Other names/Nicknames:
- None
Country/Date of origin:
- Great Britain
- 14th century
Height (two categories):
Under 13 inches
- 13 to 15 inches
Weight:
- 15 to 18 pounds for under 13 inch group
- 20 to 22 pounds for 15 inch height group
Personality:
- Beagles love everybody.
- Cheerful and upbeat personality.
- Because it traditionally worked in a pack, Beagles get along well with other dogs.
- Quite vocal. Those who appreciate this quality think the Beagle has a beautiful voice. Those who don’t like barkers will want to avoid this breed.
History:
Beagles have been the rabbit hunter’s breed of choice since the days of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I of England. Bred for sportsmen to follow on foot, the versatile Beagle can be used singly, as a couple (two dogs), or in a pack. Packs of the merry little hound have been in the United States since the Revolutionary War. They were one of the foundation breeds of the American Kennel Club (AKC). The most popular of the hound breeds in the United States, the Beagle is actively hunted and there are more competitive field events for Beagles than any other hunting dogs. The Beagles are separated into two varieties by height and shown separately. Beagles up to 13 inches at the shoulder are called 13-inch Beagles. Those from 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder are called 15-inch Beagles. Other than size, the two varieties are identical.
Body Type:
- Looks like a miniature version of the Foxhound, which it is.
- Long, hanging ears are not altered.
- Tail is carried above the level of the back and is not altered.
Coat:
- Short, shiny coat is easy to care for.
- Can be any of the hound colors but a combination of black, tan, and white is the most popular.
- Minimal grooming.
Health and Wellness:
- Hip dysplasia.
- Factor VII deficiency.
- Hemophilia.
- Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency.
- Pulmonic stenosis.
- Autoimmune thyroid disease.
- Congenital deafness.
- Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency.
- Mast cell tumor.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy.
- Autoimmune thyroid disease.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Demodicosis.
- Atopy.
- Idiopathic epilepsy.
- Intervertebral disc disease.
- Glaucoma.
- Chronic hepatitis.
- Cushing’s disease (PDH).
- Mitral insufficiency.
- Bladder tumors.
What you should know:
- A miniature form, called a Pocket Beagle, was popular until World War I.
- Snoopy, of Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, is perhaps the world’s most famous Beagle.
- Beagles are known to suffer from wanderlust and wander off wherever their nose leads them.
