Beagle Breed History

With ancestry dating back to 200 AD., the Beagle was originated to hunt/trail small game (the hare and rabbit) by scent. The early development of the breed took place primarily in Great Britain. Imported from England to the U.S. early in the history of this country, they were used not only for the pursuit of game for food, but also are hunted as packs or braces for the pleasure of the sport.

Hare hunting with small hounds was popular in England as early as the 14th Century, and while these hounds were likely of Beagle type, that breed name was not yet in use. The actual origin of the name “beagle” is uncertain. It may have been derived from the old French “be’geule”, meaning “gape throat” and referring to the baying voice of the hounds when in hot pursuit of their quarry. It has also been often suggested that the term refers to the diminutive size of the hound, possibly deriving from the Old English “begele”, or perhaps the French “beigh” or Celtic “beag” (all of which mean small).

Beagle Size and Weight

Beagles are a small to medium sized dog, typically ranging from 10" to 16" in height at the shoulder when mature. In the USA, our dog breed standard disqualifies Beagles which exceed 15" in height from participation in conformation or field trial competitions; most other countries recognize 16" Beagles as the desired maximum height. Divided into two varieties for dog competition purposes in the US, the under 13" variety typically weighs less than 20 lbs., and the 13" to 15" hounds range from 20 to 30 lbs. It helps to keep in mind that parents of either size dog can and do produce offspring of either size, often within the same litter. An experienced puppy dog breeder may be able to give you a good estimate as to the future, adult size your dog might reach . . . but no one can be expected to guarantee the eventual, exact height at maturity.

Beagle Grooming

Beagles have a smooth lying, hard, medium length coat with a finer undercoat. Females will "blow" their coat after each season, and males will "blow" once a year, generally when the weather grows warmer in the spring. A good brushing once or twice a week is usually sufficient to keep your Beagle's coat clean and healthy. A bath in warm water when the coat starts to loosen up will hasten the shedding process, and keep your dogs clean too. Otherwise, bathing is rarely necessary, unless your hound puppy has found something smelly to roll in. The beagle's pendulous ears are especially prone to developing infection or ear mites, and will require weekly checks and careful cleaning. Toenails also require regular attention, with frequency of trimming dependent on how well your puppy wears them down during his normal, daily activities.

Grooming your dog for show ring competition, however, is a whole different story. Current trends include trimming, stripping and sometimes even clippering of the coat to neaten the appearance and create a stylish outline.

Beagles and Children

Beagles tend to love social interaction with people, and children especially. Well bred and socialized beagles are very gentle with youngsters, and they can be wonderful companions for older children as they typically enjoy attention, rough housing, and interactive activities such as playing ball. The Beagle is a "big dog in a little package"; small and unthreatening, yet sturdy built and ready for action. The one area of caution, however, concerns food. Dogs all take their food very seriously, and so children must be taught to understand that the hound dog should be treated with respect and never to tease or approach a dog while eating.

Take your Puppy to Obedience Classes

Any family pet dog needs rules to live by, and an obedience class is just the ticket. You and your puppy will learn to work together as a team and you'll probably enjoy it too. By the end of the course you will find your puppy has mastered basic manners, and can sit, stay, come when called, lie down, and walk nicely on a lead, all of which will make him a more pleasant companion to live with. You may be amazed at how quickly puppies might learn with a little practice and the reward of a tasty treat.

Start training Your Puppy

Basic manners training begin as soon as you bring a new puppy into the home. Puppies have a wonderful ability to learn things at this age, and you want to establish good habits right from the start. Just remember, that like children, their attention span is rather short and they easily become bored with repetition, so keep lessons short. Be consistent.

Enroll your puppy in obedience training classes

Many clubs/trainers offer what they call a "Puppy Kindergarten" class, which is for puppies three months of age, sometimes younger, and up which provides very basic manners training and socialization. Formal obedience training usually begins at around six months of age, and if this is your first experience with training a Beagle you probably should enroll in at least the "beginner obedience" classes to establish basic training (such as sit, stay, come on command, etc.). If you do not know of classes in your area, you can access the AKC web site to find contact info. For your closest dog / kennel clubs... most clubs will either sponsor training classes, or at least can recommend a good trainer in your area that holds them. Your veterinarian may also know where there are training classes within your home area that you may attend.

Before You Bring Your New Puppy Home

Congratulations on the decision to make the addition to your family of an adorable, loving Beagle companion. While this is an exciting time for you, we hope you will keep in mind that it can be a rather frightening time of adjustment for new puppies. He will be leaving the security of his dam and littermates, and all else familiar for the first time and experiencing a multitude of new sights, sounds, and smells. For these reasons, we recommend that you pick up your puppy on a quiet weekend, when you will have plenty of time to help him adjust to his new surroundings and he can be the center of your attentions.

There are numerous items which you should have on hand before bringing a new puppy companion into your home. The two most important of these are the "crate" and lead. Your hound dogs crate is his place of security: a safe enclosure when home alone or at those times when you can not provide supervision, a den in which to eat and sleep, and the safest place for him to ride when traveling. We ask that you please bring a travel crate with you and place your puppy in it for his ride home.

We also feel very strongly about the use of leashes. Our dogs are never permitted off lead outdoors, except when in a securely fenced yard or out hunting rabbits. Remember that the beagle has been bred for hundreds of years for the purpose of hunting the rabbit or hare in thick cover, and as a result they tend to be rather independent and inclined roam. "Slip" style leads are wonderful for younger puppies, but you will also soon need a collar (complete with ID tag) and a snap lead.

The following is a list of items you should acquire prior to bringing a new companion into your home.

Dog Crate

Vari-Kennel, plastic airline type crates are light weight and easy to clean. The more open, epoxy coated wire crates with a removable tray may be nice for females - - but are ineffective for housebreaking male dogs (they leg lift and piddle out through the wires); metal crates are also rather heavy for travel use. Airline type crates also provide the dog more privacy and more of a den-like environment. Whichever you choose, the intermediate size, 32"l x 22"h x 23"w, for daily use; the medium size, 27"l x 20"h x 19"w is a nice size for traveling with your beagle, fitting conveniently into the back seat of the average car.

Dog Leash

A slip lead is adequate for young puppies, and will help prevent a frightened pup from "backing out of his collar" and escaping. Snap leads are best for attaching to the collar of your more mature hound. We prefer the nylon leashes, which can be purchased in a variety of colors to match the adjustable dog collars. Chain leashes are not recommended as they are very hard on the hands and not really any stronger than a good leather or nylon lead.

Dog Collar

The newer nylon adjustable collars that "grow" with the puppy are great. The 10" to 16" size is a good fit for the typical beagle throughout his lifetime. Collars may also be purchased that have the dogs or your name and phone number directly printed on them.

Brass ID Tag

These tags can be obtained pre-engraved with the dog's ID and your contact information. Those that attach directly to the collar and lie flat, rather than dangling from an "S" hook, might be preferred (Anything that dangles is at risk for becoming snagged and could result in a choking incident, as well as rubbing off and leaving black smudges on their chests)

Food and Water Bowls

Stainless steel works well, and is light weight for ease of cleaning and travel. We find the 1 qt. size works nicely for beagles. Ceramic bowls are wonderful for home use, especially for water, but too heavy for travel convenience. Plastic bowls have been known to result in "snow nose" for some reason, the reaction between the plastic and the food causing depigmentation.

Dry Kibble (dog food)

Any high quality dry kibble is acceptable for the family companion dog. Just remember to make any changes in diet gradually to avoid digestive upsets, and feed a puppy/growth formula until your hound reaches maturity. Avoid Generic brands as they are usually not nutritionally complete.

Safe "Chew" Items

Nylabone, gumabone and nylafloss products are excellent, safe outlets for your puppy's need to chew, as are smoked cow or lamb ears, and cow hooves in moderation. Heavy knotted or pressed rawhide chews will also keep your hound entertained for hours; however, rawhide products must be used with caution, as some dogs will try to swallow large pieces and could choke or experience digestive problems. Pig ears and related items; these can cause upsets due to the excessive grease, and recently have been shown to carry salmonella bacteria.

Hound Glove, Zoom Groom or Soft Brush

For regular grooming of these medium coated hounds.

Nail Clippers

Toe nails need to be clipped every one to two weeks, depending on the individual and how much they naturally wear them down during daily activity. Available in either a pliers or guillotine style. Make sure the blade remains sharp, and discard or change blades when dull, as a dull blade will pinch the nail and not cut as cleanly. Kwik-stop Styptic Powder - Used to control bleeding, should you accidentally cut the "quick" when trimming nails.

In Conclusion…

Beagles make wonderful family companions, for the right family. Their typically gentle nature and fun loving personality are suitable for families with children. Social animals, they usually get along well with other family pets. Generally speaking, they can be independent and have a tendency to roam, due to hundreds of years of selective breeding for hunting instincts. For this reason, it is always highly recommended that Beagles have a securely fenced yard to exercise in. Like people, dogs have unique personalities. Some Beagles are very energetic while others are rather mellow. You should try to locate a hound that fits both your expectations and lifestyle.

If your Beagle is going to be a member of the family, and not exhibited in shows or field trials or bred, it is highly recommended to spay or neuter him/her, not only to reduce the amount of unwanted animals, but also for the long term health of your pet.

Top of Page / Beagle


Beagle to Home Page (Best Dog Photos)