Beagle Breed

The Beagle dog breed is a medium-sized hound. Beagles are scent hounds used primarily for hunting rabbits to larger hares. Friendly and lovable, the beagle has been the dog breed of choice for everyone from President Lyndon Johnson to Charlie Brown. Their non-threatening demeanor has led the USDA, along with its counterparts in Australia and New Zealand, to use beagles to search airplane passengers for contraband. Sadly, their trusting, gentle temperament means beagles are also the most commonly used dog breed in animal experiments in the US.

The Beagle's Behavior

Recommended for: House pet, hunting, sniffer dogs (for instance, in inspections)

According to Wikipedia, Beagles tend to be gentle-tempered and friendly. Still, some people think they can be stubborn and hard to train. Beagles are generally not aggressive and work well with children.

Remember that the Beagle breed only provides a general clue as to any individual dog's actual behavior. Make sure to get to know dogs well before bringing them into your home.

Beagle's Physical Characteristics

Here are the characteristics of the Beagle breed as determined by the American Kennel Club's published breed standard.

* Size: 13-15 inches
* Coat: medium-length hound dog-style coat
* Color: The American Kennel Club's breed standard does not make a big deal of color, saying any "true hound color" is acceptable. According to Wikipedia, the most common beagle coat types are: tricolor (white with large black and light brown spots), Two-color varieties (white with lemon, red,), Tick-Varieties (white or black with different color spots).
* Eyes: large, brown or hazel.
* Ears: long, fairly broad.
* Skull: fairly long and slightly domed.
* Muzzle: squared and medium-long
* Nose: nostrils large and open
* Tail: slightly curved and shorter than most hound tails

Beagle's Origins and History

Below are some quick facts on the history of the beagle breed, according to Wikipedia.

Country/Region of Origin: United Kingdom

Original purpose: hunting hares