Think of a Beagle like a toddler: curious, happy-go-lucky, adventurous and really energetic. Famed for being fantastic family pets, Beagles are generally easygoing pups who absolutely love the company of their pack, whether that’s their human family or other dogs. Loving and happy, these curious, clever and energetic hounds thrive on attention and plenty of activity. In return for the cutest of companions, know that life with a Beagle will never be dull: they need daily exercise, company and physical and mental stimulation, plus plenty of training. Without it, you’ll have a noisy Beagle (they’re very talkative) that’s surprisingly destructive for their small size.
Beagle Facts
These sweet small dogs stand up to 38cm tall. If their large dark eyes don’t make you melt, those long, floppy ears will, especially when they’re a puppy. Beagles come in a wide range of coat colours, including tricolour (white, tan and black) and variations of black, white, lemon and red.
- Breed Group: Hound
- Height: either 33cm and under or 33-38cm
- Weight: either under 9kg or 9-14kg
- Life Span: 10-15 years
- Coat: Smooth, short
- Colour: Various including lemon, red and white, and tricolour
What Does a Beagle Look Like?
A Beagle is a hound and you can tell that by their long, floppy ‘houndy’ ears. Their short snout (all the better for sniffing out critters with) can give them a downturned expression which doesn’t reflect their bubbly, friendly personality. Add in their big brown eyes and you have one adorable dog, especially when you see their high, constantly wagging tail.
Small dogs, Beagles generally come in 2 sizes: under 33cm or between 33-38cm. Whatever size they are, all Beagles are sturdy, solid and muscular - they were bred to be hunting dogs, after all
Beagle
Beagle Temperament: Energetic Talker
Beagles are popular family pets and for good reason: these small dogs are generally curious, joyful, energetic, playful and adventurous. They get along well with others, including 4-legged and 2-legged ones, both big and small. Pack dogs, Beagles do best when they’re always part of a gang, whether that’s sticking close to their humans or living alongside other dog pals. Some Beagles can be cat-trained but their instinct to chase remains high.
Beagles are best suited to active families however - this is one active pup! Beagles thrive on plenty of exercise and when they’re given a job to do. You’ll need to factor in lots of daily exercise and training to ensure you have a happy and healthy Beagle.
Because of their intelligence, a bored Beagle can be a destructive Beagle. They don’t cope well with being left on their own for long periods and are known to suffer from separation anxiety. Beagles suit homes where someone (human or dog) will be with them most of the day. If you work outside the home, consider doggy daycare or a dog walker.
Beagles will happily let you know if they’re being ignored: they’re known for being talkers (read: barkers). Their attention-seeking ‘baying’ is a cross between a bark and a howl.
Keeping Beagles Healthy: 4 Issues to Watch Out For
As working dogs originally, Beagles are hardy and healthy dogs. The key to a long, healthy life is preventative care. So, as well as looking out for these health issues, ensure your Beagle has regular vet check ups, including teeth cleaning.
Dental Disease
Out of all small-medium size dogs, Beagles tend to develop more dental disease. Daily toothbrushing, dental treats and toys can help avoid dental disease, as can a yearly tooth clean by the vet. As well as causing the loss of teeth, unchecked dental disease can lead to serious life-shortening health problems, including heart, liver and kidney disease.
Eye Problems
Beagles can develop cherry eye, which causes their third eyelid to slip out of place and swell. You can spot it by looking out for a pink or red bulge in the front corner of their eye. Only surgery can fix cherry eye and it needs to be fixed as it’s really irritating for your Beagle. Cherry eye can happen at any age, but usually happens in dogs younger than 2.
Joint and Spinal Issues
Beagles can develop a range of joint and spinal issues, including hip dysplasia, luxating patella and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). Hip dysplasia and luxating patella (kneecap) both happen when the joints fall out of their normal alignment and don’t fit together properly. Hip dysplasia can become painful over time but it can be treated. Treatment includes weight management, physical therapy and surgery. Although luxating patella doesn’t tend to be as painful as hip dysplasia, left untreated it can lead to other problems, including arthritis.
IVDD is a back problem which causes one or more vertebrae to slip or rupture, pressing the disc onto the dog’s spinal cord. IVDD can suddenly paralyse a dog or stop them from being able to use their back legs. IVDD is seen in overweight Beagles so maintaining a healthy weight is key to avoiding it.
Epilepsy
Beagles have a tendency to develop epilepsy, which causes seizures. The cause of epilepsy in Beagles is unknown but it’s thought to be genetic. In which case, responsible breeders should screen their parent dogs for this issue. Epilepsy can happen at any age but it normally happens when a Beagle is between 1 and 3. It can be managed with medication that controls the intensity and frequency of seizures and usually Beagles with epilepsy can live full, long, healthy lives.
Caring for Your Beagle Dog
Another reason to love Beagles: they don’t drool much and lack that doggy smell. In fact, they’re very low maintenance. Well, when it comes to grooming that is. Daily exercise and training will form part of your life as a proud Beagle parent.
Grooming
Beagles have a dense, smooth coat that sheds seasonally, especially in spring and autumn. During this time you’ll need to remove the loose hair with a deshedding tool every few days or even daily, depending on how much they shed. Otherwise a weekly brush will keep their coat in check.
Because Beagles don’t smell that much, they don’t need a bath very often - usually just when they’ve played in the mud or got into something mucky. Their long, floppy ears can do with a monthly clean to remove any dirt build up.
Give their nails a clip or trim every 1 to 2 months to keep them comfortable. Finally, brush their teeth everyday to avoid developing dental disease, which can be painful and expensive to fix.
Nutrition
Beagles tend to be good eaters and will do well on a diet of quality commercial dog food. Make sure it’s tailored to their life stage: puppy, adult or senior. Or better yet, feed them a breed-specific diet like the Royal Canin Beagle Adult Dry Dog Food.
Beagles are very food-motivated which makes training a breeze. But if they don’t get enough daily exercise (and remember they need lots), it’s easy for a Beagle to become overweight. Especially because they’re already short and stocky dogs.
Even a little bit of extra weight can put Beagles at risk of a range of health issues. A Beagle at a healthy weight should have a defined waist and straight sides, and you should be able to feel their ribs. One way to check if they’re overweight is to look at them from above. If they look like a round potato, that’s a clue that they’re packing a bit too much weight. Have a chat to your vet who can advise on how to get them to a healthy weight.
Exercise
Beagles need at least 1 hour of exercise every day - they’re active, energetic dogs. A play in the garden by themselves won’t cut it. They’re pack dogs and happiest when they’re exercising with you or other dogs. As well as being very energetic, Beagles are known for being escape artists - they’re jumpers, climbers, diggers and tunnellers. This means their exercise area should have a fence that’s at least 1.5m high which extends underground too.
Beagles enjoy a good walk but make sure they’re always on-lead. As a scenthound, Beagles can find certain scents irresistible and will happily run off in pursuit.
Other great ways to keep your Beagle busy is to create treasure hunts for them to sniff out - try hiding enrichment toys with treats. You could also use 2 or 3 boxes and hide a treat under each of them. Now let your Beagle put their nose to work, sniffing out the treat! Mix things up by adding more boxes, stacking them or hiding them around your home. Stock up on puzzle toys and play hide-and-seek to keep these smart dogs entertained.
Training Your Beagle
Bred to be pack hunting dogs with one focus (find the creature with that scent!) and now expected to be well-behaved household members, Beagles have earned a reputation as difficult to train. Sure, Beagles can (and probably will be) distracted by every single smell they come across but they’re intelligent. This makes them trainable, especially if training involves positive reinforcement and plenty of treats.
Focus on the basics with a Beagle, especially their recall (coming when they’re called). This will help them deal with their in-built instinct to always follow their noise. Walking nicely on a lead is essential too. They can pull and strain as they try desperately to smell everything they walk past. Beagles can be taught when it’s time to sniff and when it’s time to walk.
Beagles want attention, 24/7. These talkative dogs have high barking tendencies and the best way to avoid constant barking is to not give them the attention they’re after. Try to ignore them (even saying ‘no’ can be attention enough for Beagles) and once they quiet down, pile on the praise and treats.
Puppy classes, early socialisation and training with a professional dog trainer can all help your Beagle become a well-mannered pup.