The Beagle is one of those dog breeds that thrives off human companionship. A very amiable animal that was originally bred to be a pack hunter, the Beagle is an enthusiastic adventure seeker. The ideal playtime for this dog would be rummaging and exploring through forests and wooded areas. He absolutely adores his owner and makes a great social house pet.

The Beagle is a sturdy and attractive dog with a full blast of energy. Originally bred to track fox, this breed has a great sense of smell and like other scent hounds, will likely to ignore you and everything else when hot on a scent trail. For this reason, extra care must be taken to make sure that he does not wander off. He is a happy dog that loves children and gets along well with other pets. The breed standard describes this dog as "A merry hound whose essential function is to hunt, primarily hare, by following a scent - bold with great activity, stamina, and determination - alert, intelligent, and of even temperament - a sturdy and compactly-built hound, conveying the impression of quality without coarseness."

Although the Beagle needs daily exercise to keep him calm and happy, it does not take much, perhaps 20 to 30 minutes of walking each day. You will find that this dog breed is an excellent house pet who remains gentle and calm, especially around its family members.  A perfect choice if you have children in the house, owning a Beagle is a breed which will make you happy and will never stop looking for ways to please you.

Although this breed is affectionate and intelligent, he requires patients and persistent training from the first day of training because of its stubborn nature in which he is easily distracted. It is very rare to find scent hounds, including the Beagle, in the obedience ring because their nose often overrules their brain. Also similar to other scent hounds, the Beagle was bred to bark, bay, and howl to alert the hunter to his location during the hunt. He may run away and is not likely to come when called so you may need a secure fence that he cannot get under or over. Always keep him on leash whenever you take him out, otherwise he may take off the second hi picks up a scent.

History and origin:  This breed is one of the smallest of the hounds. He is an ancient breed that has been a great companion to sportsmen for hundreds of years. The Beagle was first mentioned by name in writings published in 1475. They were used to hunt in packs for hare and were first imported into the United States for this purpose. They have hunted many different quarries in different climates including jackal, wild pig, and deer. In the United States and Canada, they are used as gun-dogs to seek out and retrieve game and to hunt by scent in competitive Field Trials.

Upkeep And Maintenance

As mentioned above, exercise on a daily basis should be a part of the Beagle's physical upkeep.  Take them out for a long walk or a quick run through a safe area in the woods.  He particularly loves to scout trails and other small paths. However, be sure not to take this dog out off leash if he has been boarded up in the house for a long time.  If he catches the sense of a small animal through a trail, he is liable to dash off and run around for a long period of time, especially if his energy reserves are built up from non-activity.

Size:  Beagles are among the smaller scent hounds which com in 2 varieties, the first stands about 13in at the shoulder and the other is more than 13 but not exceeding 15in. He weighs between 18-30lb.

Exercise:  Daily exercise such as walks and occasional runs is required for this breed.

Grooming:  Their shedding coat is tough, weatherproof, and requires very low maintenance grooming.

Health Information

When owning a Beagle, veterinarians suggest that you request specific tests for eye problems, hip dysplasia, potential knee problems, and thyroid. The major health concerns that are widespread with many Beagles is CHD and intervertebral disk disease.

Most Beagles have a long lifespan of between 10 and 15 years but occasionally have minor health issues to watch out for which are cherry eye,  epilepsy, glaucoma, patellar luxation, KCS, chondrodysplasia, and hypothyroidism.

Feeding:  Because this breed is likely to put on weight, 1-2 meals per day are sufficient for an adult Beagle with no tidbits. Recommended amount of feeding is 1-1 1/2 cans (13.3oz size) of meat diet with added biscuits in equal amount or 3 cupfuls of a complete dry food.