— Breed of the Month —

Beagle

Who doesn't love a beagle’s doe-like eyes and happy, easy-going nature? Their cute, floppy ears? As a member of the hound family, they live to use their nose and love to eat! They are excellent as scent detection dogs at airports and can search out weapons, drugs, and illegal food items with ease. Originally bred in England to hunt, the Beagle has long been popular as a family companion.

It is believed the name “Beagle” comes from the Middle French words “bee gueule,” which literally translated means “wide throat,’ or perhaps more colloquially translated as "loudmouth."

Back to Breed of the Month

Breed Traits and Characteristics

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some breed characteristic you can find in Beagles. 

 

  • Height

    13 inches & under, 13-15 inches

  • Weight

    Under 20 pounds, 20-30 pounds

  • Life Expectancy

    10-15 years

  • Coat Type/Length

    Smooth/Short

  • 60 Affectionate with Family
  • 100 Good with Young Children
  • 100 Good with Other Dogs
  • 60 Trainability Level
  • 80 Energy Level
  • 80 Barking Level
  • 60 Shedding Level
  • 20 Drooling Level

History

Beagles have been around so long that no one is quite certain of their origins. Similar size and type dogs were found in Ancient Greece in the 5th century BC to hunt rabbit and hare. Early Beagles during Medieval times were small and stood only 8 to 9 inches tall. They were called "pocket Beagles" because they were small enough to fit into a hunter's pocket. As larger dogs were needed for hunting larger prey, these smaller Beagles became extinct in 1901.

The more modern breed which is larger in size originated in Great Britain in the 1830s as a cross between two breeds: the Southern Hound, and the North Country Beagle. A man named Reverend Phillip Honeywood of Great Britain started a breeding program and King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth I fell in love with the breed. Wanting to improve on the breed, Thomas Johnson produced dogs that were more stately in appearance and better hunters.

General Richard Rowett from Illinois imported some Beagles from England and began breeding what is known as the standard Beagle today. The Beagle was accepted as a breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1884.

Today, the breed is as noteworthy as a family companion as it is as a hunting dog.

The Beagle

Beagles are loving, gentle dogs with a fierce independent streak. As a pet parent, you will have to be patient and persistent since this breed is so strong willed.

When training your Beagle, always have him on a leash or he will follow his nose versus your commands and head off in search of an enticing scent.

Before you go over the moon for this breed, know that they love companionship and do not like to be alone. Therefore, separation anxiety can be an issue.

As Bark Busters trainers, we have seen Beagles plow through drywall when left alone for too long. To cut down on the destruction, Beagles need a lot of exercise, education, and an outlet for their energy.

Beagles are often known as the “Goldilocks” of dogs – not too big, not too small, not too aggressive and not too shy. Because of their acute sense of smell, they are often called a “nose with feet.”

Know also that they are so vocal, they might not make the best apartment dwellers… you can hear them howl loudly. For a dog its size, the Beagle has a BIG voice. A Beagle’s voice is not only typically louder than other breeds its size, it has a passionate tone that other breeds do not have.

The breed is multi-talented and is often used by U.S. Customs to search for illegal food, plants and drugs because of their phenomenal sense of scent. It’s not uncommon to see beagles in airports, sniffing around the baggage lines.

Beagles are also great hunting dogs. Beagles are fiercely loyal, highly energetic and hunt with all their heart. Remember, they were originally bred to hunt hare and rabbit. They are particularly good at being left loose in the field and hunting their prey without instruction. It is this independent streak that contributes to their stubbornness. This is in contrast to dogs like Labradors who hunt on command.

However, the Beagle doesn’t have to hunt to be happy – he can he just as happy on the lap of a loving dog owner.

Fun Facts About Beagles

Beagles are a beloved breed of dog that have captured the hearts of many with their adorable and friendly nature. They are well-known for their exceptional sense of smell and their playful personalities. Whether you are a long-time Beagle owner or are considering owning one for the first time, here are some fun facts you might not know about the breed.

Beagle Points of Interest

  • Beagles are scent hounds and are wonderful escape artists so a fenced in yard or a leash on a walk is essential.
  • One of the most vocal dogs as they bark, bay and howl.
  • Pack animals that do well with other dogs.
  • Eyes are either hazel or brown and look like they are pleading.
  • Most don’t like to swim.
  • Not great as guard dogs-they are generally everyone’s best friend.

Beagle Trivia

  • Beagles have approximately 220 million scent receptors compared to the 5 million in people.
  • The "Beagle Brigade" patrols the baggage-claim areas at more than 20 international airports and other points of entry into the United States. They are used for this purpose because of their appeal and the fact that most passengers don’t fear this breed.
  • The Beagle has ranked among the top 10 most popular dogs since its acceptance into the AKC in 1885
  • The “Peanuts” character Snoopy was a Beagle and possibly was the reason behind some of this breed's more recent popularity.
  • One of the identifying marks of a purebred Beagle is some white in its tail. It may only be a few hairs at the tip, or it may be mostly white, but a "Beagle" without any white in its tail is probably a mix.
  • President Lyndon Johnson had 2 beagles named Him and Her.
  • Although we know Queen Elizabeth II as a huge Corgi fan, the first Queen Elizabeth loved the miniature “pocket” Beagles.
  • Barry Manilow owned a Beagle named Bagel and featured this breed on his album covers.

Advantages of Beagles

  • Inquisitive, determined, loving, easy going
  • Compact, short-coated, easy to groom
  • Alert, curious & busy
  • Gentle
  • Intelligent, friendly and easily won over
  • Rarely shy or aggressive
  • Mischievous and funny

Beagle Personality & Temperament

There are two Beagle varieties: those standing under 13 inches at the shoulder, and those between 13 and 15 inches. Both varieties are sturdy, solid, and “big for their inches,” as dog folks say. They come in such pleasing colors as lemon, red and white, and tricolor. The Beagle’s fortune is in his adorable face, with its big brown or hazel eyes set off by long, houndy ears set low on a broad head. A breed described as “merry” by its fanciers, Beagles are loving and lovable, happy, and companionable—all qualities that make them excellent family dogs. No wonder that for years the Beagle has been the most popular hound dog among American pet owners. These are curious, clever, and energetic hounds who require plenty of playtime.

Beagles are often described as: “they never met a person they didn’t like”. They get along well with kids and other breeds because they are carefree and cooperative. In fact, the Beagle has a fun and curious nature, much like many children. They can thrive both in the city and country, although they do best with plenty of room to roam. If you are looking for a couch potato – this is not the breed to choose as they require a lot of exercise.

The two biggest dog training problems with the Beagle involves coming when called and walking by their pet parent’s side on a leash. Why? Because Beagles have their nose to the ground and prefer to follow that versus you! They will wander around whether supervised or not.

Some people will say that Beagles are not intelligent, but this is far from the truth. Consider the fact that they often get away with NOT following your commands. Beagles are free thinkers, and unlike Labradors who live to please their pet parents, Beagles follow the beat of their own drummer. This does not mean they can't be trained. In fact, the Bark Busters style of training which is based on the way dogs naturally communicate is perfect for this dog. Although training can be a challenge, with persistence and patience you can succeed. He will have to develop respect for your leadership and perceive you as the leader of the pack.

Beagle Health

Like many popular breeds, the Beagle has a number of hereditary health issues, like eye problems and allergies. Most reputable breeders now have their breeding stock checked and scored for these hereditary ailments by a vet. You can request proof that the puppy you are purchasing comes from parents that have been checked for these issues.

Because many other health issues are also hereditary, you should do some research on the ancestry of your puppy and any health issues of that particular breed.

Many rescue organizations also check for common-ailments before making them available for adoption.

At any stage of life, here are some of the most common injuries and illnesses you should be aware of when bringing home a Beagle:

  • Allergies
  • Cruciate ruptures
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Intervertebral disc disorder
  • Lameness and limping
  • Masses
  • Urinary tract infections

Common Behavioral Issues with Beagles

Beagles are regularly in the top 10 most popular breeds. Even though Snoopy is probably the most well-known Beagle, all dogs are priceless to their families. Beagles' incredible abilities really can come in handy - you may see them at airports as detections dogs, trained to find bed bugs and termites, and you may even see them as therapy dogs.

However, just like any breed, they present unique challenges.

Beagles are scent hounds which means that even more than some other breeds they are ruled by their noses. They will naturally follow a scent until they either find the source or they find a more interesting scent.

Due their prodigious ability to follow a scent they make excellent hunters and trackers.

Tracking is an activity they were born to excel doing. Following their noses however can make them challenging to walk.

Recall, or coming when called, can also be a challenge for Beagles. These are probably the two areas of behaviors that Bark Busters Trainers deal with consistently with Beagles.

Beagles can be prone to becoming anxious when left alone so, as puppies, they definitely need to be confined or crated or you may come home to find holes in your walls.  Their “chase first, ask questions later” has caused more than a few Beagles to run through screen doors or to run into glass doors that they forgot were there. 

They are short and stocky so, like most of us, you have to watch their weight as they get older. This can become a serious problem as it can lead to other health issues especially if they get lazy.

Bark Busters training can help you to understand your dog and how to not only have your dog love you, but to show him that you are also are a capable leader worthy of his respect.

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Hear from Bark Busters Clients Who Have a Beagle

The methods worked very quickly and even my 10-year-old beagle picked up on the command's. They are quickly learning; I look forward to working with my doggies to get them over the finish line.
Amazing! We have a Beagle who has some severe anxiety. We tried as many routes as we could before Bark Busters to no avail. I was starting to wonder if I was just an unfit pet mom. In a few sessions and staying consistent with training, my dog is much calmer and even more playful. I would recommend Bark Busters to anyone.
Kevin gave my husband and I some fantastic lessons and advice for our 2 year old beagle mix, Smokey. He spent 3 hours with us going through dog psychology and helping us address basic behavioral issues, such as barking at strangers, exerting more control while on walks and establishing boundaries. He also shared some great training tools and toys. I highly recommend Bark Busters! Their tips and advice are fact-based and they actually work!
Nicole is the absolute best dog trainer that we have ever used! We have a 3 year old rescue beagle that would not let anyone into the house including extended family. She would bark, growl and intimidate any visitors and was completely stressed out. On walks, our dog would lunge at UPS trucks, cars, people and other dogs would create a complete meltdown for her. We had used a former military person who specialized in dogs with PTSD as well as another dog trainer and neither one of them produced the immediate results that Nicole has in just a few sessions. What I really appreciate about Nicole is that her methods are completely understandable and there is NO physical treatment to the dog. After the first session, my sister was able to enter my home after I used a few verbal commands. The dog was relaxed and at ease and so was my sister! I give Nicole top marks for her training methods. She truly
Sara was absolutely amazing, and we learned so much from her! We absolutely love her and this program! My boy zombie has separation anxiety and is reactive to other humans and dogs and in one session we are already seeing a change in his behavior. We are so excited for him to be able to be calm and carefree and live his life to the fullest! Thank you so much for training us to train him correctly!!!
Wow. What an experience. We had high hopes and expectations and all of them were exceeded. After 2 hours we had a completely different dog and we are determined to see this through to the end. Pepper will be a happy boy soon.
Awesome trainer!!!! Really appreciate how Sara knows how to train you can really tell she loves dogs and knows her stuff.
Google Review: Sarah is awesome!!!! I learned so much from her after only the first session. After only two days, Sadie is already learning what she is and is not supposed to do.
Google Review: Had our first training today at home with two Jack Russell’s and a miniature dachshund. The techniques felt like they were genuinely helping and we have a few weeks of training to go but I am confident that this will be successful. I will post an update in a few weeks as we continue on with training.
Enjoyed my exchanges with Orlando and the exercises he taught me to train Jack!
A very positive experience!!
Very thorough plus effective training methods & information provided. Understanding the difference between Behavorial + command training + the rationale behind it was very helpful to be able to apply the different techniques. Glad I started training while my puppy is still young.
Went over basic commands regarding claiming space & PLACE. Additionally worked on aggression between the two dogs.
Josh was great, saw immediate improvement within the 1st hour. Can't wait to use what I learned as soon as possible.
Our first session was great! Stella showed improvement and we all learned a lot.
Omar is an Amazing Trainer – Highly Recommend! Working with Omar has been such a great experience! We had worked with Bark Busters before and learned the basics, but Omar has shown us new, more effective, and less aggressive ways to make corrections. He really took the time to understand the issues we’re having with our two reactive dogs and came up with a training plan that’s easy to follow and actually works. What I really appreciate about Omar is how patient he is—not just with our dogs, but with us as we learn these new methods. He walks us through everything step by step and helps us practice until we get it right. On top of that, he’s super personable and fun to be around, which makes the whole process even better. If you’re looking for a trainer who truly knows what they’re doing and makes the experience enjoyable, I can’t recommend Omar
We cannot recommend Bark Busters and our amazing trainer, Ryanne, highly enough! We were expecting our first child and reached out for help with our 10-year-old Yorkie, Gerrard, and we are absolutely blown away by the transformation. Ryanne did several in-home visits and took the time to truly understand Gerrard’s behavior and our needs as owners. She patiently taught us how to train him in a way that was both effective and easy to follow. Thanks to Ryanne’s guidance, Gerrard is like a whole new dog—calmer, more obedient, and happier than ever! Her expertise, professionalism, and genuine love for dogs were evident from day one. If you’re looking for a top-notch dog trainer who delivers real results, Ryanne and Bark Busters are the best choice you could make! Thank you, Ryanne, for giving us the tools to create a better life for Gerrard and our family!
Wow - Gusty is truly an incredible trainer and we saw significant improvements in our dog's behavior after just 1 session. My husband was hesitant about Bark Busters since we have tried so many different techniques with moderate success. But after Gusty left our house, my husband said "That was AMAZING!". We have a 3 year old pitbull (Moo) who is super smart and trainable, but we struggle to redirect her barking when guests come over/people come in our yard, she jumps on guests, and she has some leash reactivity. Gusty immediately tuned into Moo's needs and established her role as a trainer - truly training my husband and I to better train/support our dog. Using the Bark Busters harness, Moo is walking right next to us and is much calmer on walks. She is also responding well to respecting the front door as a "no go zone" and relaxing after she's notified us that there is a visitor. I highly recommend Gusty - we wish
This training with Jared has given me the dog I've wanted and hoped for! My friends were skeptical at first about the higher cost of private training, but i work where i live so it was very important that my Rio be behaved in both areas. Rio had been adopted before and returned, so he had a few issues at first. He had lots of separation anxiety and barking. Jared gave me some important tools to use and slowly there is no more anxiety when I leave - no barking, even when left in the car as I do errands. We had a glitch at about 2 months. Rio had been housebroken and has a dog door for outside access. Suddenly he started urinating - seemingly willfully. That just about broke me truthfully. He's so smart and i was at a loss until i thought to call Jared again. He gave me the faith that we could overcome this occasional issue. We scheduled another in person visit and he gave me lots of tips! Strangely, it never happened again! I'm
I would like to tell you how awesome Mariah at Bark Busters Home Dog Training in Southern New Hampshire! We had a nice visit and she went over everything in detail, very patient with all of us. I have known her in the past as she was on my GHSET. I am so proud she has found her passion. Wishing her the best and I know she will do well. Highly recommend her!
I highly recommend Jared! I've been working with him for about two months now, I think we've had four or five sessions, and my dog has made huge improvements. One of my neighbors even said 'wow, it's like he's a different dog!', and I was able to host a small party at home without having to worry about him bulldozing everyone when they walked in the door. I have a 75lb, three-year old dog, and the specific issues we were looking for help with were: - pulling on leash - jumping on people to say 'hi' - barking at people, dogs, cats when they walk by the window On the first visit, Jared came to my house to get a better understanding of my dog's problem behaviors, and was able to teach me some techniques to practice for homework. In the next visit, he was able to see what kind of progress we'd made, and point out how I could improve, as well as teach my parents and teenager how to communicate with the dog. He
We can not say enough good things about our experience with Bark Busters. Mariah has been the most wonderful trainer. She is kind and considerate, patient and so very responsive. We would recommend her to all dog owners as she has been such an important part of our puppy’s life. And such a good trainer of us!!!
Mariah is wonderful with our dogs. She makes things easy to understand, listens to all our struggles and is always quick to fit us in when we need her!
Our trainer Mariah has been a huge help with our rescue dog! She responds in a timely manner for any questions we send her way, she has helped us better understand our dog’s behavior and body language. Before hiring Mariah we were considering rehoming him as he was presenting dangerous behavior problems that the shelter was not aware of or did not inform us of. With Mariah’s help he has made incredible improvements in his behavior and obedience! We highly recommend Mariah for any dog owner and especially for anyone with a working breed!
Thorough training details but not overwhelming. Helpful videos to remind of lessons learned.
We realized we needed a behavioral trainer when our dog began to occasionally snap at some family members. She had been a bit unruly already but we weren't totally concerned until then. Jared came out to our house and we started with Kali put away. We just kind of talked about the issues we were having with her and what we wish she would see in her. We discussed how some things are trainable and others are personality issues that would need to be more about us controlling the environment. Then we gently introduced her and he got to see her silly craziness in action. I think right off the bat, Jared realized that Kali was walking all over us and that it was causing both her as the dog and us as the owners some anxiety. He taught us how to be the owner and treat her like an actual dog so that she would not feel the need to be the mom protect protecting her little pups. She has become a lot more trainable, less anxious,
LIFE CHANGING!!! I thought I was going to have to rehome our dog…. Sara and her knowledge/insights saved my dog and kept the dog in our home! The “Dog Behavior Specialist” (not a “dog trainer” that trains to sit and such) was amazing! I adopted a large breed dog for safety concerns, and that dog ended up biting my mother when she entered my house without me beside her to introduce her to the dog - the dog bit ‘the stranger’ in the house to protect me. I knew this wasn’t a bite for no reason, but the dog was becoming more and more protective of me to visitors. Sara, the Dog Behavior Specialist, was able to show me how to be the dominant presence in my own home, and to take the fear of needing to protect me out of my dog. In just a few hours Sara was able to stop the lunging, barking, and growling! We have been practicing what was taught to myself and my dog daily and have not had another incident (3
I can’t thank Sarah from Bark Busters enough for her support with my dogs today. She was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and understanding. A few times, I had tears in my eyes because, for the first time in a while, my dogs were actually listening, and it gave me so much hope and happiness. Sarah’s guidance was clear, effective, and tailored to our situation. I feel like I finally have the tools to help my dogs and create a more peaceful home. I highly recommend her to anyone needing help with their pets!

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