagle dog breed

Beagles come in two different sizes.

Some measure about 30 cm or less and weigh about 10 kg; the second size group measures between 30 and 40 cm and weighs between approximately 15 and 20 kg.

Beagles are compact, muscular dogs with a slightly bulging skull. Its jaw is rather square and the nose is wide. The ears are long and hanging. Their chest is deep, their back is straight, and they have a moderately long high-set tail. The soft and dense hair of this breed is usually black, brown and white.

Personality

Beagles are often considered to get along well with other pets and children. They are happy dogs who like affection. They prefer the company. In fact, if left alone, they can howl and adopt destructive behaviors. According to a guide for dog owners, beagles also top the list for excessive barking and can be difficult to train in potty training and obedience.

Coexistence

Beagles are active and curious dogs. They are also hounds, so they roam by nature. It is necessary to prevent them from walking in a dangerous way by confining them in a fenced yard or on a leash when leaving home.

Beagles are also cute puppies. Don't count on them to protect your home. They can bark, but they probably won't do much more than wag their tails if they encounter an intruder.

His short hair is remarkably easy to care for and requires minimal grooming and only occasional baths. Once they are no longer puppies, some beagles seem to have a tendency to become overweight quickly, so keep an eye on their calorie intake. The life expectancy of the beagle is around 12 years.

History

The beagle breed has existed for centuries and is one of the best known in the world. According to a breed historian, beagles were already being written in the 15th century.

They descend from the hounds used in equipment by foot hunters in England, Wales and France. For horse hunts, a variety known as "pocket beagles" was used because they were less than 25 cm and could be carried in a jacket pocket up to the start point of the hunt. The beagle is better known as a rabbit hunter, although this breed has also been used to hunt animals as diverse as jackals and wild boars.

Although some beagles are still used individually or in teams to hunt, but most are currently home pets.

Beagle dogs: characteristics, care and tips to educate, teach and train this breed

Its medium size, its sweet face and its tender gaze are some of the aspects that Beagle dogs like best. Their playful temperament make them perfect for a family with children and their good temperament with other animals allow them to live with other pets.

However, they are curious, mischievous, stubborn animals and with a lot of energy, so they will need large doses of games and walks and a space where they can develop their hunting instincts, smelling everything around them.

Characteristics of beagles

Although its origin dates back to Ancient Greece, the Beagle is a dog of English origin. Traditionally used for hunting small game, especially hare, its great sense of smell allows it to work hand in hand with the security forces in detecting substances and searching for people.

Height at the withers: 33-41 cm

Weight: about 9 to about 15 kg

Size: medium dog breeds.

Color: those typical of the hounds: black, cinnamon and white in their different shades. They are generally bicolour or tricolor (black is the one that may not appear).

Life expectancy: 12-15 years years

Good for ...: companion dog. Small game. Substance detection. Search and rescue.

Character of a Beagle - What are they like?

The Beagle is a sociable dog by nature. It is the perfect dog to have in a house where there are children, since it will spend playing and running with them, like one more, for hours. In addition to this, it is a very sensitive, intelligent and, above all, very docile dog.

On the other hand, it is true that Beagles tend to have quite territorial behaviors, regarding their home and family. When they are in the presence of an unknown person they will be more withdrawn and distant, until they spend more time with them and gain confidence. Of course, Beagles are not aggressive dogs at all; they are defense dogs, but also cheerful and gentle.

For the rest, we must also know that they are dogs that do not train as easily as other breeds. Beagles have a hard time retaining the concepts we are trying to teach, and therefore take longer to learn the commands we want to teach them. To get a 100% trained Bealge, we must be very patient and spend many hours working with the dog.

Another point to keep in mind about Beagle dogs is that they have a highly developed sense of smell. And although this does not have to do directly with the character of the animal, the truth is that it produces that it is a dog that is very easily distracted. When we take him down the street he will always have to go on a leash since he can run, at any time, for a smell that he wants to pry.

Beagles love to run and play, both with other dogs and with children and adults. They are very sociable and loving dogs that will always be looking for petting and contact with the people in their family.

In addition, they are very active dogs, who love to spend a lot of time outdoors, being able to run and explore wherever they want. The truth is that, although it is a perfect breed of dog for any family, before putting it in the house we must make sure that the dog will have enough space to run, both inside and outside.

Finally, it should be mentioned that these dogs love to eat and seek life as much as they can to get their bellies full. Be careful to leave food in places that you can access, as you will not hesitate to eat it.

Beagle Breeds - What Types Are There?

As for the Beagle breeds that exist, there are basically none that are officially recognized beyond what we all know. However, the truth is that some variants of Beagle can be found with certain changes in their characteristics.

On the one hand, the so-called “dwarf” or pocket Beagle may occasionally be found, a smaller breed of Beagle and, of course, much less common. While normal adult Beagles can measure between approximately 30 and 40 centimeters, the dwarf breed always ranges between 20 and 30 centimeters.

Another value by which more types of Beagle are usually differentiated is by their geographical area of birth. Today, there is also a tendency to distinguish between English variety Beagles and American variety Beagles. It is usually pointed out that those of the American race have a shorter back and a shorter nose than those of the English race.

Finally, there is also a third race within the Beagles that is differentiated by the color of their fur. Beagles tend to have combinations of white, black, or dark brown and light brown in their fur. However, this variety would be different; called in English patch hounds (to spots, in Spanish) would present a less uniform coat in terms of the colors that form it.

How to feed Beagle dogs?

Beagles are insatiable dogs with food, especially those of others. Its great sense of smell makes them detect any food odor, causing an immediate response in it. In fact, you will see how, to the minimum carelessness, they are able to steal anything you are preparing for food ...

Health and hygiene: how to care for them?

The Beagles are a relatively easy breed to take care of since they do not present excessive health problems or require great care. These are the aspects that you have to take into account for proper hygiene and maintenance of your health.

Basic care

Beagles are very active dogs that need walks and games. They are cheerful and playful and, although they adapt perfectly to family life, both in a city and in the country, we must offer them a sufficient amount of exercise.

If we live in a field, we must bear in mind that they are excellent escapists and climbers, and that, if there is a hole through which to escape, they will find it. Their great smell, in addition, leads them to follow any trail, so it is not recommended to walk them without a leash since, probably, they will not answer your call if they have found something new to smell.

While they are puppies, they are likely to get bored easily and, if they are locked up at home, the furniture will pay for it. Generally after a year and a half his temperament calms, but keep this in mind during the first months.

Brushed

Although they are short-haired, Beagles are one of the breeds that loose the most hair, so a minimum of two or three brushings per week will be necessary to prevent everything from getting hairy and, above all, itching. Also, your hair will look much brighter and healthier.

As a general rule we recommend soft barbed pins so that if we opt for a metal barbed brush, they will end up in a ball, although for the adult dog, a rubber brush or the FURminator are good options.

How to bathe it?

Bathing in Beagle dogs is a very important aspect, since sometimes they are bathed in excess. In principle, we can wash it once a month at most, and as long as it is protected by the corresponding vaccines.

During the bath it is very important to remove all the dead hair, so we can brush them before the bath and take special care with their ears, since they can become infected if they get water, something very common for their large ears.

Use a dog shampoo suitable for your hair, and a specific one if you have any type of skin problem and always make sure to dry it well to avoid catching cold. If it is summer and the weather is good, you can remove excess moisture with a towel and allow it to dry in the open air, but in winter, you should also use a dryer (avoid very hot air and bring it too close) and prevent it from coming out to the street with wet hair.

Dental hygiene

Bacterial plaque, that is, tartar, usually accumulates on the teeth, which can produce a bad smell and health problems. Although brushing teeth is recommended, the stubbornness of the Beagles will probably be an impediment in this hygiene routine, unless we get used to them from a young age.

However, his gluttony can be an ally in this regard. There are numerous cookies and bones on the market that we can use as a prize and that will help us keep bacterial plaque under control.

Health

Avoid parasites

Although fleas and ticks can affect any animal, the curious nature of our beagle can make it go into quite dirty places that are the source of parasite infections. For this reason, it is very important to periodically use pipettes or antiparasitic collars.

Likewise, Leishamania is one of the diseases that dog owners are most concerned about, so vaccination or a collar that repels the sandfly will be necessary to avoid scares.

Vaccination

Like other breeds, Beagles must keep their vaccination schedule up to date. The first dose should be administered 45 days after birth, a booster at 15-20 days and again every 20 or 30 days, in total 4 doses. At half a year he is given a reinforcement and, finally, once a year throughout his life.

Common health problems

The Beagles are a breed that is easy to care for and does not present major health problems. However, the diseases to which they are most prone are:

Ears and ear: In general infections can occur if we do not have good hygiene of your ears, having such long ears. Another very common condition is, during play with other dogs, small tears, since they usually attract the attention of other dogs.

Eyes: cataracts, glaucomas or dysplasias are some of the eye conditions that can suffer. Clean your eyes periodically well.

Nose: being trackers they usually have their nose pressed to the ground. Occasionally, a foreign body can be introduced that blocks their pathways, and a visit to the vet will be mandatory.

Walks and games to educate and teach a Beagle

Beagles will need large doses of exercise and, above all, play, as they are very active. They don't jerk on the ride, but their curious demeanor and hunting instincts can be a problem on the ride. Here are all the keys for your dog to grow up healthy and happy.

How to walk a Beagle

Beagles are stubborn by nature. It is highly recommended that we teach you basic rules but we must bear in mind that, although they are very intelligent, they are dogs that are easily distracted, so it may take a little longer.

The training will always be carried out by means of prizes although, be careful, since, being a very sweet dog, it is easy for us to pay attention to you if you see the prize and, if not, do not pay much attention to us. Patience, with them 😉 The truth is that if we dedicate a little to their training they are very capable dogs, which is why they are chosen for substance detection, for example.

When strolling, it is better to always carry them on a leash since their sense of smell will lead them to follow any trail they find. However, it is highly recommended that you let him loose in a controlled area, so that he can investigate on his own. They don't usually jerk around on rides (unless they find something they definitely need to smell), but they do lag far behind during rides.

You can ride it with a harness or a collar, and the strap should be long enough to give you room to track.

What toys are the best for this breed?

They are tremendously playful, especially when they are small, so any toy will delight them. To tire them out, always in controlled areas, you can opt for the classic balls.

In addition, we recommend intelligence games with food prizes. Being so gluttonous, it surely keeps them entertained for hours and, at the same time, we manage to calm them down a bit while developing their intelligence.

Search games are also a good option for these dogs, since they will allow us to develop their hunting instincts.

The Beagle as a companion dog

Although the restless spirit of the Beagle makes a house with a garden, where it can trace, the best, the truth is that it is a dog that also adapts to life in an apartment if given the right dose of exercise.

At home they need to have their corner, comfortable, since you also spend long hours resting and sleeping. Find a bed tailored to its size and show it to you.

During their first years of life they can be a little earthquakes. If you want to delimit the areas of the house where it can have access, you can put barriers and doors to prevent them from entering certain areas. Generally after a year and a half his temper calms down.

Its coat works as an insulator and adapts well to any temperature, but if your dog is going to sleep outside, offer it an area where it can be protected and warm.

Don't forget about the eating area either. This dog needs continuous access to water and a feeder. If your pet tends to gobble up food, go for a special greedy dog feeder. Other times, the problem is her long ears. In these cases, you will need a narrower feeder on top to prevent your ears from ending up coated in your food.

What to do with it when we go on a trip?

It is necessary to accustom our dog to car trips since they are small, and do not use it just to take it to the vet, for example, to avoid always associating the journey with this moment.

If she gets very nervous or nervous, you can take her in a carrier suitable for her size or, if she makes the trip in a calm way, opt for seat belts (remember that, by law, the dog must always be restrained). In these cases we advise you to wear them better with a harness and not with a collar, in case there is any braking, do not pull on the neck.

Always carry a feeder and a portable drinker to hydrate it and to feed it if necessary.

Beagles photo :