Beagle dogs: photo, character description, accepted standards and maintenance features + how to choose a puppy?

Beagles are one of the oldest hunting dogs, which today have become popular and widespread as companions and pets.

They owe this not only to their pretty appearance and compact size, but also to their cheerful, friendly disposition and incredible cheerfulness.

All this makes them ideal pets for those who lead an active lifestyle.

In the article you will find a detailed description of this breed and other useful information, as well as photos of these wonderful dogs.

History of the breed

The history of the origin of this breed has many versions.

However, among them there are 2 main ones:

• Ancient Greek origin . The Greek historian Xenophon spoke about the existence in Ancient Greece of short hounds that worked on the scent. Subsequently, the Greeks’ experience in using hounds was adopted by the Romans, who brought these dogs to the territory of the British Isles;
• English origin . Adherents of this theory talk about the existence of hounds in England even before the Romans arrived there - in particular, the Prince of Wales was the owner of a special breed of white hounds.

The first mention of beagles in the literature dates back to 1475. The appearance of those dogs was different from modern beagles, but as a result of selection work carried out over several hundred years, the exterior of the breed has undergone significant changes.

NOTE!

The breed standard, which remains relevant today, was adopted in 1957.

Beagles are ground hunters, excellent at sniffing out prey by following its scent. This dog breed is good at hunting hares. However, thanks to their sensitive sense of smell, they can be used in hunting ducks, swans, wood grouse, woodcock, wild boars, deer, roe deer and other animals - it depends on who you train the dog on.

Prices

A beagle, the price of which depends on many factors, costs an average of 20 thousand rubles. According to private advertisements, puppies can be bought for 7-19 thousand rubles, but most likely the seller will not provide any documents, and you will find yourself the owner of a dog without a pedigree.

In nurseries, prices vary depending on a number of criteria:

• the quality of the litter and the number of puppies in it;
• gender of the puppy;
• prestige of the breed (the beagle is prestigious);
• puppy class.

In Moscow, in well-known nurseries you can buy beagle puppies for $500-1700.

Price for puppies depending on class:

• pet class without documents: from 7 thousand rubles. With pedigree - from 10 thousand rubles.
• breed class: from 20 thousand rubles.
• Show-class puppies cost more than 30 thousand rubles.

Appearance

Beagles have a strong build, well-developed muscles and a thick coat that evenly covers the body. Soft, “streamlined” features, large brown eyes and slightly drooping lips give their appearance a special charm.

Despite their main purpose, beagles are quite compact in size. According to the breed standard, the height of an adult dog at the withers varies from 33 to 40 cm, and weight – from 9 to 14 kg.

They are small, enthusiastic dogs that give the impression of determination and energy.

Character traits

The main character traits of beagles are curiosity, activity and energy. They need regular, long and active walks - this is one of the components of their proper physical and psychological development.

Without physical activity, hyperactive dogs will find another way to get rid of boredom and excess energy - they can ruin furniture in the house, chew shoes, etc.

Beagles are pack animals and have no tendency to dominate. They quickly settle into the family and obey whoever they consider to be in charge.

Representatives of this breed are friendly and not aggressive, they love to be the center of attention and cannot stand being alone.

Because of their hospitality and loving nature, they are not suitable for the role of a watchman or security guard, although they can warn the owner about the approach of strangers or, in case of emergency, come to his defense.

Beagles are smart and remember commands well, but they are independent, stubborn and accustomed to making decisions on their own, which makes training a dog difficult.

When raising a beagle, you need to show patience and perseverance, stopping the dog’s attempts to cheat and evade the command.

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

Beagles are smart, but stubborn and headstrong dogs, which makes training very difficult. An undoubted advantage is that they do not strive to take a dominant position in the house, but only if they see a leader in one of the family members. If they do not find the “leader of the pack,” they will try to take on these responsibilities themselves. Such a development of events must not be allowed, otherwise the dog will become uncontrollable.

Who are beagles suitable for?

This breed is great for hunters, as well as people who enjoy outdoor activities.

Beagles are active and friendly dogs. They need constant contact with people. For people who are often away, they are not suitable. Left alone at home, animals begin to play mischief - chewing furniture and shoes.

In the modern world, this dog is used not only as a hunting companion, but also as a search engine; they can keep a trail for a long time.

Advantages and disadvantages

In addition to their pretty appearance and cheerful disposition, beagles have other advantages:

• lack of aggression;
• friendliness;
• love for children;
• devotion;
• energy and endurance;
• cleanliness;
• lack of salivation and specific odor;
• ease of care;
• almost imperceptibly flowing molt.

Disadvantages of beagles:

• intolerance of loneliness;
• aggressive and inappropriate behavior in the absence of the owner’s attention;
• stubbornness;
• inability to concentrate on one action;
• cunning;
• excessive gullibility;
• lack of watchdog and security qualities;
• tendency to corpulence.

The big disadvantage of this breed is the difficulty of training, and without it the dog becomes uncontrollable, and many advantages turn into disadvantages.

What varieties are there?

There are several subspecies of the breed - American and European.

The European subspecies include:

• French Beagle Harrier. A hound from France, obtained by crossing a beagle and a harrier. Weight up to 20 kg, height at withers – 38-48 cm;
• Irish Kerry Beagle . Dogs bred in Ireland in the 16th century. Their height at the withers is 56-55 cm, and their weight is 20-27 kg.

The American Beagle differs from the English Beagle in having a thicker coat and height reaching 38-41 cm.

Color variations

In accordance with the standard, the coat color of beagles can be three or two colors.

Tricolor is the most common color option, combining black, white and red.

This color has several variations:

• shiny – with a predominance of white color;
• black – when the hair on the dog’s back is black;
• motley - an arrangement of black and red spots on a white background.

Bicolor is a color that combines white and various shades of red.

IMPORTANT!

With any color option, the tip of the tail should be white.

Also, the breed standard allows for a solid white coat of beagles, without specks or spots, but such representatives of the breed are extremely rare.

Black and white beagles are occasionally found, but this color is unacceptable according to the standard.

Interesting Facts

• Beagles can be considered movie stars. They became the heroes of 17 feature films and cartoons.
• Dogs are used for laboratory purposes. New medications and drugs are tested on them.
• In Australia, beagles are used to detect termite colonies.
• In England there lives a long-lived beagle named Lulu. She turned 21 years old.
• The search engine used by Linux fans is named after the dog.
• The Beagle is the name of the ship on which Charles Darwin traveled.

Accepted standard

Characteristics of the exterior of beagles according to the generally accepted standard:

• the head is elongated, but not pointed, without folds or wrinkles;
• the stop is well defined, dividing the length of the head from the weakly defined occipital protuberance to the tip of the nose as evenly as possible in half;
• the nose is large, black, the nostrils are wide;
• jaws are strong, scissor bite;
• the ears are long, rounded at the ends, soft, set low, and when stretched out they almost reach the tip of the nose;
• the eyes are large, not protruding, hazel or dark brown in color;
• the tail is of medium length, set high, densely covered with hair, straight, does not bend when moving;
• the back line is straight, the lower back is short, strong and flexible, the stomach is not too tucked, the chest is deep, dropped below the elbows;
• paws are short, straight, set parallel.

The length of the front legs to the elbows should be approximately half the height of the dog at the withers.

Mating

Owners should be ready for the female beagle to reach puberty at the age of 7-10 months. This will be indicated by blood discharge and a swollen genital loop. But readiness to conceive occurs only after the dog has fully matured, or rather at one and a half to two years. Estrus will last 19-23 days with a frequency of 3-6 months .

You should approach the selection of a pair for mating with responsibility and ask the breeder for advice. He will tell you how to choose a healthy dog ​​with the “correct” characteristics. It is worth noting that mating will be more successful if at least one of the partners is experienced.

• Having made your choice, it is worth creating the conditions for getting to know each other. It is best to do this on neutral territory, in a park, on a playground. But the place should not be too crowded and noisy. The dogs must sniff each other and accept.
• If the result is positive, a mating date can be set. It should fall for a period that lasts a week after the 10-15th day of estrus. The place of the meeting is not particularly important; mating can be carried out both on the territory of the girl and on the territory of the boy. The main thing is that the meeting takes place in the morning and no one disturbs them. You need to repeat the procedure in about a day.
• Pregnancy can sometimes be difficult, and there is a risk of giving birth to weak and premature puppies. Beagles usually become parents of 5-6 puppies .

Attitude towards pets and children

Beagles simply adore children. Such a dog will happily play with the child, sharing his curiosity. If the baby has not yet reached primary school age, he may accidentally harm the dog, but a good-natured beagle will endure everything without showing aggression.

The lack of dominance and innate friendliness allows them to easily get along with other dogs and more. Difficulties can only arise with cats and rodents in the same house - the pet may mistake them for prey, but if the dog is initially raised correctly, problems will not arise and the beagle will find a common language with them.

Photo

In the photo, the beagle is a cute animal with kind eyes. Those who do not know about the past of this breed cannot determine by appearance what passions are boiling in the heart of this born hunter. Just give it his all, he will find the trail and run along it for tens of kilometers, not paying attention to anyone. And this is possible even in a city park, because despite the fact that the beagle today is a companion dog, it has retained its hunting instincts.

In the photos below you will get to know the representatives of the breed. Their eyes radiate kindness and devotion. They become children's best friends. Looking at their friendly expression, you can’t help but trust them with a child.

Just as dogs bring warmth and good cheer to their owners every day, let photos of a beagle bring positivity to your day. Meet the beagle!

Maintenance and care

Beagles can be kept either in an apartment or a private house, or in an outdoor enclosure.

It must be remembered that these dogs are sensitive to low temperatures, so the enclosure must be insulated, and when walking in the cold season, the pet needs warm clothes.

Wool and bathing

Smooth-haired beagles do not require careful grooming and frequent washing.

These dogs should be bathed no more than once a quarter, using special shampoos, and brushed several times a week with a special glove or brush, and during shedding, with a furminator.

Ears

Beagles have floppy ears that fit tightly to the head, which are poorly ventilated, which creates a favorable atmosphere for the development of infection.

It is necessary to wipe your pet's ears weekly with a cotton pad soaked in a special lotion.

If you notice inflammation, an unpleasant odor, or if your pet is shaking its head, you should immediately show it to a veterinarian.

Eyes, teeth and claws

The eyes are one of the weak points of beagles, so they need to be wiped daily with an antimicrobial agent.

The dog's teeth should be brushed once a week with a special toothbrush and toothpaste.

The claws usually wear down on their own during walks. If this does not happen, then you should trim them using a guillotine nail clipper.

NOTE!

It is necessary to regularly carry out deworming and treatment for external parasites.

Purpose

The breed was originally bred to hunt hares and other small game. Some hunters used dogs to track wood grouse and quail.

Currently, the Beagle dog is considered a universal breed. Dogs play the role of family companions, help find missing people and are used in the treatment of mental disorders in sick people.

Features of hunting with a beagle

The hunt begins with the hunters being divided into two groups. One of them releases a flock of beagles into the forest, and the other takes up positions on the opposite edge of the hunting area. The dogs attack the trail of the game and begin to howl protractedly. Beagles, obeying the hunting instinct, chase and chase their prey. The animal is gradually pushed back to the edge of the forest, where a second group of hunters is waiting for it. So, the game falls into the firing line.

Health and major diseases

Beagles have fairly good health, but there are a number of diseases to which these dogs are prone:

• epilepsy is a disease accompanied by characteristic seizures; it can be hereditary or develop due to excessive stress on the nervous system or difficult childbirth;
• hypothyroidism – a disorder in the production of certain thyroid hormones, leading to weight gain, deterioration of coat condition, and problems with the reproductive organs;
• “cherry eye” or third eyelid adenoma - prolapse of the third eyelid gland due to its weak attachment to the lower rim of the eye;
• glaucoma is a disease in which intraocular pressure increases;
• cataract – characterized by clouding of the lens of the eye;
• iris dysplasia – a disease leading to blindness;
• intervertebral hernia is a violation of the geometry and structure of the vertebrae, causing pain in the spine.

Less common diseases are:

• diabetes;
• chronic hepatitis;
• lymphoma;
• dermatitis;
• hypotrichosis;
• deafness;
• amyloidosis;
• Cushing's syndrome;
• mast cell cancer;
• cryptorchidism and monorchidism;
• ear infections.

Preventive examinations carried out twice a year will allow you to detect the disease at an early stage of development and begin treatment on time.

Breed diseases

In case of a cold, general malaise due to fatigue or even due to weather conditions (many dogs are weather dependent), the animal quickly recovers, since a naturally strong immune system and a friendly environment are the best companions for health.

Beagles with insufficient care or disorders at the genetic level (if the dog was not purchased from breeding kennels) may be susceptible to the following diseases:

1. Obesity.
2. Diabetes.
3. Rachiocampsis.
4. Glaucoma and cataracts.
5. Various ear diseases.

It is recommended to regularly carry out preventive examinations, since many diseases can develop asymptomatically, which complicates subsequent recovery.

Lifespan

Power, massiveness and endurance are the main features of the breed, supported by a long life. If the animal undergoes preventive examinations by veterinarians, the diet includes vitamins and minerals, and there is sufficient physical activity, then life expectancy is 12-15 years.

Pleasant emotions affect life expectancy.

If a Beagle is constantly sad or lacks attention, then it begins to feel sad, and emotional disorders lead to a shortening of its life cycle.

How to feed?

Beagles are unpretentious eaters and are not prone to allergic reactions, so in most cases they do not require special hypoallergenic food. However, you should still approach their feeding responsibly.

With natural feeding, 70% of the diet should be meat, the remaining 30% should be cereals and vegetables.

This type of nutrition should consist of:

• lean meats;
• sea ​​fish;
• fermented milk products;
• porridge;
• vegetables and fruits.

You can't feed beagles:

• potatoes;
• legumes;
• fatty meat;
• offal;
• bones;
• pickles, smoked meats, sweets.

As treats, it is allowed to give nuts, crackers, baby cookies, and cheese.

IMPORTANT!

The natural type of nutrition must be supplemented with a vitamin and mineral complex.

When feeding ready-made dry food, you should choose premium, super-premium or holistic food.

The most popular brands of feed:

• Bosch;
• Orijen;
• Probalance;
• Eukanuba.

Mixed feeding is also acceptable, the basis of which should be high-quality dry food, and natural products - meat, vegetables, offal and fermented milk products - can be used as additives.

Beagles do not know moderation in food and are prone to obesity, so it is necessary to control the portion size and frequency of feeding.

Nutrition

Dogs are fed prepared products or natural food. There are supporters and opponents in both options. It is important not to mix these types of nutrition. The dog’s body gets used to digesting foods in a certain way; it is not recommended to disrupt the diet.

A beagle must eat a specific number of times per day. The portion depends on the weight of the individual.

For example, look at the table by month:

Dog age/months	Number of feedings per day
Up to 2	5-6
2-6	4
6-12	3
After 12	1-2

The Beagle is not picky about food, the dog has an excellent appetite. An adult animal with a normal load is given 300 g of meat and 150 grams of porridge. Bones are used to clean the dog's teeth, but they are rarely given to chew on. It is better to buy a calf's tail for your dog. Natural food must be supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

Daily diet products for the Beagle breed:

• lean sea fish (remove bones first);
• meat, including turkey;
• fermented milk products;
• vegetables;
• cereals;
• fruits;
• eggs;
• offal.

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a Question

Sweets and table food are harmful to the dog.

Dry food is provided to puppies if the breeder provided it in the nursery. It must be of high quality, made from natural products. There are special types for kids. The dosage depends on the puppy's weight. If the beagle begins to gain weight and has loose stools, the portion needs to be reduced.

For better digestion, dry granules are filled with water at room temperature. With age, the soaking procedure is stopped. The bowl should always be filled with clean water.

Popular nicknames

The name for the dog should be simple, short and sonorous. You can name your pet after stars and constellations, musical instruments, geographical features, cartoon characters, etc. – the choice is limited only by the owner’s imagination.

Most popular nicknames:

• for boys - Buddy, Jake, Rocky, Ben, Bim, Jim, Khan, Absinthe, Boston, Best, Juice, Zorro, Frost, Genre, Ilton, Clyde, Lux, Marcel, Nero;
• for girls - Matty, Daisy, Bella, Roxy, Rosie, Luna, Naida, Gerda, Lada, Lucky, Astra, Delta, Daphne, Iris, League, Nika, Thais, Fanny, Chara, Esti.

How to choose a puppy?

to purchase a beagle puppy from a specialized nursery from trusted breeders. It is important to look at the conditions in which the dogs are kept and find out about the health of the parents of the future pet - this will minimize the risk of buying a non-purebred and sick dog.

You need to buy a puppy when he is 1.5-2 months old - by this age he can feed on his own, and the process of adaptation to the new environment will be as painless as possible.

Key signs of a healthy puppy:

• limbs are strong, strong, well developed;
• scissor bite;
• the coat is smooth, shiny, without bald spots or bald spots;
• nose wet and cold;
• eyes and ears are clean, without discharge or unpleasant odor.

When choosing a boy, it is important to pay attention to the development of the reproductive organs and the absence of cryptorchidism.

A healthy puppy behaves actively and boldly, he is inquisitive, well-fed, confidently stands on his paws and moves around.

As for the gender of the puppy, you need to know that males are larger than females, they are more impressive. At the same time, they are more stubborn and independent, more difficult to educate and train, and are prone to running after prey and bitches in heat.

A female beagle is more affectionate, obedient, intelligent and quick-witted. If you have plans to breed this breed, then it is better to choose a girl.

The disadvantages of female dogs include regular estrus, during which it is necessary to drive away male dogs in order to avoid unwanted pregnancy, changes in character and behavior during this period.

NOTE!

Dogs of both sexes are suitable for hunting - their hunting instinct is equally developed.

Education, training

Beagles are difficult to train, so persistence and patience are required from the owner. For inexperienced owners, it is better to enroll your dog in a training course to be sure of the results.

Raising a beagle begins from the first days of its appearance in the apartment. Suppressing and punishing a puppy is unacceptable, as there is a risk of raising a cowardly dog. It is most effective to teach a beagle basic commands in a playful way, during walks. At the same time, the dog should feel the love and attention of the owner.

Raising a breed is a difficult task. At 5 months of age, the beagle becomes stubborn, like a teenager, and does not obey his elders. Early socialization, training in cleanliness and toilet training, and weaning from the habit of biting are important for a dog.

Beagles howl in the absence of their owners, restore order in the apartment, and are very curious. Proper education should solve all these problems.

While learning basic commands, the dog, due to its hunting instincts, may be distracted by the living creatures that it encounters. She would rather run after a cat than follow her owner's command. The result of successful training should be 100% compliance with the owner's command.