The Beagle belongs to the hound group, which can be split into two sections: the scent hounds and  the sight hounds.  The Beagle is by far the best known scent hound.
In appearance, the Beagle generally looks like a miniature Foxhound, solid and large for its height, with the distinctive, determined look of the hound – a dog of endurance and perseverance.  The skull, which is fairly long, should be slightly domed at occiput, with the cranium broad and full.  Well-set apart, the eyes are large and either brown or hazel.  The eyes project a gentle and pleading expression.  The shoulders are sloping; chest, deep and broad; back, short, muscular, and strong.  The tail, set moderately high, is carried gaily but not forward over the back.  The coat is of medium length and is close and hard.  Although a Beagle may be of any color, most members of the breed are tri-colored with different black, white and tan markings or combinations.

Given the beautiful markings and an attractive build, it is no wonder that the Beagle makes a strong contender at any dog show.
The Beagle has remained popular over the years, despite the competition, because of its many excellent qualities and valued traits.  Two of the Beagles very outstanding qualities are endurance and courage.  While the Beagle is not instinctively a fighter, its courage is demonstrated by its intense desire to hunt.  It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to find a breed that excels the Beagle on these two points.
The Beagle is one of the most kindest and even-tempered breeds.  It is almost never vicious, except when it has been mistreated.  The Beagle has a resilient personality and can tolerate a bit of roughhousing without serious retaliation.  As such, it makes a wonderful companion for children.  The Beagle responds readily to kind treatment and patient training.  It learns quickly, and is generally able to retain what it has learned.  You can be certain that if you treat a Beagle kindly you will have a gentle, loving, dependable, and always fascinating companion.
The perpetually sad expression of the Beagle, belied only by an occasional spell of mischievous mannerisms, is certainly baffling to one who has never owned a Beagle before.  It becomes apparent, however, that the sad expression is just a trick of nature – a mask that veils a disposition that is contented, often merry, and always gentle, calm and loyal.  In the home or kennel, the Beagle plays mischievously – and in the field or show ring, the Beagle is all business.  Give a Beagle a purpose in life and it will pursue that purpose untiringly and without fail.  It is always ready to be on the go, and from excitement and pure joy the Beagle will often sound its wonderful hound voice.
The beagle is a very old pure bred, first records of it can be found more than 2,000 years ago in Ancient Greece. The Beagle was developed in England and is said to descend from the Talbot Hound brought there during the Norman Conquest (1066). The first written reference to the Beagle dates back to the 15th Century; the name is most likely derived from the Celtic word "beag" which means "small." In Britain he has been used as a hunting hound since the 14th. Century and packs of them are still used to hunt hare. However, the beagle has been domesticated very successfully during recent years and is now a very popular pet and show dog.
In appearance the beagle is a lively, sturdy looking hound. The most common colour is the tri-colour a combination of black, tan and white and tan and white or lemon and white. The tail  should always have a white tip and the eyes should be dark. It's coat is short, dense and weatherproof. making it easy to groom and keep clean. It is of medium size, being between 13" and 16" high measured from the top of the shoulder vertically to the ground, thus it can fit easily into most households and cars. A healthy beagle that is not overweight should weigh between 12 to 15 kgs.
Because the beagle was bred as a pack animal, it is important that he receives plenty of company.This can be from his human family or from other dogs (preferably beagles, of course!). If your family and lifestyle is one where nobody is home for long periods during the day, or if you want the dog outside and you inside, then the beagle is not for you. If you are regularly away from home for long periods and must have a beagle, then I highly recommend you get two. This is not meant to be a sales pitch to sell another dog - if he has company of a friend while you are away, he will be much more settled, dig far fewer holes, bark a lot less and won't get as fat.
Beagles were bred to hunt regularly over long periods of time and have developed a high level of stamina which needs regular exercise. Regular walks on a lead are important, especially for the young beagle. A beagle is a scent hound, and once on a scent, he focuses only on this. It is almost as though his ears and eyes are closed to the world as he works diligently on the scent before him. For this reason, for his own safety walks on a lead are a necessity, as is a well enclosed back yard.
Your beagle puppy must be handled with firmness and with love or you will find that your lovely puppy has grown into a disobedient and unruly dog. A little extra time spent with your puppy, teaching it what it can and can't do will lead to a happy beagle and a happy owner.
If all breeds were as healthy as the beagle, many vets. would go out of business! Provided they are looked after, they will rarely need veterinary attention. They will of course, require their annual vaccinations against disease and regular anti-worm (including heartworm) treatment. The average lifespan is 10 to 15 years.

 

Standard F.C.I. N°161 / 24.07.2000 / F

BEAGLE

ORIGIN : Great-Britain

STANDARD DATE OF PUBLICATION :

24.06.1987.

 

 






CHARACTERISTICS:
A merry hound whose essential function is to hunt, primarily hare, by following a scent. Bold with great activity, stamina and determination. Alert, intelligent and of even temperament.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
A sturdy and compactly-built hound, conveying the impression of quality without coarseness.

Head and Skull:
Head fair length, powerful in the dog without being coarse, but finer in the bitch; free from frown and excessive wrinkle. 
Skull slightly domed, moderately wide, with indication of peak. Stop well-defined and dividing the length between occiput 
and top of nose as equally as possible. Muzzle not snipy, lips reasonably well flewed. Nose broad and nostrils well 
expanded; preferably black, but less pigmentation permissible in lighter coloured hounds.

Eyes:
Dark brown or hazel, fairly large, not deep set or bulgy, set well apart and with a mild appealing expression.

Ears:
Long with round tip, reaching nearly to end of nose when drawn out. Set on low, fine in texture and hanging gracefully 
close to cheek.

Mouth:
Teeth strongly developed. Upper incisors just overlapping and touching outer surface of lower incisors to form scissor bite.

Neck:
Sufficiently long to enable hound to come down easily to scent, slightly arched and showing little dewlap.

Forequarters:
Shoulder clean and sloping. Forelegs straight and upright, well under the hound, of good substance, strong, hard and 
round in bone. Not tapering off to feet. Pasterns short. Elbows firm, turning neither in nor out. Height to elbow about 
half the hound's height to withers.

Body:
Topline straight and level. Chest well let down to below elbow. Ribs well sprung and extending well back. Short 
between the couplings. Loins powerful and supple, without excessive tuck-up.

Hindquarters:
Very muscular about the thighs. Stifles well bent. Hocks firm, well let down and parallel to each other.

Feet:
Tight and firm. Well knuckled up and strongly padded. Not hare-footed. Nails short.

Gait:
Back level and no roll. Stride free, long-reaching and straight without high action. Hind legs showing drive. Should not 
move close behind or paddle or plait in front.

Tail:
Sturdy and moderate length. Set on high and carried gaily but not curled over back or inclined forward from the root. 
Well covered with hair, especially on underside.

Coat:
Short, dense and weatherproof.

Colour:
Any recognised hound colour other than liver. Tip of stern white.

Weight and Size:
It is desirable that height from ground to withers should neither exceed 40 cm (16 in) 
nor fall below 33 cm (13 in).

Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.