If you can handle a true escape artist that howls, loves an adventure, and is not the friendliest with cats and other small animals, but has the most adorable face, loves people and children, then Beagle is the dog for you! You’ll never be bored! Beagles are hounds, and they were bred to work in a pack following the scent of an animal. That means they worked independently, not always looking for a command from their owners. This could interfere with the obedience training in the future. And they also howl! That howling sound a hound dog makes is called baying, and you can hear it in the video below. 

Size

These are sturdy, happy-looking dogs with the two cutest eyes! They come in two sizes: 

1. Under 13 inches (under 33cm) and under 20 pounds (under 9 kg)
2. From 13 to 15 inches (from 33 to 38 cm) and from 20 to 30 pounds (from 9 to 13 kg)

Either way, they are not big dogs! You can say they are small to medium, depending whether they are under or over 13 inches tall. With this height and weight, they easily adapt to either city or town living and don’t mind a small garden, either. It’s more important to exercise them properly, but we’ll get to that part later (read activity needs).

Color

Beagles come in all kinds of coat colors. From white to black, red and lemon, to tri-color and bi-color variations of the same. However, even though there are over 20 coat colors, there are only 11 that are permissible by the Royal Kennel Club (if you want to show your dog) and the American Kennel Club. These are: 

• Tri-color (black, tan, and white)
• White
• Blue
• Lemon and white
• Badger pied
• Tan and white
• Red and white
• Hare pied
• Lemon pied 
• Black and white 
• White and tan

The pictures below show some examples.

Social Traits

Beagle is a friendly, outgoing dog, who loves to play, explore, and cuddle after a long day. They are truly man’s best friends! Walking a Beagle down the street, especially when they are still just puppies, will make people around you go “aaw”. And the best part is that the dog wants to say hello too! They are truly social dogs, which is normal, considering people bred them to be friendly and work with other dogs.

However, even though they are instinctively friendly toward other dogs, we still have to make sure they are well-socialized! The process of socialization has to start when they are puppies and after they get their vaccines. 

Beagles are friendly to people of all ages (even strangers) but they don’t go well with small animals because of their high prey-drive

I talked about the good side of having a Beagle – friendly, merry, and outgoing. Great with children, families and other dogs. But, here are some things you have to be aware:

• Beagles are hound dogs, which means they have a high prey drive. They don’t go well with small animals, such as cats.
• Their high prey-drive makes them difficult to walk off-leash because they WILL follow that scent! You can call their name for as long as you want. They will not turn back until they follow up on the smell they caught.
• They always want to explore! That means escaping from home and going on an adventure. 
• They howl (bay!) which can be a big problem if you live in an apartment building.

Trainability

Every dog is trainable. It just depends on what you expect from your dog. If you think every dog should be biddable as a Border Collie or another dog breed made to work closely with people, waiting for commands all the time – you’re in trouble. Beagles weren’t bred for that. They are hound dogs and people bred them to work independently, sniffing, exploring, following a scent, and deciding on their own what to do next.

Yes, they would wait for certain commands from the owner, but generally speaking, they were “left alone” to follow a trail. Imagine a hunting dog following up on the scent of an animal, but stopping every few feet to look around and see if the owner says “continue”. That would not be useful.

Train your Beagle knowing they’re a bit independent. Start early with obedience, be consistent, patient, and don’t get frustrated if they don’t listen but wander off following a squirrel or another small animal in the park.

Beagles are food motivated, so yummy (smelly!) treat does the trick. Just don’t go overboard with the treats. Overweight Beagle is not a laughing matter, but a reality if we don’t pay attention to how much food/treats we give them. Also, Beagles are great at getting into “forbidden” places and getting some more food. 

Activity Needs

Beagles have moderate activity needs. Most Beagles need around 1 hour of daily exercise, which includes walks, games, hikes, or anything else you can give them to do. If you can’t go outside, make sure they’ve got enough dog toys or play some indoor games. A bored Beagle left alone for a long time with nothing to do will quickly turn boredom into mischief or destruction. 

Perfect solution for a Beagle is to let him sniff and explore. 

Every dog is unique, and some Beagles require more than 1 hour of daily exercise. The best option is to monitor your dog and adjust the amount of daily games and walks according to your dog’s needs.

Feeding

Beagles are notorious foodies. They could eat the whole bag of kibble if you leave it on the floor or anywhere they could reach it. So, we have to be very careful how much food we give them. Generally speaking, an adult Beagle needs up to 2 cups of kibble a day. Most owners say 1 cup of kibble food a day is enough. 

Once again, it depends on various factors, such as health, current weight, or age of your dog. We need to make sure they are a healthy weight, because Beagles can easily get overweight. It is also recommended to divide the amount into two meals – one in the morning and the other one in the evening. 

Grooming

Beagles have a short double coat. They shed quite a lot, especially during shedding seasons (spring and fall). But, they are easy to maintain. Beagles do not require special dog brushes or special grooming techniques. All they need is a bristle brush and a hound glove. But, you need to brush them regularly, at least twice a week.

Like other dogs, Beagles need regular nail trimming and an occasional bath. They need a bath when they get dirty, nothing more. What’s more important is to check their ears after every walk. Their long, droopy ears are magnets for stuff.

Possible Problems

Beagles are generally healthy dogs. Of course, as with any other dogs, they can have some health issues. Proper breeding programs can lower the chances of genetic diseases. But, even with that, these health issues could arise:

• Hip dysplasia
• Eye problems
• Luxating patella
• Heart issues
• Hypothyroidism 
• Epilepsy 

Life expectancy: around 15 years

Summary

Beagles are great family dogs. If you don’t mind the howling, the high prey drive, and the fact they love to eat! The last one doesn’t seem like an issue until you find yourself at the vet talking about how to cut down on the food and help your dog breathe normally again. Not to mention diabetes and joint problems that could come from too much weight. Aside from the baying and their need to go on an adventure, Beagles are adorable and extremely friendly dogs. But, friendly towards people and other dogs, not toward small animals. Socialization and habituation are a must.

Read next: Bloodhound Traits – Breeds 101

Cover photo by Jaspal Kahlon