A breed described as ‘merry’ by their fanciers, Beagles are loving and lovable, happy and companionable – all qualities that make them excellent family dogs.
–by Dr HD Lohith and C Santosh Kumar (Breeder)
Beagles are merry and fun-loving, but being Hounds they can also be stubborn and need creative training techniques.
The oldest known beagle was named “Butch” who lived in Virginia and died at the age of 27 years.
The ship that took Charles Darwin, on his many voyages of discovery around the world was named “The Beagle”.
Beagles originally were bred as Scent-Hounds to track small game, mostly rabbits and hare.
Their noses guide them through life, and they’re never happier than when following an interesting scent.
They are so well suited for all kinds of households, good with children and other pets.
Fall in Love
They were bred to hunt in packs, so they enjoy company and are generally easy-going in nature. The Beagle’s fortune is his adorable face, with his big brown or hazel eyes set off by long, hound ears set low on a broad head. Beagles are loyal, affectionate, intelligent curious, clever, energetic, and their love for playtime is unmatched.
“Beagles originated from England, they are a bold breed and have high levels of stamina and determination. They are extremely alert and very intelligent. A very happy dog who loves human company and is especially attached to children. Their heart melting looks makes people fall in love with them.They are a popular dog in India, due to their easy adaptability towards any weather condition.”explains C Santosh Kumar.
Dr HD Lohith
Beagles are well suited for all kinds of households, and are good with children and other pets. The bark can be tiny bit annoying for some, but it is so distinct. The best part about Beagles is that they are so patient when they come to the clinic, making them one of my best pet-patients.”
-Dr HD Lohith
Wellness with Nutrition & Health
Beagle do well on high-quality complete nutritional food containing an adjusted balance of nutrients to avoid any deficiency or excess in their diet. They are good eaters and in very rare cases, we get to see fussy eaters. Make sure whatever food you give them should be done under the supervision of your vet. The diet should be appropriate to your pet’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some pets are prone to getting overweight, so watch your pet’s calorie consumption and weight. Treats are important aid in training, but too many can cause obesity. Check with your vet if you have any concern about your pet’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
“Other than the general cares like vaccination, de-worming, parasite control, my experience with the breed has been that weight gain is a huge issue. Unregulated weight gain can become the root cause of various medical conditions like hypothyroidism, diabetes, dermatitis, inter-digital pyoderma, Beagle pain syndrome, IVDD, arthritis, etc. Ear infections due to their droopy ears and allergic skin issues are also something that I commonly encounter in lots of beagle patients,” says Dr HD Lohith.
Good grooming is no secret
Beagles shed a little and need brushing once or twice a week and proper grooming once a month.” tells C Santosh Kumar. They have a smooth, dense double coat that gets heavier in the winter. Spring is shedding season for them. Beagles also shed moderately all year round. Weekly brushing with a medium-bristle brush, a rubber grooming mitt or tool, or a hound glove will remove the loose hair, and will promote new hair growth as well.
Beagles doesn’t need to be bathed too often, unless they happen to get into something particularly messy. As with all breeds, their nails should be trimmed regularly, because long nails can cause pain as well as problems while walking and running.
C Santosh Kumar
“Beagles are sturdy and compactly built hounds and come in 2 sizes, 13” & 15”. The different colours are bi, tri, open and closed tri colours.Their ideal weight should be around 12-15 kgs depending on the size and bone weight but should not exceed this to be healthy.. They have a long-life span of over 12-13 years and are generally a healthy breed.”
-C Santosh Kumar (Breeder)
Paw-prints on your heart with Exercise and Training
Beagles are active, energetic dogs who need at least an hour of exercise every day. This doesn’t mean just letting them out in the backyard.Beagles when left alone inside or outside for long periods of time will tend to become destructive. This can be avoided if they have a companion (whether human or canine) to play with. Beagles are escape artists, so an exercise area must have a fence at least five feet tall that extends underground to prevent tunneling.Walks should always be on a leash. Because of their strong hunting instincts, Beagles will not be able to resist the urge to run off in pursuit of a compelling scent.
“Beagles are slightly stubborn dogs but with a little bit of pampering, you can do wonders training a beagle.Beagle loves ball fetching and need a brisk walk at least twice a day to keep them fit. They should not be left alone for a longer duration as they are attention seekers. The most important thing is to toilet train a beagle puppy. I’ve had mixed inputs from clients where a few of them have been trained within a few days whereas the others took a lot of time to get toilet trained. A constant effort by the pet parent with patience, positive reinforcement is needed”adds C Santosh Kumar.
If you decide to bring home a pet, especially a Beagle, then be prepared for all the madness and unbound love! But don’t forget responsible pet parenting in all of this.
(Dr HD Lohith is one of Bengaluru’s leading vets. He runs two successful vet hospitals –Bangalore Pet Hospital and Maruti Pet Care Center. C Santosh Kumar is breeder who registers his Beagles under the prefix ‘Sanram’s’ and he has won ‘Breeder of the Year’ Award .He has been breeding Beagles of multiple champions and multi-country champions over the last two decades.)
Interesting Facts About Beagles
