Beagle, a wonderful hound

He beagle It is the hound par excellence, full of energy, outgoing and independent, which gives an impression of robustness and has plenty of elegance; These characteristics have assured this canine species a privileged place throughout history.

It is a long -standing race, which fought for its survival during world wars. Several centuries ago, The Beagles had been part of English royalty, when characters like Enrique VIII, Isabel I and Elizabeth II, adopted them as companion dogs, especially for their hunter skills.

Your temperament, your playful and tender behavior, its size, as well as the lack of congenital health problems, make the Beagle an ideal domestic animal. They are very active and impulsive dogs, who need families that provide enough attention and are passionate about sports or excursions.

• Size: Small - medium.
• Weight: Between 10 and 20kg.
• Hair type: Smooth, short, dense.
• Character: Stable and balanced.
• Health: Healthy but with a tendency to gain weight
• Life expectancy: Between 10 and 15 years.

We are then facing a dog that with adequate training can become a great hunting partner and a great friend at home. It is advisable to acquire it from puppy to adapt your behavior. It is important to remember the deep knowledge about dogs and especially each race, seeks a healthy and happy coexistence of the dog with his human family. Therefore, We will provide you with as much information as possible to develop a great link with your pet, and in turn, you can maintain the physical and mental stability of your Beagle.

ORIGIN OF THE BEAGLE

Beagle means "The smallest of hunters", possibly from French Becguele "Noisy person" or literally "Open throat". The origin of this race goes back to More than 2,400 years. Although there are no exact dates about it, as with most of the canine races, its first reference is made by the philosopher Jenophon in ancient Greece, about 400 B.C., when describing a hares tracker dog.

Some beagle wins would arrive in Italy from Greece and are believed to be introduced in the British islands during the Roman occupation. It would be there where the race was developed.

From the century XVI The Beagles were already a popular species. The English aristocracy adopted a variety known as "pocket beagles" (extinct genetic line today), that measured between 20-25 cm and were functional for horse hunts, because they could take in a pocket to the starting point of the hunt and then release them to do their job. In addition, it is known about great Jaurías raised by the kings for such purposes. The Beagles were mainly developed to hunt hares and rabbits.

They were ideal hunting companions for elderly people, who were followed on horseback without much effort. Modern specimens date from 1830 For the breeding of dozens of Beagles in the United Kingdom, which in 1840 were already imported from the United States (where they are today one of the most popular races).

Subsequently, in 1890 the Beagle Club of England was founded with a first exhibition of this race six years later. The World Wars, a first between 1914-1918 and the second between 1939-1945, arrested these social activities whose protagonist was Beagle, but the interest in the race managed to last the next decades.

Physical characteristics

Beagle is characterized by its elegant bearingIt has a muscular body and a pronounced chest. The head is elongated, usually more stylized in females. Its ears are large, rounded and falls naturally. Large and brown eyes, which usually give sadness impression and not necessarily. The jaw is slightly square and wide nose. The back is straight and long, just like its tail. The fur is quite short and smooth.

Average height (adult):

• Males: 38 cm
• Females: 33 cm

Average weight (adult):

• Males: 10 - 20 kg
• Females: 10 - 20 kg

As for the colors of this race, they are divided into tricolor or bicolors, with white tones essentially in the chest and the lower part of the body; In addition to brown and black on the back, ears and tail:

• Tricolor - Classic Tri: White base, where black color predominates especially the spine and some brown spots.
• Tricolor - Dark Tri: In this combination, light brown spots are mixed with black marks, again on a white base.
• Tricolor - Faded Tri: Few black marks mixed with dark brown spots on a white base.
• Tricolor - Pied: Mostly white base, with yellowish spots and brown without highlighting, the almost imperceptible black.
• Bicolor: Almost all of the white body with some brown spots of various shades.

Health and care for Beagle

Beagle is a healthy and resistant dog, it is not usually subject to congenital diseases, although as all races can have some conditions but only exceptional cases:

• Life expectancy is between 10 and 15 years, a usual longevity for dogs of their size.
• Among all dog breeds, has one of the most developed senses of smell.
• The shape of its ears obstructs the passage of air, it is an area that remains wet, which makes it a potential source of infections if it is not cleaned regularly.
• Glaucoma and corneal dystrophy are the most common eye conditions in the Beagles.
• The overweight product of the dog's sedentary lifestyle can lead to heart and joint problems.
• The suffering known as "Funny Puppy" or Spanish "Funny puppy" is characteristic of the Beagle, in which the puppy develops slowly, with weak pastes that and slightly crooked back.
• Occasionally they can suffer from epilepsy or hypothyroidism, both controllable with medication.
• Over the years the Beagles are also prone to damage to the intervertebral discs, as a result of the constant balancing they perform when they walk through their short legs.

About care the Beagles are not demanding. For example, your short hair is simple to take care of and It does not require an extraordinary cleaning. With brushing 2 or 3 times a week and the bathroom once a month will remain neat and with a good aroma, always taking into consideration the occasions when dirt is exposed.

Yes, caloric intake should be strictly controlled, since the beagle is not easily satiated and will always eat the food at your fingertips. Uncontrolled food leads to obesity, a common problem of this breed, especially in the adult stage.

Physical activity is fundamental and has to do with what is described above. Sedentary lifestyle ends rapidly in obesity. It is also the mental health of the dog, confinement and inactivity generating anxiety. If they live in a small house or an apartment, daily walks are a necessity.

The constant game works as a sports activity, hiding objects on the ground and Make it excavar is one of your favorite activities, as for any hound.

Beagle behavior

The Beagles are stable and balanced temperament dogs, they are rarely irritated, they do have a high tendency to bark in the face of any situation. They tend to be very guttural, this means that they constantly express their emotions making noises with their throat. Undoubtedly, they are intelligent, noble, faithful and extremely affectionate dogs.

The affection that these dogs give expect is paid, so that they demand a lot of attention from their human family and if security is not transmitted, they will howl every time their master leaves home.

The Beagles They need a loving and tolerant family, but at the same time put limits and do not let it manipulate with the capricious actions and measures of the Beagle. They are very determined and are clear about what they want, so they tend to want to "impose."

Given their adventurous and curious spirit it is advisable not to leave them locked at home, since this generates anxiety and can cause great damage. For the same reason, the walk and Beagle's recreation must be a routine, daily if possible. Your hunter instinct and the need to track everything at your fingertips usually distract them during the walk, so they are prone to accidents.

If it is a walk in places with car transit, it is best to take them with a strap. The dynamic in these cases is that, as soon as it smells something interesting, it will pull you until you find it. In addition, lWeak attention in public spaces could also hinder a training process. Also, although they are obedient dogs, training in sphincter control can be a long task.

It is a quite sociable dog, in fact it prefers to be in herdas. However, its relationship with other species has to be careful; Again his instinct hunter is an influential factor, although if from puppies they get used to living together there is no major problem.

Already as an adult, Beagle should go through an adaptation period to cohabit with other species. Anyway, it never hurts to supervise their relationship with cats, rabbits, birds or creeping animals. In families with children is the ideal pet, His behavior is zero aggressive And it will be rather a playmate for infants.

Curiosities

The Beagles can be considered A "famous" race. In past centuries, great poets and playwrights such as William Shakespeare, John Webster or William Cowper, mentioned these dogs in their works. They even appear in the famous Greek epic "the Iliad" attributed to Homer. With modernization, they appeared in comics, cinema and television. The most famous "Beagle in the world" is known as Snoopy, one of the main characters of the Peanuts comic strip, developed by Charles Schulz.

The Beagles stardom have gone to field work. Their great olfactory capabilities and tracking instinct, more acute on Earth, puts them on the list of candidates as detection dogs. To put you in context, the Beagles have around 220 million smell receptors in their nose, compared to about 5 million that human beings possess. The Beagles are used by the Ministry of Agriculture and Silviculture of New Zealand, as well as for the Quarantine and Inspection Service of Australia, for the detection of prohibited agricultural imports and food products in quarantine.

They are also employed by the Office of Customs and Border Protection of the United States, for the location of illegal substances. The docility Of these animals also make them functional for activities such as search and rescue or animal therapy.

On the other hand, when we talk about scientific experiments in animals, we usually think of monkeys and mice, but medical research has also made use of dogs, and Beagle race is one of her "favorites" because they do not suffer from congenital diseases, they are docile and reliable.

The experimentation industry excuses them to adapt well to live in a cage and feed them is economical. Therefore, They are used for animal experimentation to test cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, home products and other scientific curiosities.

They are also subject to multiple toxicity tests, which are synonym for poisoning; mutagenicity, which causes genetic damage; teratogenic, which generates birth defects; toxicokinetic, to study the absorption, metabolization, distribution and excretion of chemical substances; And they are applied carcinogenicity, a carcinogenic physical agent. According to the Beagle Freedom Project organization, In the United States more than 60,000 dogs are being the subject of this type of studies and almost 96% of those dogs, they are Beagles.

The standard practice of the industry is to sacrifice animals once the experiments have ended, so that Dogs do not escape the great world pharmaceutical emporium, or the cruelty of some humans. If you have the opportunity to make a beagle part of your family, it is not a decision that you should think twice. Remember that the only thing indispensable to have a pet is love and patience.