Beagle

Beagles have a cheerful and friendly personality. Always active and excitable, this breed loves to be played with and paid much attention to. They are easy to contact and love to play both with their owner and with strangers. They are not aggressive and rarely confront people or other animals.

Breed Photos

Origin History

Several versions of this ancient breed’s origin have not lost their popularity in the modern world. The Beagle gets its name from its resounding bark. In translation from French, “begueule” means “open throat”; therefore, representatives of this breed are often called “singing beagles”.

The first version of the Beagle’s origin goes back to the 4th century B.C. It is the period when the first indirect references to this breed are dated. For the first time, the ancient Greek historian Xenophonte mentioned small-sized hound dogs, which hunters were so beloved. It is generally believed that modern beagles are the heirs of these small hound dogs, which came to Great Britain with the Celtic tribes.

The second version of the origin of beagles is associated with the name of William the Conqueror. According to this version, the Norman king in 1066 brought Talbot dogs to England, the ancestors of the modern Beagle and fox terrier. This legend says that small beagles were very popular among royalty.

Appearance

The Beagle’s floppy long ears, big brown eyes, and deep gaze leave no child or adult indifferent. Dogs of this breed are famous for their extraordinarily beautiful and varied coloration. The most common classic color of the Beagle is a red, black, and white tricolor. Also, there are black and white, red-and-white, lemon-white, lemon-colored, and other breed representatives. A remarkable feature of the Beagle color is always a whitetail. Beagles have a round skull, straight back, rectangular muzzle, and broad nose. The tail of this breed of dog is medium length and slightly pointing upwards.

Even though the Beagle is a small dog, it is characterized by a muscular build and has strong hind legs, which allows the Beagle to develop great speed when running. These characteristics make him a reliable partner of hunting enthusiasts.

Character

Beagles have a cheerful and friendly personality. Always active and excitable, this breed loves to be played with and paid much attention to. They are easy to contact and love to play both with their owner and with strangers. They are not aggressive and rarely confront people or other animals.

Beagles are very fond of children. It is not surprising since they are as curious, direct, and sincere as children. Parents can have peace of mind for their child if he plays with a beagle.

Given that beagles have a hunting background, they can also be naughty. During a walk in the park, they can get off the leash to chase pigeons. They can also be sly and stubborn, which makes them more fun and funny. When a beagle displays these character traits, it makes them even more willing to prank and play.

Care

Beagles are not fussy about grooming, so it is not difficult to take care of them. They have a short coat that does not require special care. It is enough to brush the Beagle once a week. During the molting period, you should brush the Beagle at least every other day. The Beagle is a dog that likes to splash around in the water, so you can bathe it if only every day, but you should shampoo it not more than twice a month.

Beagles, as owners of long ears, need to take good care of them. It is very important to clean the Beagle’s ears about three times a month to prevent infectious diseases. During active walks in the fresh air, clean the ears from dust and check them for mites and insects daily. It is also necessary to monitor the eyes of representatives of this breed – they should always be clean and free of excess deposits. A very important element of care is a daily walk with the Beagle. An active beagle needs to expend its energy daily to keep its body toned.

Training

By nature, the Beagle is a dog that does not mess around, so his training must begin early. From the first weeks of appearance in the family, the puppy must learn the basic rules of behavior – go to the litter box, not bite, not to chew all around, not to fool around when everyone is asleep. It is necessary to accustom the little Beagle to the sleeping place by showing him the bed, separate from the owners.

Toys can help in the process of beagle training. You need to show your pet that chewing toys is much more interesting than furniture and shoes. It is important to remember that the Beagle quickly gets bored with the same toy, so it is advisable to change them from time to time.

In general, the beagle training process should be fun for him so that he was interested in it and that he was not distracted. It is recommended to combine training commands with play. It should be remembered that the pet’s punishment and suppression may have negative consequences – he may grow up to be a frightened coward. We must not forget that the main thing is to raise the Beagle with love and affection.

Common Diseases

Beagles are a breed with good health and immunity. With proper care, dogs of this breed can visit the veterinarian only for routine checkups and routine vaccinations.

At the same time, beagles are prone to develop some diseases. The most common diseases of beagles are related to ear and eye infections and inflammation. The development of these diseases is almost always associated with improper care. Other diseases that occur in beagles are epilepsy, diabetes, dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease, dermatitis, cataracts, glaucoma, etc. However, it should be remembered that the development of such diseases is instead the exception.

Nutrition

The Beagle’s diet, like that of other breeds, must be given proper attention. From an early age, the puppy should be fed several times a day, gradually with age reducing the number of meals to two times a day.

It is recommended to feed small beagles with natural food – meat, dairy and plant foods, porridges. It is important to remember that the meat should not be fatty. You can combine raw food with dry premium food, alternating these meals throughout the day. Also, special vitamins can be added to the puppy’s diet.

An adult pet’s food should not differ too much from the food he was fed before one year. It is advisable not to allow a sudden change from the pet’s usual food to another. The Beagle’s body may not be able to handle such changes. The Beagle is prone to obesity, so it is important to control the amount of food he eats carefully.