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Beagles comprise a breed of small- to
medium-sized dog belonging to the hound
group. Early predecessors to Beagles are
dated back to ancient Greece, and have
long been used by humans as aids in hunting
small animals such as rabbits. The modern
breed emerged early in the 19th century
in England, and is thought to have descended
from Harriers, North Country Beagles,
and Southern Hounds. The breed has since
been refined, and has spread across the
world during the 20th century.
Beagles measure 13-16 inches in height
and, on average, weigh 18-30 pounds. They
appear to be miniature English Foxhounds,
only with different expressions, shorter
in stature, broader heads, and shorter
muzzles. Their coats are of medium length
and close, dense, smooth, and hard. Beagles'
coats may be tricolor: having a white
base with brown and black markings of
varying distributions, intensities, and
shades; or white with markings of either
black, brown, red, orange, or lemon.
Beagles have pleasant temperaments; they
are known to be gentle, amiable, and companionable.
Initially, they may be aloof toward strangers.
However, this behavior is often short-lived,
as it is generally easy to win their affections.
Though they are intelligent, Beagles'
having been bred to embark on long chases
while hunting causes them to be stubborn
and single-minded. Beagles are also highly
excitable dogs, and have inquisitive natures
that can often prompt them to go "explore."
Beagles are best suited to life in small
to medium homes, and do well with a small
yard at their disposal. They are great
with children, which, in addition to their
sweet temperaments, makes them ideal family
pets. Beagles also get along very well
with other dogs. Though their friendly
nature makes them poor guard dogs, Beagles
are generally fairly vocal upon encountering
unknown stimuli, which can allow them
to be good watch dogs.
While they tend not to be needy with
respect to exercise, Beagles must be exercised
daily, and fare best when engaging in
around two hours of exercise per day.
Because the breed has hunted in packs
throughout their history, Beagles require
companionship and frequent stimulation,
and are prone to separation anxiety. Beagles
must be trained at a very young age, as
their stubborn nature makes them difficult
to train, and dogs are most responsive
to training when they are young.
Beagles are prone to epilepsy, hypothyroidism,
dwarfism, glaucoma, corneal distrophy,
retinal atrophy, and a condition known
as funny puppy syndrome, in which an affected
puppy's development is stunted and delayed
and its immune system is weakened. Beagles
are also susceptible to a range of disk
disorders. The average Beagle lives for
10-13 years, which is a normal life expectancy
for a dog of their size.
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