The Beagle

The Beagle is an energetic dog with a happy disposition, which makes it a great pet for most families. This breed is part of the Hound category of dogs and is suited for b...

The Beagle is an energetic dog with a happy disposition, which makes it a great pet for most families. This breed is part of the Hound category of dogs and is suited for both indoor and outdoor living. Their huge, expressive eyes make it so easy to fall in love with this breed.

History

The Beagle traces its history back to England, where it was bred as a scent hound for hunting rabbits, pheasant and quails. It might have resulted from a cross between the Harrier and other hound breeds. They extraordinary sense of smell makes them great tracking dogs, such as those used to sniff out narcotics. Unfortunately, their temperament and size has also led them to becoming a popular choice for medical experimentation.

Appearance

The Beagle is a small, square-built dog with a sleek, short-haired coat. This breed comes in a variety of colors, such as black and tan, orange and white, red and white, lemon and white or tri-color. The head is broad and rounded, with large, hazel or brown, eyes. The ears are long, wide and pendant. Although slightly curved, the tail should not have a curl. Beagles have a medium-sized, square muzzle with a black nose and full nostrils.

This breed weighs 20-25 pounds at adulthood and comes in two height categories, below 13 inches and 13-15 inches.

Temperament

Beagles are gentle, lively and inquisitive dogs. Their playful, loyal and loving nature makes them wonderful family pets. This breed enjoys the companionship of both humans and other pets. They tend to follow their nose, which is extremely sensitive to smells, and should be kept in a fenced yard and taken for walks on a leash. They make good watchdogs but terrible guard dogs because of their friendly disposition.

Being intelligent and energetic, the Beagle needs plenty of exercise, walks and playtime. This is an even-tempered breed that neither shows aggression nor shows timidity. They make good companions for children as well.

Health

Some Beagle lines are prone to heart diseases, eye and back problems and epilepsy. Beagles are also known to at times suffer from dwarfism or chrondoplasia, where the front legs get warped, similar to a Basset Hound. Many are also prone to ear infections and regular cleaning of the ears is a must. Although this breed requires regular brushing, a wipe down with a damp towel is better than a bath most of the times.

The life expectancy of this breed is 12 to 15 years.

The healthiest and highest quality Beagles are available only at Puppy Match 4 You, a specialized puppy match organization that has an impeccable record of helping people acquire puppies that are best suited to them and their families. With puppies being bred and home raised only from the most trustworthy and ethical breeders, you will never regret acquiring a Beagle puppy from www.puppymatch4you.com.