is a medium-sized dog breed and a member of the hound group,
similar in appearance to a Foxhound but smaller with shorter legs, and with
longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds used primarily for tracking deer,
bear, and other game. They are a loyal breed and most often very well tempered.
Beagles love exercise and being around people.
In the eleventh century, William the Conqueror brought the Talbot hound into
Great Britain. A white scent hound, the Talbot (now extinct) is thought to be a
more recent ancestor of the modern day beagle.
The black and tan Irish Kerry Beagles are also considered another possible
link in the evolution of early beagles. A small game hunter similar to the
Bloodhound, Kerry Beagles may be the reason for the strong scenting abilities of
beagles today.
The first mention of the beagle in English literature by name dates from
1475. The origin of the word "beagle" is uncertain, although it has been
suggested that the word derives from the French begueule (meaning "open
throat", or more colloquially, "loudmouth") or from an Old English, French, or
Welsh term beag, meaning "small." Other possibilities include the French
beugler (meaning "to bellow") and the German begele (meaning "to
scold").
Hunting
| Interesting "Edward III, had a pack of up to 120 hare hounds
with him on the battlefield during the Hundred Years' War" |
Beagles (or their ancestors) were originally used for hunting, and still are
in some places. They appear to have been used for hare hunting in England as
early as the reign of Edward III, who had a pack of up to 120 hare hounds with
him on the battlefield during the Hundred Years' War. Beagling has been referred
to as "the poor person's foxhunting," as a Beagle pack (30–40 dogs) is followed
on foot, not horseback. The usual quarry is the hare. Beagles will bay in a
similar fashion to foxhounds when in pursuit of their quarry. This is generally
referred to as "speaking" or "giving tongue". Many traditional aspects of
Beagling, like foxhunting, are banned in England, though beagles may still
pursue rabbits, an artificial scent or a hare injured through shooting.
In
countries such as Norway, Canada, United States of America and Sweden, Beagles
are also used for hunting Snowshoe Hare, Roe Deer and in some cases Red Deer and
Fox. In these situations Beagles are not always used as a Beagle pack. The Hunter(s), strategically placed in the terrain, wait while the Beagle is chasing.
The quarry tend to circle within a certain area while using one dog, increasing
the odds for success with few hunters. Drag hunting is another Beagle sport. In
the United States, particularly down in the deep south, Beagles are used in
groups of two with one hunter. The hunter lets the dogs go and they pick up on
the trail of the game that they are hunting for, mostly deer sometimes bear and
boar. Then when the Beagle chases them by the hunter the hunter takes aim and
brings down the game. The Beagle loves this because it is the purpose in which
these dogs were originally bred for and the beagle views it as a tremendously
fun game.
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Pics
of Buddy the Beagle sent in by Karen
Many
Thanks |
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This is our Beagle Puppy Buddy. He
is 16 weeks old. He is very active and quite naughty. - Karen |
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Appearance
The Beagle has a smooth, somewhat oval skull; a medium-length, square-cut
muzzle; a black, gumdrop nose; large, hound-like hazel or brown eyes; long,
velveteen, low-set ears (big), turning towards the cheeks slightly and rounded
at the tips; a medium-length, strong neck without folds in the skin; a broad
chest narrowing to a tapered abdomen and waist; a short, slightly curved tail;
an overall muscular body; and a medium-length, smooth, hard coat. One standard
calls for ideally shaped beagles to be twice as long as tall, and twice as tall
as wide.
They appear in a range of colours, not limited to the familiar tricolour (white
with large black areas and light brown spots). Some tricolour dogs have a color
pattern referred to as "broken." These dogs have mostly white coats with
slightly circular patches of black and brown hair. Two-color varieties are
always white with colored areas, including such colors as "lemon", a very light
tan; "red", a reddish, almost orangish brown; and "liver", a darker brown (liver
is the only colour not allowed in the British Standard). "Ticked" varieties may
be either white or black with different colored spots ("ticking"), such
as the bluetick beagle, which has spots that appear to be a midnight-blue color,
similar to the Bluetick Coonhound. Some tricolor beagles also have ticking of
various colours in their white areas.
| Picture of Cooper sent in by Pete - Many
Thanks |
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| This is Cooper our adorable 11 week
old puppy. He is a cheeky chap with bundles of energy - but he
loves to have a cuddle. He'd have a chew of anything and does!!
He's our first beagle and we love him to bits. |
Beagles are almost always born black and white, with the brownish areas
developing later. The brown is usually the last color to appear, taking
sometimes 1-2 years to fully develop. Some beagles gradually change color
throughout their lives. Beagles typically have a white-tipped tail, or "flag",
which is important in locating them in the field due to their short height.
Breed varieties
The American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club recognize two separate
varieties of Beagle: the 13-inch for hounds less than 13 inches, and the 15-inch
for those between 13 and 15 inches. The Kennel Club (UK) and FCI affiliated
clubs recognize a single type, with a height of between 13 and 16 inches. These
standard dogs can reach 35 lb or more.
In Medieval times, there was a breed called a pocket beagle, which stood at 8
to 9 inches. Small enough to fit in a "pocket" or saddlebag, they rode along on
the hunt. The larger foxhounds would run the prey to ground, then the hunters
would release the small beagles to continue the chase through underbrush into
their burrows. Queen Elizabeth I often entertained guests at her royal table by
letting her pocket beagles cavort amid their plates and cups. This genetic line
is now nearly extinct.[1]
Temperament
The Beagle has a very good temper and gentle disposition. Beagles are
intelligent, but are stubborn and may be hard to train due to their strong will,
which is common in the breed because of its curiosity (especially for scents).
However, if a newly-bought puppy has a dominant master in control, they can be
easy to train and can obey basic commands. They are an especially loyal breed
and are very friendly. Unaltered males will often howl, bark, or chase after
another dog or object, but rarely physically harm it. Females tend to be less
aggressive before their first heat cycle, but afterwards are protective of their
puppies and families. Both genders are excellent with children (puppies
especially) and can even play with toddlers. They also get along with other
dogs, provided that they have been socialized correctly.
Beagles are playful and energetic dogs who enjoy long walks. Being scent
hounds, if released, they may follow a scent endlessly or will incessantly try
to tag along with other dogs regardless of cars, strangers, etc. They can be
quite difficult to walk, especially when distracted by enticing smells. Because
of their curiosity and spirited temperament, beagles are famed escape artists
and humane societies and pounds all over the U.S. often pick up stray beagles.
Beagles are pack animals, and can be prone to separation anxiety. They are
best kept with other dogs if they are going to be left alone for long periods of
time. A common misconception is that all Beagles howl incessantly. In reality,
some are more vocal than others and some do not bark often at all. Puppies,
however, will yelp and whine if left alone in a crate, kennel, or enclosed area
such as a play pen. However, if a beagle incessantly barks, it is probably
because it is not often corrected, and can take on the assumption that that type
of behavior is acceptable. The breed has thousands of representatives and each
has his or her own personality.
|
Biggles and Jones sent in by Alf - Thanks |
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Source |
Puppies
A well-bred beagle puppy is usually energetic, fun loving, and playful, but
one always must have something for it to chew on, as in most of its puppyhood it
is teething, which is a stage all breeds go through. The beagle puppy will
gladly show affection to anybody, and will continue to do so as long as it has
an attentive, dominant master, is frequently exercised (including playtime and
walks), and is completely socialized through all stages of life. Puppies should
usually be fed small amounts of food (never two bowls), and should not be coaxed
to eat. Putting sauces on the food are discouraged and can lead to an overweight
beagle. A puppy will grow to be more energetic as it matures, because newborns
sleep on average about 2/3 of the day. Usually, a 12-week-old puppy will tire
after a 15-20 minute run or walk, but that time will increase as it grows.
|
Missy the Beagle sent in by Lorraine - Many Thanks |
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Missy and her great life friend lol my dog baby beagle |
Health
Beagles are a healthy breed, but they do have a few common health problems.
The Beagle's ears are long and floppy, which can trap warm moist air or
prevent air from reaching the ear canals. This condition can be successfully
treated with regular cleaning daily and sometimes medication for major cases. A
good preventative measure is a diet consisting of lamb and rice dog food.
Careless bathing can get water into their ears, potentially causing ear
infections.
Sometimes their eyelashes grow into the eye and irritate the eye, also known
as distichiasis; this might require surgery to remove the eyelashes.
Obesity is a common health problem due to people overfeeding them in response
to their playful and gentle behavior. Most will overeat if given the chance. A
healthy Beagle should have some definition to its waist and have an hourglass
appearance when viewed from above. You should be able to feel their ribs.
Excessive weight can lead to problems such as hip dysplasia and heart trouble.
They need exercise and a good diet.
Some Beagles are prone to congenital heart disease.
In some rare cases the breed may develop polyarthritis (where the immune
system attacks the joints) even at a young age. This can be sometimes treated
effectively with cortisone.
They are also prone to seizures and epilepsy. This disease is treatable with
medication. Some Beagles, like most dogs, are prone to various forms of cancer,
such as Lymphoma.
Usually beagles live from 10 to 15 years, though if well looked-after they
may live to be 20 or even older.
In old age, many Beagles, especially those more active in their younger
years, contract arthritis.
Working life
Beagles have superb noses and, despite their self-willed temperament, are
sometimes used as sniffer dogs for drug detection. More often, though, they are
the breed of choice of the United States Department of Agriculture to detect
food items in luggage being transported into the U.S. The force is called the
Beagle Brigade and these dogs wear a green jacket. Beagles were chosen because
they are small and easy to care for, and because they are not as intimidating
for people who are uncomfortable around dogs. They are also used for this
purpose by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in New Zealand and by the
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (for whom they wear maroon
jackets).
They are the dog breed most often used in animal testing, due to their
passive nature.
In June 2006, a trained Beagle saved the life of its master by using his
mobile phone to dial an emergency number.[1]
|
Picture of Chloe's Beagle - Many thanks |
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This is my beagle, doing what she does best,
chewing! when the photo was taken she was just a baby, but now she's 1. all
together now, ahhhhhh! :) from Chloe
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Miscellaneous
Beagles in popular culture
- The Peanuts comic strip character Snoopy and his siblings are beagle
mutts, i.e. mixes, rather than purebreds, though creator Charles M. Schulz said
that Snoopy (and his relatives) are mostly beagle. When Snoopy makes appearances
at theme parks, he is billed as "The World's Most Famous Beagle." [2]
- Buster in The Wonder Years.
- Poochie, the short-lived Itchy and Scratchy character, on The Simpsons.
- Porthos in Star Trek: Enterprise.
- Toby in Used Cars.
- Lou in Cats and Dogs.
- Chomp Chomp in Pacman
- Doidle in The Fairly Oddparents
- Brain in the Inspector Gadget film.
- Pete in The Monster Squad.
- Buckley in The Royal Tenenbaums.
- Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Shiloh book trilogy (also a film trilogy)
is about a beagle.
- The Beagle Boys in Disney's DuckTales or Scrooge McDuck comics.
- Character Audrey fforbes-Hamilton has a Beagle in the BBC series To the
Manor Born.
- According to Garfield, Odie is half-beagle and half-brick. [3]
- Gromit from the animated cartoon Wallace & Gromit is a beagle.
- The Grape Ape had a friend named Beegle Beagle (also known as Beegley
Beagley).
- In Three's Company, the characters frequented a restaurant called
"The Regal Beagle."
- In "Where My Dogs At", Buddy is a Beagle.
- The cartoon superhero Underdog is a Beagle.
- In the 1970's, singer Barry Manilow owned two Beagles named Bagel and
Biscuit. Bagel appeared on the back cover of Manilow's 1975 album Tryin' To
Get The Feeling.
- Mr. Peabody (of Rocky & Bullwinkle fame) is a beagle.
Famous beagles
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This is Bella sent in by
Momxo - Thanks |
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Bella is my beautiful Beagle. She is a rescued Beagle. I got her when she was a year old and she will be six this November (2009). She is a typical Beagle, energetic, curious, chow hound. Love her to death. |
