Dog Breed of the Month: The BeagleEach month, Buster shines the spotlight on a different popular dog breed. This month's feature is the Beagle. 
OriginsThe Beagle is a popular dog breed that originated in England. Although there are records of beagle-like dogs from over a thousand years ago, and Queen Elizabeth I actually owned a breed known as a 'pocket beagle' due to its small size (8 to 9 inches in height--perhaps the original 'purse dog'), the modern form of the breed dates from the 1830s, a combination of the Talbot Hound (now extinct), the Southern Hound, and the North Country Beagle, all originating in Great Britain, and bred as hunting dogs, eventually resembling the dog as we know it today. The breed had made its appearance in the United States by the 1840s, but these dogs were imported strictly for hunting and it is doubtful that they resembled the modern breed--in fact, according to one report, these dogs actually looked more like Dachshunds. Attempts toward a quality bloodline began sometime in the 1870s, and the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1884.
So where does the Beagle get its name? From beagling, of course--what did you expect? Seriously, this IS where this dog breed's name comes from. believe it or not. These dogs were originally bred for hunting hares, an activity known as 'beagling'. The exact origin of the term is unknown, but it may be a derivative of the French word 'beugler', which is a verb meaning 'to bellow'. And believe me, if you've ever heard one of these dogs bark, they can make an incredible racket! Our neighbor down the street has 3 females that he uses for hunting and breeding purposes. When we walk by and all 3 are announcing our presence at the same time, well, let's just say that earplugs would be very helpful.
Beagles come in several colors. The most common is the Classic Tri-color, which has black and brown patches on a white background. Typically, this dog will have a black 'saddle' on its back. Another popular color is the 'Lemon' (not actually yellow), which is a light golden color on a white background with no black coloring. Other color variations include the 'Faded Tri-color, which has faint black markings mingled with more prominent brown markings. The beagle may also have some 'ticking' (flecks of color) mixed in with the white patches. Other two-color combinations are available, such as brown and white. These color cobinations are all acceptable in purebred dogs; a color combination that is not acceptable is liver (dark red) and white, although this combination is not seen too often.
Beagles belong to a group of dogs known as scenthounds, who (obviously) are great at sniffing things out and following scent trails. This terrific sense of smell makes the breed a great hunting dog, but they also have been useful as detection dogs for finding illegally smuggled foodstuffs--and those big soft ears actually aid in tracking as it's believed that the ears draw the scent closer to the dog's nose. Despite their noisiness, they don't make good guard dogs. Although they are usually standoffish at first with strangers, they are generally a friendly breed and make good family pets. Although the Beagle is an intelligent dog, his keen nose can easily distract him. Since this breed is SO scent-oriented, this distraction can appear as stubbornness. In reality, your Beagle is far more interested in that tantalizing trail on the ground than in learning whatever you're trying to teach him.
Beagles are overall a healthy breed, but like any other breed, they are prone to certain maladies. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is common, as are certain forms of arthritis, both of which can be controlled somewhat with medicine. An unusual disease called (and I am not making this up) Funny Puppy can occur, in which the dog is slow to develop and develops weak legs and a crooked back and is sickly. Some eye issues that can develop are glaucoma, cherry eye (which is when the third eyelid prolapses), and distichiasis, which happens when the eyelashes grow inward into the eye and cause irritation. Both of these conditions--cherry eye and distichiasis--can be resolved by surgery. And since Beagles are what is known as a chondrodystrophic breed, they are prone to disc problems much like Dachshunds.
Probably the most famous Beagle is Snoopy, the dog in the popular 'Peanuts' comic strip, but Odie, the dog in the 'Garfield' comic strip, is also a Beagle. The cartoon superhero 'Underdog' is a Beagle, and Disney has the 'Beagle Boys' (not to be confused with the Beastie Boys). Beagles have also been featured as a main character in movies such as 'Shiloh', and 19th-century British scientist Charles Darwin of evolutionary-theory fame named his ship The Beagle. (As far as I know, no Beagle has earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yet, but it could happen.)
The Beagle is a small dog (breed standard maximum 16 inches tall and 35 lbs. weight), so a huge amount of space is not required. This breed is a good family dog, and usually gets along well with other pets. They have a lot of stamina, but don't require exercise to exhaustion; however, this is a breed that has a tendency to gain weight easily, so watch the treats and make sure your Beagle gets adequate exercise to keep his weight down. As far as bathing and grooming go, the Beagle has a short coat that is easy to keep clean, but he will shed short stiff hairs which may weave themselves into fabric and be tough to remove with a vacuum cleaner. Brushing your Beagle regularly with a brush that's appropriate for his short coat will help keep him clean and cut down on shedding. Beagles live 12 to 15 years, so you'll be able to enjoy your dog's company for a long time. So you've got your heart set on a Beagle and want to welcome one into your life. Where to start? If you decide to get your dog from a breeder, make sure you find out as much information as possible about the breeder and the dogs they produce. Likewise, a breeder should ask you detailed questions about your home, family, lifestyle, etc. You should be able to visit the breeder, meet the pup's parents and his littermates, and see what environment they live in. The breeder should also be able to provide information about your new dog's bloodlines and any health issues that may have occurred in his ancestors. Of course, no breeder can absolutely guarantee that your dog won't have any problems later in life, but it's always helpful to be as well-informed as possible. A HUGE warning here: If you speak with a breeder who wants to sell you a dog without meeting you first, RUN AWAY!! You are obviously dealing with someone who is more concerned with turning a profit than seeing his pups go to happy, healthy homes. If you decide that you'd rather give a deserving rescue dog a forever home, there are several Beagle rescue groups across the country who would love to meet you--or you can try Petfinder.com.
Past featured breeds include the Schnauzer and the German Shepherd Dog. If there's a particular breed you'd like us to feature, click on the 'Contact Us' button at left and let us know which breed you'd like to see. Also, we welcome feedback on all of our pages. Don't be afraid to sit and speak!!
Haven't made up your mind yet that the Beagle is the right fit for you and your household? Come back to Buster's Dog House next month to see what breed we'll feature next!!
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