Beagle dog breed. Beagle dog varieties, colors and standards. Some interesting facts

Beagle- smooth-haired hunting dog, mobile, with a cheerful character and a very good scent.

Muscular, strong, with relatively short legs, beagles seem to be relatives of fighting dogs, but in fact, beagles are hounds that develop good speed and are able to drive a hare.

The nature of most beagles easy-going, friendly, inquisitive, purposeful.

Due to the intelligence and independence, the ability to make decisions, the beagle is considered perfect companion, dog - friend. In the company he is incredibly happy and infects those around him with optimism and cheerfulness.

The Beagle has a charming appearance, boundless friendliness and patience.

Beagles are very fond of society, people, toys. Cheerful, active dog. Quick-witted. Easily finds a common language with other animals. Most beagles are gourmands and need to be restrained.

The Beagle is a hound dog with an independent, friendly personality.. Traditionally, it was planted in English families as a friend and companion for boys aged 5-9.

Currently, due to their unique sense of smell, beagles are widely used to search for explosives.

breed standard

The weight- from 8 to 11 kg.

Growth at the withers 33-41 cm. Males are slightly larger than females and more powerfully built.

Color may differ significantly. The classic tricolor black / red / white and two-tone white with red are common. All colors may be speckled. The tip of the tail is white.

Wool thick, smooth, close fitting to the body. Well protects from bad weather, does not pass moisture.

There are varieties of the breed. European Beagle and American. The difference in color, the American beagle is slightly larger than the European.

Description of the breed and its character

The nature of the beagle is amazing if you appreciate humor, an active life position and are prone to an optimistic assessment of the world. An important point for the pet to obey you and follow your commands with enthusiasm, you must be a leader by nature.

It is not in vain that the beagle Porthos is the favorite dog of the brave space explorer, the captain of the Enterprise, Archer. If you are a captain and explorer by nature, the beagle will be your perfect buddy.. You will enjoy and enjoy spending time together.

Beagles love children. Children are curious and spontaneous. Perhaps, the similarity of the life position of the beagle and an active healthy child affects. This is curiosity, perseverance, the desire to explore everything that is possible, climb through the bushes, jump over ditches, announce the surroundings with loud, ringing barks, tirelessly play ball and run, run, run.

Everything the beagle does, he does with pleasure and enthusiasm. Running after a bike is fun! Lying comfortably on your knees - with delight! Gnawing slippers - with appetite!

The beagle is constantly radiant with happiness and love of life. For dull, suspicious and depressed people, this can be annoying.

With good physical activity, necessary for the hound, the beagle has indestructible health and is able to withstand even the active curiosity of a very small child and at the same time maintain complacency. He treats any kind of curiosity with understanding, and will gladly join any study.

The Beagle is a pack dog and happily and comfortably gets used to the hierarchy. If the place of the leader, from the point of view of the dog, is free, he will try to take it. In this case, your commands will be perceived with some bewilderment.

The Beagle is friendly and not prone to direct aggression and will get his way with endless strings of petty pranks. Perseverance does not hold him.

From bad times. If you don't get along with your beagle, he may just run away because he decides that other adventures are more interesting for him.

Also, the beagle can accidentally get carried away hunting and run away on the trail. In this case, you need to call him and he will come to his senses.

Relationships with other animals

Beagle masterfully builds relationships and knows how to get attention. Known cases of friendship beagle and horse, beagle and cow. Relationships with cats can be complex and are built on a case-by-case basis.

If the beagle is accustomed to perceive cats as an object of hunting, the relationship will not work out. With all its friendliness, the beagle is a hunting dog with very powerful jaws. The same applies to hamsters, rats, guinea pigs and other small animals.

The beagle gets along well at home and in the apartment due to high adaptability, but does not become a lap dog.

Upbringing

Dog training should be done from an early age. The independence of the character of the beagle is due to its origin and is not a sign of insufficient education. The Beagle is intelligent, has a mind of its own, and tends to think things through.. It is normal for a hunting dog to make decisions on its own.

Training is necessary for the successful execution of commands. A small dog needs to be trained and raised in the same way as a large hunting dog.

Beagle features are that it loves praise and affection. Recognition is important to him.

Dogs of this breed are stubborn, persistent, distinguished by constancy. If you let the beagle do something once, he will be sure that it can always be done.. Be careful and do not let the dog too much. To do this, you must have an accurate understanding of what a dog can and cannot do.

Beagles are cunning, and you will have to learn to recognize the pet's tricks.

Care and health

By nature, the beagle has iron health. Short hair does not need care. During molting, it is enough to clean the dog with a damp terry towel. You can brush your pet, he likes it very much.

Care requires long ears. They need to be cleaned gently once a week. You also need to rinse your eyes to avoid infections.

In the summer, it is mandatory to wear an anti-tick collar, in addition, additionally inspect the dog for.

For good health, a dog needs walks, runs, and games. Beagles are tireless and will bring you a stick or a ball for as long as you like.

If you like a more relaxed lifestyle, you will probably be interested in learning about the main sloth among dogs.

Jack Russell Terrier is a dog that help cure depression. Everything about the nature of the breed in the article.

Affectionate, loyal, and you can also put them in your purse. More details in our article.

Food

Beagle unpretentious in food and can eat both dry food and natural food. Mixing food types is not recommended.

Beagles are gluttons and get fat easily, so dietary restrictions are needed.

Guard qualities

Aggression is unusual for hunting dogs. To strangers, the beagle is initially friendly.

With proper training, guarding the beagle will be selfless.

You can train your beagle to bark loudly when strangers approach. It's worth teaching him. Beagles love to bark and do it with rapture.

How to choose a puppy?

Meet the puppy's parents, make sure there are no defects. Choose the biggest and boldest. "Your" puppy will approach you to get acquainted, will not be afraid, will demonstrate humility and the best qualities of this breed - curiosity and friendliness.

The best age to pick up a puppy is 2-2.5 months. A puppy taken at this age will definitely fit into your home hierarchy. You can take a puppy older, 3-6 months. In this case, you will get a ready-made researcher who will definitely try to find gaps in your protection.

The Beagle is an incredibly friendly dog, so you can even take an adult dog if you like. agreed in character.

Price

The cost of a puppy "from hand" is less than $ 300, but I would like to advise you to be careful.

A puppy with a pedigree will cost 400 - 1200 dollars. The pedigree and purity of the breed for dogs is very important. The working qualities and character of the breed have been developed for a long time.

Video about the breed

Video about the breed

If you like adventure or you need a faithful and cheerful companion - you won't find anyone better than a beagle!

Playful, friendly and inquisitive, the Beagle is an excellent hound breed of dogs, whose ancestors came to the UK from Italy and Greece. Only aristocrats could afford to start such dogs for hunting hares and foxes. Today you will learn about the main varieties and colors of the breed.

According to the standard, a typical representative of the species should have 33-40 cm at the withers, and the average weight of the animal varies between 10-18 kg (females are smaller than males). There is an American beagle, which is larger than the English (height 41 cm and 38 cm, respectively). There is a French and a mini handsome beagle, the differences of which we will discuss below.

french beagle

The Beagle Harrier appeared thanks to the efforts of Baron Gerard, who crossed the two breeds. The new species standard was adopted in 1974. The height of the French dog is 45-51 cm, weight - from 19 to 21 kg. It is complex in proportion, the body is muscular. The head is large, the neck is long, the eyes are brown, the ears are set high. The animal is endowed with excellent hunting qualities, calm and friendly. There are various shades, but the tricolor is most in demand.

mini beagles

The hunting small and cute beagle was known during the reign of Elizabeth the First. Then such a dog was called a dwarf. Hunters placed the dogs in a bag on a horse saddle, and noble people gave them to kings and rich ladies. Sometimes breeders offer mini-beagles with a height of 20-29 cm. Officially, there is no such breed, since this is only a variety of the wonderful Beagle breed, and pets that reach less than the standard 33-40 cm at the withers may have congenital diseases.

colors

Today you can buy a dog of any color that is not a prohibited breed standard, so choosing a pet with the type of coat to your taste is not difficult.

Many prefer bicolor or tricolor. The combination of three colors - black and white with red - is an excellent individual coloration of a representative of the species. The spots on the coat can vary in size, so the tricolor is shiny (more light), black-and-black (more dark) and variegated (a combination of all shades).

Puppies with a chocolate, that is, a liver tricolor (from dark chocolate to lilac shades), are culled from breeding work.

Two-color dogs are popular both in the homeland of beagles and in our country. They are white and red or black and white. The most common colors of beagle dogs of this species are a combination of red, red, chestnut or lemon color with white. A pure white beagle is a rare specimen. This is the only single color allowed by the standard.

Weakened

These animals have a color fading gene. The muted coat color is blue. Sometimes breeders call it a weakened tricolor. Puppies first have a gray-white coat color, which later becomes light or dark gray with various variations. There are quite a few dogs with a weakened color.

Motley

The unusual coat color is represented by a combination of three basic ones - white whole and spotted of different sizes. Moreover, a light tone can be called rather lilac or cream. Pied colors are badger-pied, hare-pied, and lemon-pied. Dogs with the first color are the least common. Pied can be seen both throughout the body of the dog, and in the form of a single dark line on the surface of the back. Cynologists are still arguing which colors should be considered variegated.

A resourceful hunter and a wonderful companion, a nanny and the soul of the company, a hard worker-sleuth and a tireless naughty - all these characteristics are inherent in the representatives of the English Beagle breed. Experts believe that this dog will keep the owner young, and you can’t buy such a medicine in a pharmacy.

General information:

Suitable for inexperienced		The need for walking
Price		Wits
Love for the owners		Game craving score
Getting along with cats		General dirt in the house
Noisiness		Character complexity
Content Difficulty		Security
Health		Command execution

A bit of history

Initially, the selection was aimed at creating a breed of hounds capable of chasing small game and finding wounded animals. The ideal for solving such problems could be dogs with a delicate scent, quick legs and a accommodating character.

English hunters in the 17th century already had two varieties of assistants for baiting rabbits and hares - the northern beagle and the southern hound.

In the middle of the 19th century, the UK was embraced by a real fashion for the breed. Even pocket beagles appeared, but the idea did not take root and further development continued as part of the improvement of the pack hound. By 1957, the standard that is currently in force was formed in the world.

A visual description of the features of the exterior of the breed.

Appearance and features

The latest edition of the Beagle breed description FCI-Standard N 161 is dated 2011. Our hero is classified there in the sixth group, "small beagles working on the trail", and is characterized as a dog "strong, compactly built, giving the impression of quality without coarseness."

With a height of 33 to 40 cm, the beagle weighs from 8 to 12 kg. This is an athlete with slightly shortened legs. The color is mainly tricolor black-red-white, but combinations of two colors: white with red, lemon, blue, black, red, muted or mottled are quite acceptable. In these matters, experts are liberal, believing that the beagle is "any allowable color of the hounds."

It is important that they are always white:

1. tail tip;
2. muzzle;
3. breast;
4. stomach;
5. legs.

The coat is dense, with a tightly fitting hard awn. Brown or hazel eyes, a black or brown nose, a proportional muzzle, long rounded ears - this is the portrait of a beagle.
The book "The New Beagle" by authors A.Musladin, J.Musladin, Ada Leuke (USA) includes an illustrated standard that will help the owner determine the chances of his own pet to win in shows.

The features of the breed include an exceptional scent, quick wit, courage and determination, a balanced temperament and friendliness.

Intelligence and behavior

The most expressive character traits of the beagle are both its advantages and disadvantages - it all depends on the mood and personal preferences of the owner.

• The schooling and the desire for communication of the pet turn it into a companion, a participant in funny games, a tireless companion for walks. He is hospitable, attentive to children, friendly to other animals. But loneliness provokes him to forbidden entertainment in the house associated with damage to objects. Another way out for melancholy and sadness is howling and loud barking.
• A keen sense of smell makes him not only a game hunter, but also a successful tracker of illegal substances. They are widely used in Europe by border guards, customs officers and police officers.
• Resourcefulness and the ability to make their own decisions, so necessary on the hunt, makes him an unsurpassed mischief and naughty. His credo is the constant search for new ways to find a new food or toy.
• Vigor allows the hound to overcome tens of kilometers every day with almost no rest. What kind of walks should be in order to deplete the beagle's strength and prevent him from "warming up" in the apartment? Experts recommend walking intensively twice a day for an hour or more.
• They are not aggressive, but playful, they can bite. The lack of restraint is corrected by training.
• Charm and artistry have brought many representatives of the breed to film sets, and the pet will certainly become the star of family films.

According to the Stanley Coren scale, described in the book "Intelligence of Dogs", out of 133 breeds, Beagles take 72nd place and are considered the most difficult in terms of training. Success in the execution of the command may not come even after 40 repetitions. The owner should be patient for hundreds of activities. This situation is not connected with stupidity, but with a stubborn disposition and a tendency to make decisions independently in a certain situation.

Another drawback of the beagle is that he gets bored with long repetitions, and therefore classes with a pet should be short and exciting. Coaches provide assistance in teaching the basics of obedience. Tips and advice on training, accustoming to order in the house and on walks can be obtained from breeders. They, like no one else, know the habits of representatives of the breed and the difficulties that the owner of the dog will face.

Food

You should create a safe environment for the life of the animal in the house. Wires, medicines, food, valuables are removed from the reach. Shoes will now have to be kept in a closed closet. Be prepared that a curious pet will try to break the prohibitions and will constantly encroach on the "master's toys".

Beagle care is simple. Our heroes have enviable immunity and stamina, are clean, do not shed much. Their ears require attention: airing, weekly inspection and cleaning as they become dirty are required. The coat is combed out with a natural brush, rather for massage and pleasure of the dog. With a normal walking schedule, the claws grind off naturally, but in winter you should pay attention to their length and cut them according to our training manual.

The breed is at low risk for glaucoma, hypothyroidism and epilepsy.

Some beagle videos

Yes, from the abundance of energy they become funny pranksters!

Having a docile nature, beagles- mobile and active representatives of the canine world. They are skilled and agile hunters with an excellent sense of smell, having long specialized in catching rabbits and other small game.

The oldest evidence found for the use of dogs for hunting dates back to the second century AD.

It is the Greek dictionary of that time, found by archaeologists and written by a certain Julius Pollux, that tells about dogs that were in the hunting service of a person 1300 years before the birth of Christ.

But experts and researchers do not give up and make statements that the use of hunting dogs began even earlier - at the dawn of civilizations - about 7 thousand years ago.

Loyal four-legged, loving their owners, then provided great assistance to people surviving in their natural habitat.

Beagles, like other hounds, did not, of course, occur 7,000 years ago. Much later.

The history of these dogs dates back to medieval England, when one of the few entertainments of wealthy people was hunting.

There are several theories regarding the origin of these small hounds.

According to one of them, little hunters came to England from Ancient Rome and gave rise to such breeds as foxhounds, harriers and, of course, beagles.

According to another version, the ancestors of the beagles were brought to England in the 11th century. Since then, beagles have been called all low hounds.

The first data on the mention of dogs with the name "beagle" were found in the book "Artistic Esquire" (English literature, published in 1475). After this, descriptions of dogs of this breed or similar to them are found more and more often.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the breed could disappear altogether, because the longer-legged ones that appeared became more preferable in choosing a hunting assistant.

In a number of counties, fortunately, these dogs continued to be kept for the purpose of hunting rabbits and other small animals.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the breed began to gain popularity among the less prosperous population of England, who did not have their own horses to catch up with the dogs on the hunt.

But the speed of the beagle's movement is not so high, which allowed the hunters to run after the dogs and keep up with them.

The low speed of these hunting dogs for the time being held back the global popularization of the breed.

Beagle popularity

Having survived all the falls, the breed has retained its best qualities. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 50 packs of Beagles in England.

The popularity of the breed grew throughout the world (primarily in Europe).

The royals also did not deprive the beagles of their attention. They were the favorite hunting dogs of Elizabeth I and William III, and King George IV even posed for a picture with these dogs.

According to some statistics, it was the Beagle that was the most popular dog breed in America in the middle of the 20th century.

The first quadrupeds of this breed appeared in Russia as early as 1740, but then they did not receive much popularity.

Only in the 20th century, several dogs were again brought to Russia from Eastern Europe, and since then a wave of Beagle spreading has begun in our country.

The breed standard, which is current and officially used in the modern cynological community, was adopted in 1987 and recognized by the FCI.

The origin of the name of the Beagle breed

The controversy surrounding this funny name, which makes the breed in something very special and unique, does not stop to this day.

According to the most common theory, the name of the breed comes from the Old French " begueule', meaning 'big throat'.

In the Russian manner, it will be more understandable to sound like a “tinned throat”.

Other experts are inclined to believe that the breed owes its name to the Old English " beag meaning "small". Quite a real version.

Another less popular theory is that dogs liked to "swear" (the German word for " begele»).

Beagle character

The name of the breed, whatever it is associated with, even sounds lively and energetic, which fully corresponds to the temperament of these beautiful and cheerful dogs.

Beagles have a docile and cheerful disposition, which makes them not only excellent hunters, but also devoted companions and family members.

It is very important for dogs of this breed to have a master, they must feel his presence throughout their lives.

When the eldest in the family does not have time to take care of the dog, there is no way to pay attention to the pet, the beagle will choose for himself the one who has this time and desire.

Such people very often become children, for whom such a four-legged friend is just a godsend.

Beagle and children

Sometimes, observing the behavior of dogs of this breed, it seems that their cheerful attitude to life simply cannot end.

Beagles are ready to charge anyone with their energy and make them play with themselves.

These dogs are very fond of children, and they, in turn, must reciprocate them and be sure to organize joint games.

Regardless of the type of game, dogs will happily take part in any event, and thanks to their perseverance, they are ready to achieve their goal in the most sophisticated ways.

This behavior is connected with the fact that beagles, being strong enough, require constant physical activity, which manifests itself in the form of such activity.

These dogs welcome a sporty lifestyle, the opportunity to participate in jogging.

Beagles are not characterized by the manifestation of aggression and the desire to dominate, so they become loving and obedient pets and friends for all family members without exception.

Many note that in this Beagles are very similar in behavior and character to Labrador Retrievers.

The attitude of the beagle to other animals and pets

Beagles are comfortable cohabiting with representatives of other breeds of dogs or other pets.

The breed was formed as a hunting breed. Often the dogs were kept in packs. Therefore, in the company of other four-legged beagles - at ease.

It is other dogs that may not be as loyal and friendly to a good beagle.

In the company of similar hounds (in its “pack”), the beagle will feel very comfortable.

If he suddenly discovers that the place of the leader has not yet been taken, he will definitely try to stand at the head of this pack.

The only ones to whom these dogs can show "indifference" and even aggression are small domestic inhabitants - hamsters, tame rats, etc.

Hunting instincts take their toll, and since the Middle Ages on catching small animals, beagles simply cannot resist trying their hand at it.

Cats, especially medium-sized breeds, also fall under the close hunting gaze.

Brought up together, the cat and the beagle will certainly be tolerant of each other, but from time to time the dog will want to drive the cat to the nearest closet at least as a “warm-up”.

Beagle is smart and always hungry prankster

Beagles love to explore everything around them (and this includes “nibbling”, “sniffing”, “touching”, “moving to another place”, etc.), which can sometimes cause a lot of trouble. After all, left at home alone, such a dog will learn everything that is possible. And even if it is completely “not possible” to study it.

If someone decided, such a dog should be perfectly trainable, but it was not there.

Being very charming, beagles "turn on the fool" if they often demand the same thing from them, they say, "you don't understand me." And all this leads to the difficulties of training these pets, especially for a beginner.

This does not mean that it is better to exclude the breed from the wish list if you are a beginner. Just if you can’t cope with the training, be prepared for the fact that the house will have the most inquisitive four-legged fidget that you can imagine.

Unlike other breeds of dogs, the beagle does not show unreasonable aggression, even if it has not been trained. But attention must be paid to these comrades.

Running significant distances every day, the pet will already be calmer at home and will not organize apartment riots.

The Beagle feels great in urban conditions, but regular walks are mandatory for him. If you can, while living in an apartment, please your pet with trips to nature several times a week, then there is nothing to be afraid of.

Your own house with a spacious yard is a preferable option, although not a must.

Nutrition: how and what to feed the beagle?

Beagles are not the most picky dogs in terms of their diet. They are ready to eat everything at every opportunity. Even if the “yummy” is on the table, not every beagle will stop it.

For dogs of this breed, the undesirable consequences of overfeeding are characteristic - obesity.

If your dog is gaining weight despite an active lifestyle, regular walks and playing in the yard, the diet should be reduced or adjusted. The dog should be strong, but not fat.

The menu of dogs of this breed from puppyhood must include dairy products and boiled fish (without bones).

Porridges should represent no more than 30% of the diet, meat and vegetables are welcome.

Dry foods should also be present in the diet, the consumption of which depends on the age and size of the dog.

Beagle dog breed video:

He will be quite comfortable in an ordinary apartment.

The ideal place for this dog to run and play is a large fenced yard. But its presence is optional if you meet certain conditions. It doesn't matter what your living space is, the beagle is a medium-sized dog and you'll find plenty of room for it. She will be quite comfortable in an ordinary apartment. The main thing in keeping a beagle is to provide him with his own corner and allocate enough time for physical activity (more than two hours a day). You also need to go for a walk with him several times a day.

Origin and history

Country of origin: Great Britain

Many connoisseurs consider this breed a "classic" hound. Beagles have been bred in Europe for hunting for centuries, but the breed standards were set by the British. The breed club was founded in 1890, and shortly after that, its standard was approved. The Beagle is a sturdy hound of compact build, giving the impression of sophistication, devoid of any sign of coarseness.

How the breed characterizes the owner

The characteristic of the breed says that beagles are inquisitive, devoted to their owners and ready to learn new things. If you are disposed towards these dogs, then you yourself are probably distinguished by curiosity, determination and a desire for novelty! Beagle owners tend to be reliable friends; where they appear, laughter and fun reign. But in other circumstances, these people can be harmful.