The Beagle, in my opinion, is one of the cutest dog breeds out there. The small, commonly black, white, and tan dogs are easily identified and have their own very well-known personalities. In this article I am going to introduce you to these awesome little dogs and give you some tips for training and living with a Beagle.
Breed Description
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the Beagle is a hound that comes in two varieties (Reference 1). The smaller of the two is about 13 inches tall and weighs less than 20 pounds (Reference 1). The larger of the two is about 13 to 15 inches tall and weighs up to 30 pounds (Reference 1). The AKC also says that this adorable hound can come with one of three different coat color patterns; lemon (light tan and white), red and white, and tricolor (this can be any combination of three colors such as black, tan, and white) (Reference 1). These little hounds also have a relatively long life span of 10 to 15 years (Reference 1).
Breed Temperament
The Beagle is a sweet dog breed known for being very lovable, especially towards their family (Reference 1). They can make great family dogs due to their sweet nature, playfulness, and small size. However, due to their small size, children need to be taught how to interact with them as many children will want to try picking them up. The Beagle can also have a stubborn streak in them, so training is needed from a young age. In addition to being lovable and sometimes stubborn, these dogs are very smart and have a lot of energy, so they need training and exercise to help them stay physically and mentally healthy (Reference 1).
Breed History
According to multiple recourses, the Beagle breed originated in 5th century Greece (References 2 and 4). However, one source cited their origin as being 6th century England (Reference 3). Wherever they originally started, the Beagle was developed over time and in various locations including Normandy, England, and later North America as a small game hunting dog (Reference 4). These little dogs are scent hounds, meaning they track prey by following the prey’s scent trail. One of this breed’s earliest ancestors was the 8th century “Talbot Hound” (also a scent hound used for hunting) which was eventually brought to England “allegedly” by King William the Conqueror (Reference 4). In England, the Talbot Hound was made a bit taller by adding in what some believe to be the Greyhound (Reference 4). This was done to make the slow Talbot Hound faster (Reference 4). By the 1800’s the Beagle, as we know it today, began to develop (Reference 4). At the time there seemed to be various versions of what was gradually being more and more referred to as the Beagle, as opposed to the names of its ancestral breeds (the Talbot Hound, the Southern Hound, and the North Country Beagle) (Reference 4). The breed then arrived in the United States (though it is debated as to how) and was developed over time into the Beagle we know and love today (Reference 4). Breeding in the United States really got going during the 1870’s when a breeder named General Richard Rowett began breeding Beagles (Reference 4). In 1885 this scent hound breed, now referred to as simply the Beagle, with its smaller size and love for chasing down prey over miles of terrain, officially joined the American Kennel Club (Reference 4).
Breed Behaviors
There are many behaviors that Beagles engage in that are normal dog behaviors such as chewing and jumping. However, Beagles are hound dogs through and through, so the behaviors they will most often display are going to be related to their hound dog genes. Beagles can have a high prey drive and can be very distracted by small animals such as rabbits and squirrels. Two more behaviors that this breed will engage in are tracking and baying.
Tracking
Tracking is a common hound dog behavior, as that is what this breed was built for. In the Beagle, this behavior will most likely consist of your dog wanting to sniff everything. It is also common for these dogs to find a scent trail and want to follow it for a long time. They have high levels of stamina over long distances and love to use their nose, so walks can often involve a lot of your Beagle trying to wander off track to follow an interesting scent trial.
Baying
Baying is the sound that Beagles make. Though Beagles can bark, they are known for the more common sound they make called “baying”. Baying is similar to howling, but it has a different tone. Baying is meant to be able to be heard from a long distance, so it can be quite loud when you are standing right next to them, and it often has a more penetrating pitch than a howl. While howling tends to be a smooth almost melodic sound with many dogs, the baying of the Beagle is much more of an alarm sound. Beagles will bay for many reasons, including boredom. As a result, it is important to make sure that your Beagle has enough mental and physical stimulation to help prevent loud baying sessions when your dog is bored.
Breed Health
The Beagle, as mention above, has a relatively long life span of about 10 to 15 years. However, they have been known to deal with a wide variety of health issues. Beagles are known to develop problems with their eyes, ears, and back (Reference 5). They are also prone to develop epilepsy and heart problems (Reference 5). You can read more about the health issues at this link: Beagle Health Problems | Lifespan of Beagle (natural-dog-health-remedies.com).
Training and Management Tips
Training and management will be different for each individual and might need to be altered based on breed as well. When training a dog, it is important to know how the dog’s breed can impact how they learn, what you should teach them, and how you should manage their behavior. To help you out, here are seven tips that can help you live with and train your Beagle:
1. Have an outlet for tracking that is just fun for your dog. This one is important for Beagles. These little dogs are nose dogs. They love to get onto a scent trail and follow it. To help your Beagle have an outlet for this, schedule what I call “nose walks”. These are walks with your dog where you are going out entirely for the purpose of letting your dog sniff and follow scent trails. During these walks, make sure your dog is not getting into anything dangerous (including dead animals and feces of other dogs) and keep it on leash.
2. Incorporate scent games into your management plan for your dog. This is helpful for any breed, but your Beagle will particularly enjoy scent games. Hide treats around the house and teach your dog to play hide and seek with you. Both games can be a great way to entertain your Beagle while you are making dinner or trying to get some work done. You can also do the same thing in your yard (hide treats in grass), but make sure they are all on the surface, so your dog does not start digging for them.
3. Thoroughly train your Beagle in basic obedience! Many people get distracted by all the fancy dog training that can be done with dogs. However, the basics are your best friend! Your Beagle needs to have basic obedience behaviors down really well, including a strong recall!
4. Work with your Beagle around small animals from day one. You will never fully get rid of your Beagle’s prey drive (nor should you try), but working on it from day one will help you maintain safety and keep stress at a minimum when you and your Beagle are around small animals. I would recommend starting by teaching your Beagle to look at you when it sees small animals. If you need help with this, contact a trainer near you to help you out.
5. Teach your dog a “quiet” cue. With Beagles, you will just need to be prepared for their loud baying. It will happen and sometimes it will happen a lot. However, it can be helpful to teach your beagle a “quiet” cue to help give you a tool to communicate to your Beagle when you need it to be quiet. Baying can sometimes be a sign of boredom, so when you do ask you Beagle to be quiet, make sure you have something else it can do instead such as a stiffed Kong to chew on or some hidden treats to find.
6. During training, use a high rate of reinforcement. Because beagles are smart, they might get bored if training is going too slow. As a result, work on keeping a smooth but fast pace if that is what your Beagle prefers.
7. Keep in mind that your dog may be easily distracted by small animals. This is important when you are working on teaching your Beagle to pay attention to you when you are outside. Small animals and smells, both of which you will have no control over, are most likely going to hold high value for your Beagle. If this is the case with your Beagle, start distraction training inside. Once you get to the point where your Beagle can respond consistently inside, simply open a window or door and work with that level of distraction before moving on to the porch or yard. Take it slow and make sure you know what reinforcers your Beagle is willing to work for both inside and outside (they may change depending on where you are).
Closing Thoughts
As always, remember your Beagle is a dog and your Beagle will do dog things and Beagle things. However, the more you know about your Beagle before you get it, the better prepared you will be. If you are looking into getting a Beagle to join the family, they can be a great choice! However, continue your research and get to know the breed as best you can before bringing your Beagle puppy home. To get help training your puppy, check out The Ultimate New Puppy Course! This online course will be most helpful if you start it before you get your puppy, so make sure to get it now and get started as soon as possible!
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