Beagle Bio
Size
Typical Size: Medium
Average Height: 10 to 16 inches
Average Weight: 15 to 30 pounds
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Personality Traits
Typical Personality: Friendly, Happy-go-lucky, Great Family Dogs, Loves Companionship
Compatibility with Adults: Excellent
Compatibility with Children: Excellent
Compatibility with Elderly: Excellent
Compatibility with Strangers: Good to Excellent
Compatibility with Other Dogs: Excellent
Compatibility with Cats: Good, most of the time
Compatibility with Small Animals: Fair, must be introduced at an early age
Guard Dog or Watch Dog? Watch Dog, will bark to sound the alarm, but generally won't guard your home or family. They are usually quick to make new friends.
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Grooming Requirements
Once per Week: Brushing
Once Every Two Weeks: Cleaning Ears
Once per Month: Bathing and Trimming Nails
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Exercise Requirements
Moderate: About 1 hour per day for an adult Beagle.
A daily romp in a fenced area, two shorter walks, or one longer walk per day.
Mental stimilation and environmental enrichment are important too.
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Health Concerns
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Beagle Pros:
1. They are generally a healthy breed
2. They are usually Excellent Family Dogs
3. They are easy to care for, low maintenance dogs
4. They have low grooming requirements with a smooth coat
5. They are pack-oriented and love their pack (human, canine, & other species)
6. They are usually very cuddly, loving, & affectionate dogs
7. They are usually a good size, sturdy, and compact
8. They are adorable and appeal to the whole family (men, women & children)
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Beagle Cons:
1. They may Bark or Howl, they are a hound (hunting) breed
2. They do shed dog hair because they are not a "non-shedding breed"
3. They are not a "hypo-allergenic breed"
4. They may follow their noses, hunt, and ignore you while they are "tracking" a scent
5. They may have a more "houndy" odor than other breeds
6. They may be stubborn and more difficult to train than other breeds
7. They may take a bit longer to potty train than other breeds
8. They may become friends with strangers
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Colors
The AKC Standard allows for any recognized hound color. These typically include:
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Tricolor - Black, Tan & White
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Tricolor - Black, White & Tan
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Red & White
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Lemon & White
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Tan & White
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Chocolate Tri - Brown, White & Tan
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Blue Tri - Blue, Tan & White
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Lilac Tri - Blue, Tan & White (with chocolate overcoat)
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Beagles can also come in many different color patterns, included "saddle-back", "open marked", "high white", "hare pied", or "badger pied" - all of which are acceptable. The merle pattern can also occur on ANY coat color, but can be covered up (hidden) by the lemon or red coat colors. Merle is a "spotting" pattern that occurs on the saddle area of the Beagle. The merle pattern has now been documented to be in the Beagle breed for at least 30 years.
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The most common marking in Beagles, is "Ticked". This can be used to describe a Tricolor with Ticking, a Bluetick, or a Redtick Beagle. Occasionally you will even see a Blue Tri with Ticking.
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Other Considerations:
Professional Training Classes with a duration of at least 6 to 8 weeks are recommended for people who are new to the Beagle breed.
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Embark DNA and OFA health testing should be done prior to breeding.
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Pocket Beagles and Miniature Beagles are terms commonly used by less reputable breeders to market their puppies to the public, you should always ask for health testing from breeders to ensure that they are reputable.
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There is no minimum size limit in the AKC Beagle Breed Standard.
Oversized Beagles do occur in some purebred Beagle bloodlines. This is because in other countries, they allow larger Beagles over 15 inches to be shown & bred. Since the majority of Beagles go back to the same original bloodlines in England, purebred American Beagles can also produce some larger puppies that grow over 15 inches tall.