A breed of dog developed in Britain; a medium-sized hound with a sturdy body and short coat (coarse-haired forms exist); white, tan, and black; broad pendulous ears, deep muzzle; formerly used to track hares by scent.
| Beagle | ||
|---|---|---|
| A broken tri-color Beagle. | ||
| Alternative names | ||
| English Beagle | ||
| Country of origin | ||
| United Kingdom | ||
| Classification and breed standards | ||
| FCI: | Group 6 Section 1 #161 | Stds |
| AKC: | Hound | Stds |
| ANKC: | Group 4 (Hounds) | Stds |
| CKC: | Group 2 - Hounds | Stds |
| KC (UK): | Hound | Stds |
| NZKC: | Hounds | Stds |
| UKC: | Scenthound | Stds |
A Beagle is a medium-sized dog breed and a member of the hound group, similar in appearance to a Foxhound but smaller with shorter legs, and with longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds used primarily for tracking deer, bear, and other game. Beagles love exercise and being around people. A white scent hound, the Talbot (now extinct) is thought to be a more recent ancestor of the modern day beagle.
The black and tan Irish Kerry Beagles are also considered another possible link in the evolution of early beagles. A small game hunter similar to the Bloodhound, Kerry Beagles may be the reason for the strong scenting abilities of beagles today.
Name
The first mention of the beagle in English literature by name dates from 1475. The origin of the word "beagle" is uncertain, although it has been suggested that the word derives from the French begueule (meaning "open throat", or more colloquially, "loudmouth") or from an Old English, French, or Welsh term beag, meaning "small."
Hunting
Beagles (or their ancestors) were originally used for hunting, and still are in some places. Beagling has been referred to as "the poor person's foxhunting," as a Beagle pack (30–40 dogs) is followed on foot, not horseback. Beagles will bay in a similar fashion to foxhounds when in pursuit of their quarry. Many traditional aspects of Beagling, like foxhunting, are banned in England, though beagles may still pursue rabbits, an artificial scent or a hare injured through shooting. In countries such as Norway, Canada, United States of America and Sweden, Beagles are also used for hunting Snowshoe Hare, Roe Deer and in some cases Red Deer and Fox. In these situations Beagles are not always used as a Beagle pack. Drag hunting is another Beagle sport. In the United States, particurally down in the deep south, Beagles are used in groups of two with one hunter. Then when the Beagle chases them by the hunter the hunter takes aim and brings down the game. The Beagle loves this because it is the purpose in which these dogs were originally bred for and the beagle views it as a tremendously fun game.
Appearance
The Beagle has a smooth, somewhat oval skull; One standard calls for ideally shaped beagles to be twice as long as tall, and twice as tall as wide. "Ticked" varieties may be either white or black with different colored spots ("ticking"), such as the bluetick beagle, which has spots that appear to be a midnight-blue color, similar to the Bluetick Coonhound. Some tricolor beagles also have ticking of various colors in their white areas.
Beagles are almost always born black and white, with the brownish areas developing later. Some beagles gradually change color throughout their lives.
Breed varieties
The American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club recognize two separate varieties of Beagle: the 13-inch for hounds less than 13 inches, and the 15-inch for those between 13 and 15 inches.
In Medieval times, there was a breed called a pocket beagle, which stood at 8 to 9 inches. The larger foxhounds would run the prey to ground, then the hunters would release the small beagles to continue the chase through underbrush into their burrows.
Temperament
The Beagle has a very good temper and gentle disposition. Beagles are intelligent, but are stubborn and may be hard to train due to their strong will, which is common in the breed because of its curiosity (especially for scents).
Beagles are playful and energetic dogs who enjoy long walks. Because of their curiosity and spirited temperament, beagles are famed escape artists and humane societies and pounds all over the U.S. often pick up stray beagles.
Beagles are pack animals, and can be prone to separation anxiety. A common misconception is that all Beagles howl incessantly. However, if a beagle incessantly barks, it is probably because it is not often corrected, and can take on the assumption that that type of behavior is acceptable.
Puppies
A well-bred beagle puppy is usually energetic, fun loving, and playful, but one always must have something for it to chew on, as in most of its puppyhood it is teething, which is a stage all breeds go through. The beagle puppy will gladly show affection to anybody, and will continue to do so as long as it has an attentive, dominant master, is frequently exercised (including playtime and walks), and is completely socialized through all stages of life.
Health
Beagles are a healthy breed, but they do have a few common health problems.
The Beagle's ears are long and floppy, which can trap warm moist air or prevent air from reaching the ear canals.
Some Beagles are prone to congenital heart disease. Some Beagles, like most dogs, are prone to various forms of cancer, such as Lymphoma.
Usually beagles live from 10 to 15 years, though if well looked-after they may live to be 20 or even older.
In old age, many Beagles, especially those more active in their younger years, contract arthritis.
Working life
Beagles have superb noses and, despite their self-willed temperament, are sometimes used as sniffer dogs for drug detection. More often, though, they are the breed of choice of the United States Department of Agriculture to detect food items in luggage being transported into the U.S. The force is called the Beagle Brigade and these dogs wear a green jacket. Beagles were chosen because they are small and easy to care for, and because they are not as intimidating for people who are uncomfortable around dogs.
In June 2006, a trained Beagle saved the life of its master by using his mobile phone to dial an emergency number.
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