Is the Beagle the Right Dog for you??
We are frequently asked what beagles are like as companions and whether they would be a “good fit” in various family situations. So here is some basic information about the breed … the good, the bad and in some cases the ugly.
Beagles are scent hounds. They were originally bred to hunt small game using their extraordinary sense of smell. This is a feature of the breed that is “hardwired” into them. We cannot “breed it out of them” nor would we, as breeders, want to. When a beagle gets onto a “hot” scent the rest of the world ceases to exist for them. They do not hear you calling them nor do they hear that car coming straight for them. It does not mean they do not love you, it means they are a hunting dog acting on their instincts. So beagle ownership means that you have to understand they will hunt given the opportunity. They need to be walked on a leash, they need a secure environment and they need to have at least basic obedience training.
Beagles are also “pack dogs” which means they were bred to be housed in groups and to live cooperatively. They are happiest when they are with what they consider to be their “pack”, that could include their people, other dogs, the family cat… they don’t really care. They do not do well being left for long periods of time by themselves. They become bored and a bored beagle can become an inventive beagle… and an inventive beagle can spell trouble. They are usually a very easy going breed with a relaxed and laid back temperament, it is not in their nature to be aggressive. They are described as “ the merry little hound”, and that pretty well sums up their personalities. However they are also very intelligent and have an absolutely wicked sense of humour.
Training a beagle can either be easy or difficult, depending on how you approach it. Beagles are well known for their voracious appetites, so training with food makes for a happy beagle and a happy trainer… training with any kind of harsh corrections will result in a very frustrated trainer. Beagles were designed to be independent problem solvers. When hunting the hounds were given no direction by the hunter, but were allowed to make all their own decisions on the fly. So training a companion beagle will require that the trainer be aware of this. Training should be fun, fast paced and have a good payoff for the dog.
The average size for a beagle ranges from 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder for both males and females. When in good lean condition they should weigh up to about 32 pounds for a large heavy boned dog. They have an easy care coat which requires minimal baths and a weekly brushing to remove dead hair. Ears should be checked and cleaned weekly to prevent development of problems due to yeast infections. Exercise needs are reasonably modest. The breed can easily get overweight, so regular hard exercise is certainly advisable in addition to daily walks and play times. Known health issues in the breed include may eye problems, epilepsy and a strong tendency to obesity.
Because this is a very ancient breed that has been popular in many countries for many years, there is a large gene pool. This allows breeders the opportunity to be able to bring in bloodlines to enhance their breeding program. The average life span for a beagle is often 13 to 15 years.
Beagles come in many colour variations, the blanket back tricolour is the most common in Canada. However there also many other colour combinations, and as any good hound breeder will tell you “ there is no bad colour for a good hound”. Increasingly popular in Canada is the red and white or lemon variety, which has a white or crème background with splashes of red. The red can vary from a pale almost blonde colour to a deep mahogany. There are also blues ( a dilution of the tricolour gene), chocolates, lilacs and mottles, these colours are more commonly seen in the field stock hunting lines.
Beagles are a good size for condo or townhouse living. Because of their calm nature and compact size they are usually good with children, however breeders will often advise you to wait until all children in the family are school age before embarking on beagle ownership. Puppies are as much work as a new baby for the first year or two of life, however the investment of time you make when they are puppies will produce a great companion for many years.
One last word of caution about beagle ownership…. They are much like potato chips, it is hard to stop at just one, before you know what has happened you end up wanting a second and then maybe even a third….
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