The Beagle is a hardy, sturdy squarely built, small hound that uses scent to track rabbit and other small game. They are sociable, brave and intelligent, making them one of the most popular hounds. It is not an aggressive dog at all, with a sweet disposition and is easy to train. Beagles have a distinct howl / bay of a bark which may be disturbing in urban and suburban settings. The Beagle has a sleek, short easy to care for coat and makes a great family pet.
A Beagle’s skull is broad and slightly rounded with long, wide pendant ears and a straight, square muzzle. The eyes are large and hazel or brown, with a mild pleading look. The tail is carried high and has been selectively bred to have a white tip, known as the stern or flag that allows the dog to be easily seen when its head is down following a scent.
The Beagle’s coat is close, hard and of medium length and can come in black and tan, red and white, orange and white, or lemon and white or tri color. The coat is easy to look after, and this breed is an average shedder.
Use of the Beagle in Field
The Beagle has one of the best developed senses of smell of any dog and they are better at ground scenting than at air scenting. Beagles have a loud baying cry and are ideal for rabbit hunting as they are quick and can easily flush out rabbits due to their agility and remarkable sense of smell. A Beagle will stay with the pack and hunters often will hunt with more than one dog. They are not used for hunting waterfowl. Beagles do not retrieve.
With their keen sense of smell Beagles are often used by law enforcement as drug sniffing dogs, at airports to detect prohibited imports, and even as termite detection dogs.
The Beagle at Home
The Beagle is a gentle, sweet and loving dog that is excellent with children and generally good with other dogs. Because of their hunting instincts, they should be socialized with cats and other household animals when they are young.
Beagles will do okay in an apartment if they get plenty of exercise, including a brisk daily walk. Always use a lead when walking this lively and curious breed as they may take off search of wild game. Once are on a scent, they may not even hear you calling them.
The History of the Beagle
The Beagle is a very popular dog in England and the United States. They were recognized by the AKC in 1884. The English Beagle is slightly larger than the American Beagle.
The modern Beagle originated in England in the 1830s and it is believed to be a combination of other hounds such as the Harrier and the Talbot Hound. There are traces of Beagle like dogs as far back as 2000 years ago in ancient Greece.
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