Beagles are quite easily available in India. They are quite popular among people who are looking for a smaller dog. They are reasonably adaptable to their surroundings and have a fairly decent tolerance level. They are quite comfortable in hot weather conditions and requires no special treatment. Beagles adapt moderately well with the Indian climate. Beagles also have a lack of inherited health problems. They are an easy and fine choice for a novice dog owner in India.
Beagle is a breed of miniature hound with a great sense of smell. The official breed standards as given by the American Kennel Club (AKC) describes them as “smaller to medium dogsâ€.
Going by the standards, Beagles have an average height of about 13-15 inches. Some of them may also have less than 13 inches. Because of their smaller size, they are also quite light-weighted. On average, Beagles weigh somewhere between 9-12 kg. Beagles which are less than 13 inches in height may weigh even less than 9 kg.
|
GENDER |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MALE |
10-11.5 kg |
13-15 inch |
|
FEMALE |
09-10.5 kg |
13-15 inch |
Beagles have a smooth and hard coat which is medium in length. It is quite dense and mostly rain resistant. Beagles are also a multicolored dog breed. Their coat is mostly tri-colored. They have white chest, legs and tip of the tail, a mostly brown/tan head region and black spots on the back area. They are also found in different combinations of various colors like chocolate, red, lemon and white.
Beagles have a very small and petite structure. Light in weight, their chest is deep and wide with fairly muscular shoulders. Their neck and throat region is free from any folds of skin. They have a short and muscular back which is stronger than it appears. Their feet are firm and round and are fully padded.
They have a fairly long head which is slightly domed, with large hazel or brown colored eyes. They also have fine textured long ears which are set moderately low. Their muzzle is straight and medium in length with a moderately defined jaw-level.
Beagles are even-tempered and gentle in nature. They are quite friendly with others as they mostly enjoy someone’s company. They are very careful with the kids and hence are very popular as excellent family pets. Some of the key temperamental traits of Beagles are listed below:
Originated in Great Britain around the 1830s, the Beagles are developed from several breeds like Talbot Hound, Southern Hound and more. The origin of their name is uncertain but many believe it is derived from the French word ‘beg’eule’ meaning open-throat. Beagles were used as hunting dogs and were bred like that.
Beagles are generally easy going and friendly and very popular mainly because of their small size which makes them adorable and easy to handle. They are good tempered and loyal in nature which makes them a decent companion. They have a really good sense of smell and are quite curious and clever.
Beagles are good house pets as they are adaptable and less demanding. They are very gentle and kind with almost everybody, especially with small kids. They tend to be very playful and wants to indulge in various games and activities. They also mix well with strangers and have a more inviting nature.
They are not easily trainable because they are single-minded and gets easily distracted and bored. Hence, a trainer/owner should be very patient and passionate while training a Beagle. They also do not do well in lonely situations and needs some kind of attention and care as they are prone to separation anxiety.
Different types of beagles are based on the different color combinations that they are found in. As stated earlier, a Beagle is a multicolored breed of dog. They are mostly tri-colored and a hint of white color can be found on almost all of them along with other color combinations. Below is the list that shows the vast variety of colors that a beagle can be found in.
Out of all these various colors, tri-colored beagles are most popular and easily available in India. These tri-colored beagles mostly consist of white, brown/tan and black colors. White and chocolate/tan beagles are also common and readily available in India.
Beagles with lemon and white or orange/red and white color coat are quite rare in India. They are mostly imported from western countries and are quite expensive comparatively.
|
Adaptability |
***** |
Sensitivity Level |
**** |
|
Affection Level |
***** |
Potential for mouthiness |
*** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
** |
Drooling Potential |
* |
|
Barking Tendencies |
***** |
Energy Level |
**** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
***** |
Health Issues |
*** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
*** |
Intelligence |
**** |
|
Child Friendly |
***** |
Playfulness |
***** |
|
Exercise Needs |
***** |
Shedding Level |
*** |
|
Grooming |
* |
Social Needs |
***** |
|
Good for novice owners |
*** |
Stranger Friendly |
**** |
|
Trainability |
** |
Watchdog Ability |
* |
|
Tolerates Heat |
**** |
Tolerates Cold |
** |
The smaller the dog, the smaller its feeding requirements. And, that’s the case with the Beagles. They require a small portion of food to sustain their energy levels. High-quality food either canned or homemade as prescribed by the vet or as per the liking and suitability of the Beagle should be given divided into two meals. Beagles should be fed in required and necessary amounts and overfeeding must be avoided as they prone to obesity.
Beagles are among the dogs that have a higher affinity for energy. They are very energetic and thus requires some physical activities to release that energy on a daily basis. At least, an hour of exercise for Beagles is a must regularly and it can be in any form like jogging, brisk running, playing games with the owner and more.
Beagles are believed to be a bit hard to train, but it’s not all true. They require a little more attention and patience but they are welcoming towards any form of training. Positive reinforcement in the form of treats and verbal appreciation goes a long way in training any Beagle. They are quite sensitive in nature and do not respond well to harsh training methods.
Beagles are of little maintenance when it comes to grooming. They require occasional brushing (about 2-3 times a week) and trimming of nails. Bathing schedule for Beagles is also quite easeful as they do not require frequent baths and cleaning. When it comes to shedding, Beagles are moderate shedders for most of the months in a year.
Beagles have a lack of inherited health issues when compared to some other dog breeds. But, still, they are prone to various diseases like hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, luxating patella, epilepsy and some eye disorders. The chances of these diseases to occur depends on the quality of upbringing and care a beagle receives while growing up.
Beagles are one of the most robust and sturdiest dogs and are less likely to suffer from any disease mentioned above, if cared properly. Hence, visits to the vet are rare occurrences but must be done to ensure the health of the doggy.
Beagles were used by the English hunters on their quest to hunt various small animals like hare, rabbits and many more in the 1500s. The first ancestors of the modern-day Beagle were more compact and smaller hounds that might come into existence through breeding between various types of English hounds like Southern Hound, Talbot Hound, the Harrier and some more.
The origin of their name is also barely known. Some believe that the name ‘Beagle’ is derived from a French word ‘be’geule’ which is a term used to describe the sound made by hounds while hunting, others believe it is derived from a Celtic word ‘beag’ which means little or small.
Beagles have since become very popular in various parts of the world like the U.S.A., U.K., and even India. They are adored and loved all around the world because of their core traits like friendliness, adaptability and gentle behavior. Beagles were first recognized by the American Kennel Club in the year 1885.
After the recognition by AKC, Beagles took little time in climbing the rungs of the popularity ladder. They were consistently placed in the top ten dog breeds list for over 30 years. And, from 1953 to 1959, they were ranked #1. They are still to this date going strong in the popularity contest as they were ranked #6 in 2017, #5 in 2016 and 2015.
