Beagle
The beagle is a scent hound bred in England to hunt hare in packs on foot, and every part of it serves the nose.
The long ears sweep scent upward, the white-tipped tail was bred to stay visible above cover, and the compact build is meant to keep up all day rather than sprint.
Its sense of smell is extraordinary even among hounds, which is why beagles work as detection dogs in airports worldwide. That nose also defines life with one: a beagle on a scent is genuinely not ignoring you so much as unable to hear you, and recall in an unfenced field is a lifelong project.
- Origin
- England
- Size
- 9–11 kg, 33–40 cm at the shoulder
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Short, dense and weatherproof
- Temperament
- Cheerful, sociable, single-minded on a scent
- Exercise
- An hour daily, ideally including sniffing time
3 beagle photos, newest first
Living with a beagle
The coat is easy — a weekly brush, and check the ears often, because long drop ears trap moisture and beagles get more than their share of ear infections.
Secure fencing is the practical necessity. Beagles follow their noses under, over and through gaps, and a recall that works in the garden frequently does not work over a rabbit.
They are also enthusiastic eaters and put on weight easily, which aggravates the intervertebral disc disease the breed is prone to. Epilepsy and hypothyroidism appear in some lines, and pack-bred sociability means most beagles cope badly with long days alone.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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