Breed Spotlight: Beagle

Coat Type and Colors

Beagles are traditionally tricolored: black, brown, and white. Puppies are born with only the brown and white coloring, with the black spots coming in as they age. Senior beagles often lose their darker spots all together; their black and brown fading to white or gray as they enter their golden age.

Other color combinations are:⁴

• Tricolor: Blue, white, and tan
• Badger pied: Black, silver, and fawn
• Hare pied: White and tan, with black tips on tan fur
• Lemon pied: Red coloring with cream and lemon@
• Red and white
• Tan and white
• All white

Shedding and Grooming

Beagles have smooth, dense coats that are pretty low-maintenance. Professionals recommend brushing these dogs once or twice a week, with more grooming needed during the winter as their coats thicken.⁵ Their nails need to be trimmed regularly, along with weekly baths to avoid issues with dermatitis.

Ears

This dog’s long floppy ears may be cute, but they do get dirty. Be sure to clean them and inspect them for critters that may be hiding on their skin.

Drooling Level

Beagles don’t typically drool unless they’re excited.

Behavior

Beagles were bred as hunting dogs who enjoy roaming and searching. Beagles love adventuring so if you love exploring, hiking, or being outside, this dog may be for you. Pay attention to young beagles and train them well; their curious nature can get them into areas of your home or garden that you don’t want them to sniff around in.⁵

Exercise Needs

To keep your beagle healthy, expect to spend a minimum of 60 minutes of vigorous activity each day. A fence is recommended to ensure your dog has a safe area to run around in. Ensure that the fence extends underground to avoid tunneling.⁵’⁷ Beagles benefit from mental engagement with their humans and plenty of running to keep their muscles strong. Consider training classes to learn the best way to keep your best friend at optimal health.

Good With Other Pets?

Historically, beagles are great with other dogs. Their ancestors, a foxhound, hunted with larger dogs and men on horseback. Keep in mind that every individual dog is different but you should expect your beagle to adjust well with other pets in the home.

Trainability

The beagle can be extremely stubborn and easily distracted, making them difficult to train in comparison to other breeds. Throughout training, it’s necessary to be assertive, but positive to train them successfully.

The American Kennel Club recommends keeping beagles on leashes to avoid them running off to whatever scent their powerful nose takes them.⁶ To avoid losing your dog, train them well with commands such as “to me” or “leave it.”

Good with Kids?

The beagle is very good with children and becomes extremely affectionate with their family. If properly exercised, they can prove to be real cuddle buddies.

Barking Level

Barking and howling is the largest problem found with this breed. Beagles tend to whine, bark, or howl excessively if they’re bored or left alone too long. Be sure to exercise your beagle often to avoid this becoming a habit you can’t break.

Beagle History

The modern beagle hails from the United Kingdom. Originally bred for hunting hares and small game, beagles are scent hounds that quickly became favorites of nobility and royals alike because their compact size made hunting without a horse easier.

Beagles were brought to the U.S. in the 19th century to hunt game and assist on farm land. Today, they are prized show dogs and family pets. These dogs are extremely intelligent and may be stubborn, but training them is extremely rewarding.